338 ON A NEW AGRIAS FROM THE AMAZONS. [Mar. 21 , 



5. On a new Species of Agrias from the Valley of the 

 Amazons. By F. D. Godman ami O. Salvin. 



[Received March 11, 1882.] 



(Plate XIX.) 



Some time ago Mr. A Maxwell Stuart, whilst travelling on the Upper 

 Amazons, captured a magnificent specimen of an Agrias, a genus 

 much prized by all lepidopterists both for its rarity and beauty. 

 On his return to England he kindly made us a present of it ; and as 

 it proves to belong to a hitherto undescribed species, we have much 

 pleasure in naming it after him. 



Agrias stuarti, sp. uov. (Plate XIX. figs. I, 2.) 



Both wings deep purplish-blue, bordered outwardly with a narrow 

 metallic green band, beyond which it is greyish ; primaries with costa 

 and apex black, this colour extends along the outer margin towards 

 the posterior angle, where it fades into grey ; secondaries with costal 

 region and inner margin broadly black : beneath, primaries black, 

 apical third metallic green, reddish orange towards the base ; secon- 

 daries, basal half orange, outer half metallic green with three rows of 

 black spots parallel to the outer margin, the middle one having 

 central white spots. 



Exp. 3" 7 inches. 



Hab. Yquitos, Amazons {A. Maxwell Stuart). 



Mus. nostr. 



This insect is a close ally of ^. beatifica, Hew., from which, however, 

 it differs in the greater extension of the purplish-blue colour of the 

 upper surface. Beneath there is but little difference, but the black 

 spots of the secondaries are rather larger. 



Mr. Stuart captured a single male example of this fine insect 

 whilst it was pursuing a specimen of Callithea buckleyi, which 

 resembles it both in colour and markings, and with which it appeared 

 to be fighting. No doubt, like other members of the genus, it flies 

 about the tops of the highest trees, settling on the foliage out of 

 reach, and rarely coming near the ground'. A. beatifica has also a 

 Callithea which is found together with it, and likewise resembles it 

 in coloration ; this is C. degandii, the sexes of which, though con- 

 siderably different from each other, are alike in the two species. 



Mr. Hewitson has given a very good figure of the male of A. 

 beatifica in his ' Exotic Butterflies ;' but the female (of which we have 

 a single specimen procured by Mr. Hauxwell at Pebas on the Upper 

 Amazons) differs so much that a short description and figure of it 

 here may be desirable. 



Agrias beatifica ? . (Plate XIX. figs. 3, 4.) 



Both wings black, with a broad metalhc green band commencing 



' On the habits of the otlicr Amazonian s^jceies oi Agrias, see Bates, Jouru. 

 Ent. ii. p. 337. 



