1S82.] MR. H. J. ELWES ON BUTTERFLIES FROM SIKKIM. 399 



allied to or identical with others found in Ladak or in Europe. 

 Four of these were only known hefore in Ladak, at a distance of 

 about 800 miles from Sikkiui ; but as the intermediate country is 

 unexplored, they probably occur all along the Himalayan frontier 

 of Tibet. 



On a future occasion I propose to compare the Butterflies of 

 Pnlsearctic genera found in the Himalaya more closely with their 

 European and N. -Asiatic congeners; but in the meantime I will 

 enumerate those species which are of special interest in this collection, 

 as I have no doubt that the number of species now received forms 

 but a small proj)ortion to those which exist at high elevations in the 

 South-eastern Himalaya. 



Papilio machaon, var. asiatica, Men. Cat. Mus. Petr. i. p. 70. 



A very large number of this species in good condition, and varying 

 but very slightly amongst each other. The ty|)e in Sikkim, wliere 

 the species is found at 8000-10,000 feet elevation, is darker and more 

 heavily marked than in Europe, smaller and more uniform in colour 

 than in Japan. It closely resembles on the upperside Pajnlio zoli- 

 caon of California, but differs considerably from that species or 

 variety beneath. 



Specimens from Nepal agree with those from Sikkim ; but those 

 from the North-west and Kashmir seem nearer to the European form 

 in tint. 



PaRNASSIXJS EPAPHtlS. 



P. epaphus, Oberthiir, Et. Ent. livr. iv. p. 23 (1879). 



P.jacquemontii, Gray, Cat. Lep. Brit. Mus. p. 76, t. xii. figs. I, 2. 



This species has lately been distinguished by M. Oberthiir from 

 P.jacquemonti ; but it is extremely difficult to say whether it is really 

 distinct or not. 



I have seen four specimens in the British Museum and three iu 

 the Hewitson collection, all that exist in England to my knowledge. 

 These agree very well with each other and with Gray's figures. 

 They are probably from the same part of Ladak, at an elevation of 

 1(3,000 feet, and perhaps were all taken by the same person, Major 

 Charlton. 



They differ from P.jacquemonti o^ Boisdnval in being smaller and 

 in the shape of the fore wings, which are narrower and more pointed. 

 As a rule there are no red spots at the anal angle of the hind wing, 

 though this is not a character of much imjiortance. The antennae are 

 distinctly ringed and the fiinges distiiiclly spotted. 



Parnassius epaphus, var. sikkimensis, n. var. (Plate XXV. 

 figs. 4, 5.) 



I have now received from Sikkim fourteen specimens of a form 

 which probably represents the same species in this part of the Hima- 

 laya, and which are distinguished principally by the smaller size, 

 and by the broad white fringes distinctly marked at the end of each 



