NYMPHALIDJE ROMALyEOSOMA. 



ROMALiEOSOMA XYPETE. S, 9, 10. 



Upperside. Male (Fig. 8) dark blue-black. Anterior wing with an oblique 

 band beyond the middle and the apex white ; the inner margin marked by a spot 

 of green. Posterior wing with a large central spot of green or ochreous-blue. 



Underside. Both wings with the outer margin brown spotted with white, 

 and a sub marginal band of black, narrower and broken into spots (in pairs), on the 

 posterior wing. Anterior wing green ; the band and apex white, as above : four 

 spots at the base (three of them round) ; a short band at the end of the cell ; a 

 longer band at the middle of the wing, forming the inner border of the white 

 band ; and the inner margin all blue-black. Posterior wing with the costal margin 

 and centre carmine ; the outer margin broadly green ; the inner margin broadly 

 ochreous : a pale green spot near the base, marked with two spots of blue-black : 

 bordered above with black, and below by three spots of the same colour. 



Female differs only in the larger space of roseate colouring of the posterior 

 wing, and its generally darker hue. 



Without excepting even Agrias or Catagramrna, this genus is, I think, the most gorgeous of 

 all the Lepidoptera : combining as it does the greatest contrast of colouring with, at the same time, 

 the most exquisite and harmonious blending. The species now figured resembles several others on the 

 upperside, but surpasses them all below. 



