SEASONAL POLYMORPHISM. 



213 



of the Western Alps and tmebrom, Frhst., of the Adriatic Eastern 

 coast. I -have mentioned in this journal, xxxi., p. 125, the magnificent 

 melanic race discovered by Querci on the Altipiano di Carmelia, 

 m. 1200, on the Aspromonte, and which I have named calabra [Bull. 

 Soc. Ent. Ital., xlv., p. 215, pi. I., figs. 9-11 (1914)]. At S. Fili, 

 m. 900, on the Coast Bange, a race has been found which can be 

 described as perfectly transitional between it and the particularly large 

 and dark procida from the Var. The breadth of the black bands is as 

 in the latter and far from the very great breadth of calabra, but an 

 extensive black suffusion at the base of the wings reminds one 

 distinctly of calabra or of tenebrosa, for it is never seen in procida, 

 except as a vestige ; the series of little white premarginal spaces are 

 lesser than in procida (in which, as a rule, at least three exist on hind- 

 wing and one on foiewing) and in about 1% of the males these spaces 

 are entirely obliterated (ab. nicoleti, Culot) ; this is a very unusual 

 frequency for this rare form ; even a female of it has been found ; it is 

 probably unique. 



Melitaea athalia, Eott., race obscura-maxima, Vrty.-Trti. — In the 

 Ent. Rec, xxxi., p. 194, I have described the race of the Altipiano di 

 Carmelia on the Aspromonte ; the one found at S. Fili can, on the 

 whole, be referred to it : it has in most individuals the same deep 

 reddish-fulvous colour and the extensive black pattern ; most females 

 have a black suffusion at the base of wings ; on the underside of hind- 

 wings the pattern is bold and bright ; in the females a central series of 

 silvery white spaces is nearly constant. On the other hand, the lesser 

 altitude of S. Fili produces a modification in the aspect of the race in 

 that very large individuals occur sparingly, which are quite similar to 

 those constituting the race of the Calabrian coast, called maxima by 

 Turati, and found also in the Isle of Elba. One female is transitional 

 to the $ form paleatincta, Vrty., by its very pale, whitish ground 

 colour. Others of both sexes are strikingly punctifera, Vrty., having 

 a central series of round, black spots across the hindwing above. One 

 male is a beautiful transition to the melanic ab. cymotJio'e, Bartoloni 

 {navaruia, Selys) ; the forewings are entirely black, with only one 

 series of fulvous spaces, as in cymothoe ; the hindwings are only 

 partially obscured in their anterior half. 



Melitaea parthenie, Borkh., race inanis, mini, and raee plena, mihi. 

 • — I have received series of this species from several French and Swiss 

 localities. On comparing them I find that individual variation is 

 considerable everywhere, but that geographical variation is very limited 

 and indefinite and does not give one the impression of different local 

 races. Others must have come to the same conclusion, because a great 

 number of races have been described in its near allies, but of this 

 species none are to be found in literature. I was all the more struck 

 by the appearances of two French races, which are obviously different 

 from the more usual one of parthenie, taken on the whole. We can 

 consider the latter as well represented (if two figures can convey the 

 look of such a variable species, individually) by Oberthiir's fig. 847, bis. 

 .and ter, in Et. Lep. Comp., iv., except that the size is rather larger 

 than it is on an average ; his specimens are from Bennes and Cesson 

 in N.-W. France. One of the races I mean to distinguish is the one 



