a 
BUTTERFLIES OF MESOPOTAMIA, 63 
Localities :—Jebel, Kizil Robat, on Dyala, 16th March to 9th April, 21st May 
1919. Jebel Hamrin, Dyala, 27th June 1918. At Fathah on Tigris, 11th April, 
19th June 1920. Baghdad, 19th April 1919. 
N. W. Persia; Karind valley. August 1918, occurs also on N. W. Frontier 
of India and Afghanistan. 
Spring Brood.—Kizil Robat, 16th March to 35rd April, 32 ¢, 8 9; 
Fathah, 11th April. 
Summer Brood.—Fathah, right bank of Tigris, 17th June 1920; Jebel 
Hamrin, bank of Dyala, 2/-28th June 1918. 
Capt. Riley notes:—‘‘The summer brood is constantly smaller, much 
lighter and sandier, the black markings very much reduced in size and 
depth, above and below.” 
M. didyma., casta, Koll. 
Harir, 9th August 1918, 1 ¢ ; 12th August 1918, 1 Q. 
Capt. Riley’s note continues :—‘‘Taking Kollar’s descriptions of casta and 
persea in conjunction it appears very obvious, especially as he also records M. 
phoebe, that one must refer to the Persian race of didyma, the other to that 
of trivia. And, from en examingtion of the series of both species from 
Mesopotamia and Persia in the B. M., lam convinced that, contrary to the 
general usage, persea represents the race of trima and casta that of didyma. 
I give below a translation of Kollar’s description (Deustch. Akad, Wissen. 
Wien, I, p. 50, 1850). A character [have found of use in separating these 
two species 1s the position of the black marks in areas 2 and 8 of the 
hindwing underside, between the orange bands. These markings are 
generally, in each area, three in number, and in érivia the middle one is 
nearer the distal one ; in didyma nearer the proximal one.” * 
Kollar Deut. K. K. Akad. Wissen Wien, I, p. 50, 1850. 
Melitwa casta —Wings above fulvous, the costal strigee of forewings and 
a broad submarginal fascia common to both wings and the margin itself 
black ; hindwings pale yellowish, with two very pale fulvous bands, the 
broad stripes and the series of black marginal spots less distinct, 
Exp. TU eye 
Next to M. didyma, from which, however, it differs most in that the 
wings above have fewer black bands and spots, and that the bands of the 
underside of the hindwing have almost disappeared. 
Meliteea persea — Wing above fulvous ; forewings with three black macular 
bands, hindwings with two; below, the apex of the former and the whole 
of the latter pale yellow; the macular bands of the forewings (below) 
conforming with those of upper surface, the hindwings with two pale 
fulvous bands and black lunules and spots. Exp. alar. 17.’” 
Similar to the preceding but the inarkings of hindwings on the underside, 
which is casta in very similar to didyma; in this manifestly differs and 
comes closer to M. didyma (sic!, ? some other species intended) from which, 
however, it ought to be separated owing to the failure of the black spots 
especially at the bases of the wings. 
persea must be trivia, ssp. ; 
costa 3. 95 didyma, ssp. 
Genus JUNONIA (Precis). 
J. orithya, L., Seitz. 1.62b. ssp. here, Lang. 
Key: Bases black, outwardly broad bright blue, with a white apical bar 
on the forewing. There are two red ocelli on each wing near the margin. 
Common near Basra and Shaiba ; scarce at Kut (Major Broughton, R.E.). 
