404 MR. H.J. ELWES ON BUTTERFLIES FROM SIKKIM. [May 2, 
the others, which, judging from the collector’s marks, were taken with 
Cneis pumila and Parnassius at a very great elevation. This species 
has a very distinct and peculiar appearance, quite unlike any other 
Argynnis. Above, the markings are generally similar in arrangement 
to those of A. gemmata ; but the row of spots on the exterior margin 
are usually whitish, the ground-colour is paler, and the fringes spotted 
with white. 
Beneath, the position and arrangement of the markings are very 
similar to those of A. gemmata; but all the silvery spots are more 
elongated and less brilliant, and the deep fulvous markings are almost 
absent. 
Expanse 1+] inch, except the single specimen above mentioned, 
which is |'4 inch across, 
ARGYNNIS GEMMATA. (Plate XXV. figs. 6, 7.) 
A. gemmata, Butler, Ann. Nat. Hist. 1881, vil. p.32; Elwes, J. ¢. 
1881, vii. p. 467. 
Of this distinct and lovely species I received a considerable 
number of both sexes, which I take the opportunity of figuring here, 
as a coloured plate is necessary to give an idea of its beauty. The 
females differ from the males in having the base and posterior margin of 
the fore wing grey, and the marginal spots pale outside ; the fringes 
also are pale-spotted, which is not the case in the males. This 
species must be very abundant at some localities, probably at a 
great elevation; and it is just possible that A. aléissima is a still more 
alpine form of it, analogous to A. melita, var. merope, though more 
different from A. gemmata than A. merope is from A. aurinia. 
ARGYNNIS CHILDRENI, Gray, Zool. Mise. p. 33; Lep. Ins. Nep. 
et, ton 
A single pair of this fine species. 
AGRYNNIS LATHONIA, Linn. 
A, issea, Moore, apud Gray, Lep. Ins. Nep. p. 11. 
Moore seems to have followed Gray, who followed Doubleday, in 
separating the Himalayan form from the European one. I cannot 
find that any description of it has been published ; and I agree with 
Kollar in saying that it is identical with A. lathonia, though a large 
series of specimens seem somewhat larger and darker than a series 
from various parts of Europe. There were some hundreds in the 
present collection ; but the insect is not common near Darjeeling. 
Curonosas pumitus. (Plate XXV. fig. 3.) 
C'. pumilus, Feld. Reise Nov. p. 490, t. 69. 
Ten specimens agree very fairly with Felder’s plate; but the 
markings are more distinct and well defined, especially the outer 
edge of the band on the hind wing. My specimens are also darker 
in colour and less yellow in tint than the figure of C. pumilus. As the 
papers containing these specimens were marked in ‘Tibetan with the 
same characters as the Parnassius, I presume they were taken at the 
