?3S 



SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



species, as ils habitat is confined to the northern part 

 of the Amur ; but Austat gives it specific rank, and 

 figures the abdominal pouch. I have not myself seen 

 a specimen of P. graeseri ? , but following Austat 

 I admit this form as a good species. 



15. P. apollonius Eversm. Bull Mosc, 1847. 

 Aust. Parn. p. 120, pi. XV., figs. I, 2. 



64 — 72 mm. 



Ground colour of wings pure white in <J except at 

 inner margins which are black, but not broadly so. In 

 the 9 the wings are sparsely sprinkled with black 

 scales, which give them a dusky appearance. Sub- 

 diaphanous area at apex of f.w. very slight in cj , more 

 extensive in J . All the wings in both sexes have an 

 ante-marginal row of small black spots or dots, not 

 seen in any other Parnassius except P.tenedius, which 

 is a much smaller butterfly. F.w. with the usual 

 sub-costal spots, the two internal ones always 



P. tenedius. 



black. From one to two external spots with red 

 centres, occasionally in ? a third red spot. Inner 

 marginal spot nearly always marked with red. Out 

 of eight specimens in my collection only one is without 

 a red centre to this spot. II. w. with the two usual 

 red spots, 'often pupilled with white, a red basal spot 

 in both sexes, but no red centre to that at anal ang. 

 n the typical form. Antennae black, without white 



P. bremeri. Abdominal Pouch 

 (Aust. PI. 8. Fi e . s). 



rings. 2 Abdominal pouch long and narrow, but 

 otherwise resembling that of P. apollo, etc. U.S. as 

 above but fainter. H.w. with two basal red spots 

 arid one on inner margin. 



This species is unfortunately liable to " grease." 



Hab., Songaria VI., Kouldja, Margelan VII., The 

 Salt Steppes of Turkestan III. — V. At considerable 

 elevations. 



Larva, resembles that of the Parnassii generally. 

 " Velvet black, on every segment two bright red spots, 

 forming a longitudinal stripe on each side." (H.R.) 

 Food plant Sahola and Scabiosa. V. 



a. ab. fiavomaculata Stgr. in litt. Aust. Parn. pi. 

 XV., fig. 3. This is a form analagous to the yellow 

 spotted apollo found in Andalusia. It differs from the 

 type in the colour of the ocelli, which are orange- 

 yellow in place of red. Hab., Tianchan. 



6. var. alpina Stgr. S. E. Z. 1887. Aust. Parn. 

 Suppl. hi., fig. 1. Differs from the type in the size of 

 the ante-marginal spots, which are much larger and 

 deeper black. The red ocelli are very large and vivid, 

 especially in $. Hab., Transalai, Southern 

 Turkestan. VI. 



Group 2. Valvati Aust. Parn. 



This group contains, as previously mentioned, but 

 one species, the smallest Parnassius at present 

 known. 



[16. P. simo Gray. Hab., Ladak.] 



Var., simonius Stgr. 



The type of this species is an inhabitant of the 

 Himalayas, and does not belong to the Palaearctic 

 Region as defined in the present work, but its variety 

 simonius is found in Turkestan. 



33—46 mm. 



F.w. Less rounded than in the foregoing species. 

 Wings dull white. All the characteristic black 

 markings are present, but there are no red spots 

 either above or beneath. Ante-marginal band well 

 marked on f.w. and h.w. Antennae black with club 

 much elongated. It is of very insignificant appearance 

 as regards both size and colour, compared with the other 

 species of the genus. I believe it is rare in collections. 

 My single specimen was received from Dr. Staudinger. 

 I have not seen the ? , but reproduce Austat's figure 

 of the abdominal pouch (ante p. 171). 



Hab. South of Issyk-Kul, Cent. As. VII., at 

 very great elevations, "4,000 to 5,000 m. " R.H. 



I have described this species from the specimen 



in my collection, but Austat figures it as having 



a slight tinge of red on the ocelli in the h.w. of 5, 



and beneath in that sex two red inner marginal spots. 



(To be continued.) 



Aberdeen Flowers in December. — On account 

 of the abnormal nature of the past year, many peculiar 

 features have been observed among our wild plants. 

 The weather was very mild in early spring. Then 

 we had the severest snowstorm towards the end of 

 March which had occurred for many years, and 

 April as well as May were throughout unpropitious 

 months. A good deal of annoyance was caused to 

 vegetation, resulting in various peculiarities among 

 plants. This doubtless accounts for more specimens 

 being seen in flower at present than is usual in the 

 month of December. I notice blooms of small spear- 

 wort {Ranunculus Jlammula) , and creeping crowfoot 

 (P. repens). Some on twigs of common broom 

 (Spartium scoparium), also of the common daisy 

 (Bel/is perennis) and scentless feverfew (Pyrethrum 

 inodorum). I see specimens are in flower of 

 cross-leaved heath (Erica tetralix), the fine-leaved 

 heath (Erica cinerea), and common ling or 

 dog-heather (Call una vulgaris). Creeping water- 

 scorpion grass or forget-me-not (Myosotis repens), and 

 specimens of small bugloss (Lycopsis arvensis) are 

 blooming. I may mention one feature on the oppo- 

 site side. In the case of red whortleberry', locally 

 known as cranberry ( Vaccinium vitis-idaea) I have 

 not seen any flowers at present. Thus the one 

 which usually flowers, does not appear to have done 

 so, while those named do not as a rule present 

 specimens in flower at this date and mark some features 

 peculiar. — W. Wilson, Alford, Aberdeen, N.B., 

 6lli December. 



