SCIENCE- GOSSIP. 



335 



Africa, extends into Syria, and the two species found 

 there are most remarkable for the delicate salmon 

 colour of their wings. 



One species of the tropical genus Callidzyas occurs 

 in Syria, a rather large butterfly with white wings. 



Another genus ■ chiefly represented in the Indo- 

 Australian region, Tez-zas, has two representatives in 

 Corea. 



The only Palaeavctic Lezzcophasia that is not 

 European is L. arhztz-ezzsis, common in the Amur 

 district. It somewhat resembles L. sinapis, but is 

 larger and with pointed fore wings. 



The most beautiful and at the same time most 

 interesting species of the genus Colzas are found in 

 Central Asia, which, as in the case of Parnassius, 

 may be said to be the headquarters of the genus. It 

 is not necessary to mention them here, as they will 

 be enumerated later, but attention may be called to 

 C. sagartia, a magnificent "light clouded yellow" 

 found in Persia ; to C. wiskotti and its varieties in 

 Turkestan, where many grand orange-coloured 

 species of the genus are found, the most beautiful 

 being C. erschqffi, C. christophi, C. eogene, and 

 C. z-egia, the last being perhaps the most intensely 

 coloured of all the orange Coliades. The tint of the 

 wings is almost red, and often, like those of many of 

 its congeners, shot with violet. Perhaps the largest 

 and finest Colzas is C. aurora, common in Eastern 

 Siberia ; but C. o/ga from the Asiatic Caucasus equals 

 it in brilliancy. All the orange species are most 

 interesting from the fact of their close alliance to our 

 familiar clouded yellow, C. edzzsa. The genus Colzas, 

 as in the case of that of Parnassius, is an object- 

 lesson in the study of evolution, which can never be 

 without great interest for investigation by the 

 zoologist. 



The Palaearctic Rhodocerae are enriched by two 

 distinct species not occurring in Europe — Rhodocera 

 aspasia, from the Amur, that has the wings more 

 sharply angulated than any European species ; and 

 R. gkobzile, from Madeira and the Canaries, in which 

 the wings exhibit the minimum of angularity, and 

 have the orange colour seen in R. clcopalra, though 

 less brilliant, occupying the entire surface of the f. w. 



Genus S. MESA PI A Gray. 



This genus was named by Gray in Lep. Brit. Mus. 

 I, p. 92 (1S56). 



Rather small butterflies, with rounded wings. The 

 fore wings especially with a rotundity of outline not 

 seen in any other Palaearctic Pieridae. Wings more 

 or less semitransparent, with -broadly marked dark 

 lines following the neuration. The white of the 

 ground colour tinged with yellowish or brown. 

 Beneath, the h.w. show a good deal of yellow- 

 coloration. Neuration peculiar, resulting from the 

 discoidal cells being short, broad, and not angulated : 

 the second subcostal nervule given off at some dis- 

 tance from the end of the discoidal cell. All the 

 wings with a black discoidal spot towards the outer 

 end of the cell. Wings distinctly fringed, and black 



at the base ; body hairy, long in proportion to wings. 

 Antennae long in proportion to size of insect, and 

 with large ovate clubs. 



M. peloria Hewitson. (Piczis peloz-ia.) Ex 

 Butt. I. Pieridae 1853, Aporia peloz-ia R. and H. 

 p. 1 1 8. 



38 — 40 mm. 



Wings rounded in outline, semitransparent towards 

 ou. marg. in g , more extensively so in y . Ground 

 colour white towards base, more or less tinged 

 towards outer margin with yellowish or brownish. 

 Course of nervures marked with black suddenly 

 broadening out at outer margins to form triangular 



Mesapia peloria, £ O. 



spots on h.w. Base of all the wings black, thai ol 

 h.w. most markedly so. In $ a distinct black spol 

 at the extremity of the disc, cell in both f. and h.w. 

 The disc, spot less strongly marked in V . sometimes 

 absent. Head, thorax, and abdomen black, the 

 latter reaching slightly beyond an. ang. of h.w. and 

 clothed with hairs. Antennae black with large clubs. 

 Legs black. U.S. o* f.w. while, marked as above, 

 but stripes narrower ; disc, spot indistinct. 1 

 bright ochre-yellow with black veins following 

 neuration ; discoidal spot absent. V almost entirely 

 white with black or dusky markings following the 

 neuration, a very little yellow towards base of h.w. 



Hab. At great altitudes above the forest region 

 ofN. Mongolia and Thibet. VII. m. 



The peculiar-shaped wings, together with the black 

 body and basal shading, and the large antennae give 

 to this species at first sight the appearance of a 

 nettropterous insect. 



Genus 9. APORIA. Hub. Yerz. bek. Schmetl. 

 p. 90 (1S16). 



Wings not so rounded as in Mesapia. with, prac- 

 tically, no marginal fringes. Thinly scaled. White, 

 without any markings, except sometimes a long 



