﻿121 



Genus SCHOENBERGIA, Pagenstecher. 



Section Phal^nosoma, Rippon. 



The characteristics of Mr. Rothschild's well-named 

 Sch. Chimsera are so clearly differentiated from all other 

 known species of Troides, that it seemed justifiable to 

 me to assign it a position in a new section of the genus 

 Schoenbergia. And though, prima facie, a casual examina- 

 tion of the <? would not suggest any particular departure 

 from the general appearance of other species of the 

 genus, a more careful study would prove its very unusual 

 or remarkable character. No one would be likely to 

 overlook this fact in the 2 , any more than they would in 

 the case of the 2 of Ornithoptera Lydius. 



The following is the diagnosis of the sectional 

 characters of Sch. Chimsera. 



$ Anterior wings. Costa not so gracefully arcuate as 

 in Titan or Paradisia ; the anterior angle more rounded ; 

 the wing rather larger in proportion to the posterior wing 

 than in the general species of the genus ; broader in pro- 

 portion also ; the exterior margin somewhat incurved 

 along its length [in Titan, Goliath, &c. (except Paradisia 

 and Meridionalis) it is nearly straight] ; the interior mar- 

 gin deviates irregularly from the nearly straight line of 

 all the other species except Meridionalis ; the green areas 

 of the upper surface are three in number. In all the 

 other species they are only two, though these species 

 differ very much from each other in other respects. From 

 the base of the wing long hairs may be seen by an oblique 

 examination. Posterior wing near the anal angle very 

 concave ; all other species are without this incurvature 

 except slightly in Goliath. The entire area of black from 



the abdominal margin inward is covered with long black 

 hairs standing above the velvety black, and curved for- 

 ward in one direction ; the abdominal-marginal fringe is 

 also moderately long. The thorax is not only of the 

 usual densely black appearance, but is also furnished with 

 a multitude of long fine black hairs, which proceed from 

 every part of it, as on the wing. The abdomen on its 

 subdorsum is furnished with yellow fringe-like scales from 

 every articulation, quite unlike what obtains in any other 

 species. The abdominal marginal fringe is long, but 

 scanty. 



2 Posterior wings larger in proportion than the an- 

 terior. Both wings in some undefined way unlike those 

 of other Ornithoptera ; undersurface of the anterior wings 

 with the row of submarginal marks all fringed with long 

 white scales. The fringe lunules on both wings and sur- 

 faces are moth-like. The posterior wing on the upper 

 surface at half way from base to end of the cell clothed 

 with long hairs, and when viewed obliquely, are seen to 

 be raised high above the dark brown surface of the wing; 

 the abdominal-marginal fringe fairly long and dense. The 

 thorax is broad and moth-like, with a multitude of long 

 black hairs starting from all parts of it ; abdomen very 

 moth-like, each joint widely banded with fringed-black 

 scales, which rise above and below the body, as do also 

 the yellow ones. 



The whole aspect of the 2 is that of a moth — the body 

 suggesting a Sphinge, and the thorax a Bombyx. 



