i 7 



the sketch from their specimen, and satisfying myself, at 

 any rate till we obtain more examples, of the distinctly 

 specific value of this form. 



The nearest affinity of this species is with 0. Arucma, 

 the underside markings of which in the <? singularly 

 resemble some examples of that species ; but both in the 



S and ? , the form is certainly more robust, and not quite 

 as graceful in outline ; while the colour of the green is 

 absolutely unlike the green of any other species, being a 

 deep mossy or vegetable green. The dark parts of 

 the insect also, as well as the greens on the under 

 surface are remarkable for their curiously strong ferru- 

 ginous appearance — a characteristic which may be 

 observed in probably all the examples with which we are 

 at present acquainted. I have satisfied myself that this 

 is not the result of damp, as at first I had supposed. The 



$ also greatly differs, especially in colour, from examples 

 oi Aruana. 



I am indebted to the kindness of the Hon. Walter 

 Rothschild for the privilege of making the Felder types 

 of this species the subjects of my figs, and re-descriptions. 



Felder, in Wien. Ent. Mon. III., p. 264, n. 12. (1859), 

 and Lepidopterologiscke Fragments, p. g (1859), describes a 

 variety under the name of 0. Archidcus, which must 

 evidently be included with Pegasus. The following is his 

 diagnosis : — 



" $ . AIcb sericeo-virides cupreo plus minusve micantes, 

 auguste nigro-marginatcE, anticce supra costa fasciaque lata; 

 discali, longitudinali nigris, hac postice spalium vclutino- 

 brunneum includente, vents mediants virescentibus subtus 

 nigrce, spatio cellulari, maculisque octo elongatis, exterioribus, 

 virescentibus, inferioribus,quinque macular nigras includentibus. 



" Alee posticce scBpius supra maculis binis exterioribus, nigris, 

 subtus margine inferno /lava vel cupreo tincto, sazpius omnino 

 cupreo suffuses, maculis, exterioribus sex nigris. 



" Thorax niger, supra medio virescens, subtus adlatera rufo 

 villosus. Abdomin stringue flavum, punctus quinque laterali- 

 bus nigris." 



$ . Wings silky green, with more or less of coppery 

 reflections ; the margins are all narrowly black ; the 

 primary wing has a broad subcostal band on the upper 

 surface ; the cell is long, and the greater portion black, 

 the dark area exterior to the cell appears as if suffused 

 with brown (the sexual brand is a warm velvety brown) ; 

 the median nervure and its branches sprinkled with green ; 

 the under surface of the wing is black, including part of 

 the discocellular area (as above) — the lower part lon- 



gitudinally green ; outside the cell the disc is divided by 

 the veins into 8 elongated green spaces (of which the two 

 uppermost are the shortest), including 5 inferior black 

 spots. [In the type, vide ante, there are 6.] Hind wings 

 on the upper surface sometimes with a couple of black 

 spots outside the cell ; the under surface of the wing with 

 the interior margin yellow, tinged with copper colour, and 

 sometimes entirely suffused with the same colour ; the 

 discal or outer marginal spots are six in number and are 

 black. 



Thorax black, with a green longitudinal central maik, 

 the sides beneath are red and hairy; abdomen, on eitl er 

 side yellow, with 5 lateral black dots. 



No Habitat is indicated by Felder. The original of 

 this description is in Mr. Rothschild's collection. 



As may be observed in the bibliography at the head of 

 this article, Herr Kirsch describes two remarkable forms, 

 which he considers to be varieties of this species from 

 New Guinea. The first of these, see " Mittheilungen aus 

 dem Kenntniss Zoologischen Mus. zu Dresden, von 

 Dr. A. B. Meyer (Beitrag zu Kenntniss der Lepidopteren 

 fauna von New Guinea, von Th. Kirsch.)" Taf. V. fig. 

 1 ; is a 2 from Rubi und Waweji. The discocellular 

 mark is golden yellow, edged with an emerald green tinge, 

 all the other marks on the fore wings are white ; on the 

 hind wings the discal light marks enclosing the central 

 black spots are golden yellow above the black spots, and 

 brown-white below; the abdomen fuscus brown and bluish. 

 Expanse of costa g2 mms. The second var. fig. 2, also a 

 2 , from Myson, New Guinea, has no discoidal mark on 

 the upper wings ; all the discal spots are white ; the discal 

 light spaces of the hind wings are a grey -white, .with a 

 faint rufus yellow, enclosing only small black dots, instead 

 of the usual large dark spots ; the abdomen is light 

 coloured, with reddish anal segment. Expanse of costa 

 103 mms. 



In the Dresden Museum. 



In reference to these M. Ch. Oberthur tells us that he 

 possesses a specimen nearly like them, but the white spots 

 of the upper wings are more obscure. This example was 

 taken at Amberbaki in 1877 by M. Laglaize. 



As these forms are probably representatives of one or 

 more distinct species, I shall defer, until I can figure them, 

 the fuller description which they merit. According to the 

 courteous and kind communication of M. Ch. Oberthtr 

 received by me, I learn that his magnificent collection 

 contains 10 <? and 4 2 examples, and, in addition, 2 

 examples of the var. of 2 described by Kirsch. 



[O. Pegasus, p. 3.] 



