yETHEOPTERA REGIN.E. 



Omithoptera Yictoriee, 6* , Salvin and Godman, Proc. Zool. Soc, 1887, page igo. 



„ „ $ , H. Grose-Smith, Annals and Mag. Nat. Hist., 1887, Vol. xix, p. 445 ; 



„ „ $, H. Grose-Smith, Rhop. Exot., Omithoptera, pi. i., <? and S (nee G. R. Gray). 



Omithoptera Reginae, $ and $ , O. Salvin, Proc. Zool. Soc, 1888, Vol. xx., p. 117. 



„ „ Dr. C. Fickert, Ueber die Zeichnungsverhaltnisse der Gattung Omithoptera, p. 723, 5 T. xxi., f 4. 



It seemed, prima facie, unadvisable to give a distinct 

 specific name to the Maleita form of what was previously 

 regarded as only a variety of Victoria ; for although the 

 subapical triangulate or golden patch of the primary 

 wing is much larger than in its cousin from Guadalcanar, 

 the other differences were apparently so slight that it was 

 difficult to regard the two forms as specifically distinct. 

 But a close study of the two species by the aid of careful 

 detail drawings, and of a fine pair of Reginae recently 

 acquired by the Hon. Walter Rothschild, and kindly placed 

 at my service, convinces me that Mr. Salvin was quite 

 right in raising this form to specific rank. It is, of course, 

 to be regretted that we are not able to avail ourselves of 

 more material to work with. 



In the present case it would be interesting and instruc- 

 tive to have an opportunity of studying and comparing a 

 large series of the males of Reginae with those of Victoria, 

 especially as there are considerable differences between 

 the type and the example in Mr. H. Grose-Smith's collec- 

 tion ; and a comparison of the latter with that from Fiji 

 exhibits still further differences, especially in the size and 

 character of the sub-apical golden patch, and in the 

 golden marks on the secondaries of the $ , as will be 

 evident by a reference to the figures given in the plates 

 illustrating this article, and in observations later on. 



The discovery of this species in the Fiji Islands is a 

 remarkable fact, as it is difficult to understand Avhy such 

 a prominent and beautiful species should so long have 

 remained undetected, or unnoticed, even by ordinary 

 persons, especially as the chief Islands, at any rate, 

 have been partially examined by several great Naturalists, 

 and should be fairly well known to Europeans by this 

 time. Berthold Seemann, the illustrious author of the 

 Flora Vitiensis, might have seen this species in flight 

 if it had only appeared occasionally ; and although 

 his interest would be almost exclusively occupied 

 with the flora, we may suppose that such an observer 

 would, if he had seen it, have made some reference to so 

 splendid an insect. Dr. Grasffe, of Switzerland, as a 

 Zoological collector, should also have noticed it if it were 

 only ordinarily scarce ; however, as these insects fly high 

 and are perhaps very local, chiefly confined to the dense 

 forests where it is difficult to penetrate, a long time might 

 elapse before it would be seen even by accident. In 

 Seemann' s time a great part of Viti, the most impor- 

 tant island of the group, remained unknown to naturalists : 

 little more than the coasts of the larger islands had 

 been skimmed, and the interior of Viti Levu, and its 

 numerous peaks and mountain ridges still offered a rich 

 field for discovery. Many of these points were at the 



time inaccessible, owing to the savage nature of the 

 inhabitants. Even now such work would entail consider- 

 able fatigue and expense ; and it might then be a long 

 time before this species would be met with, if, as is 

 probable, it were very local in its habits. 



The circumstances under which Mr. Rothschild acquired 

 possession of his Fijian examples seem to leave no doubt 

 that they came from the locality indicated, especially as 

 some years ago, at the sale of the Matthew's Collection, 

 Mr. Rothschild tells me he noticed a $ of this species, 

 a worn specimen, with a Fiji label on it, which at the 

 time he regarded as a mistake. 



The great distance between the Fijian and Solomon 

 or Vitian groups of islands is of the deepest interest. The 

 Solomon Islands extend from N.W. to S.E., between 5 

 and io° 50' of south longitudes, and between 154 35' 

 and 162 25' of east longitudes — the Fiji Islands between 

 1 9 47' and 15 47' south latitudes, and 180 81' 

 west and 176 50' east longitudes, a very important 

 difference of geographical position. We should much 

 more readily have expected this species to be found 

 in some of the New Hebrides group, as they are in 

 a fairly direct line from the Solomons curving west- 

 ward ; and though the nearly central islet of the group, 

 Efat, is almost exactly in the same latitude as Viti Levu 

 of the Fijis, it is much nearer to Maleita, the apparent 

 metropolis of Regiruz, than is Fiji, by several degrees of 

 longitude ; moreover, a small group of islands, the Santa 

 Cruz cluster, and many other small islets intervene 

 in a direct line S.W., between the two localities. 

 The specimens therefore were unlikely to be carried 

 over so great a distance by winds, though they might 

 have come in such a manner from the New Hebrides, if 

 they inhabit that group. Possibly they may yet be found 

 in those islands, or in some of the small islets extending 

 S. Eastwards from Santa Cruz. 



TheViti group, occupying a superficial area 8 times larger 

 than that of the Ionian Islands, according to the calcu- 

 lations of Dr. Petermann, consists of over 230 members 

 large and small — Vanua, Levu, Viti Levu, Kadavu, and 

 Taviuni being the largest, and Rabe, Koro, Ovalau 

 Vatoa and others belonging to the secondary group, in 

 addition to two or three constellations of still smaller islets. 

 There is very little level or low lying ground in these 

 islands — it is nearly all undulated : the larger are 

 hilly, and the largest have peaks 4,000 feet high. Seemann 

 tells us that " the weather side of the islands teem with a 

 dense mass of vegetation, huge trees, innumerable creep- 

 ers, and epiphytal plants;" that "hardly ever a break 



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