sardanapa- 
lus. 
sara. 
lugens. 
hades. 
decyanea. 
lugina. 
bolivianus. 
570 AGRIAS. By H. Frvunstorrer. 
at the costal margin of the hindwings beginning at the precostal, and then swinging distally along as far as 
to the middle of the costal, to which StauDINGER «* tached such great importance, exists constantly complete 
in sardanapalus, but we find it in claudia itself and in claudianus both in the 3g as well as in the 99 sometimes 
in exactly the same development. It may, however, be also dissolved into two isolated maculae, like in a clau- 
dia-2, while the 4 possesses it yet as a complete arc. Clasping-organs with a somewhat broader valve than in 
A. claudia and claudina; the club at the uncus more robust, with stronger spines. The range of A. sardanapalus 
is much more limited than that of A. claudia, since it is met only from the Upper Amazon to Bolivia. The 
southern forms are beneath modified entirely analogous to the South Brazilian races. 
BaTEs says about the sardanapalus: 
, ais magnificent buttertly is one of the most varicgated of the whole entomological world. I found it at different 
places of the Upper Amazon, but always only in sunny clearings of the primeval forests and in oppressively hot weather 
between the wet and dry season. It flies similarly as the Prepona and it is, therefore, quite impossible to capture it except 
when it is sitting. The first specimens I saw were baited by the sap exuding from a tree where a dense crowd of other 
beautiful butterflies, such as Prepona, Paphia (Anaea), Siderona, Gynaecia and others were daily assembled. But the con- 
tinual coming and going of the greedy animals made the wonderful Agrias extremely timid and wary, so that I could not 
grasp it. When being met alone in the roads sitting on defilements, it was much easier to capture, but only 3 or 4 times 
during the long years I succeeded in meeting it in such a position.‘ 
Dr. HAHNEL writes: 
,,By far more precious than the Panacea flying in open spaces, appeared to us some few specimens of the large 
sardanapalus clad in purple and blue, which we captured at the bait in the forest and which is not exceeded in beauty (?) 
by any other butterfly. For although some Indian Ornithoptera and the Morphids flying cn the Amazon surpass it in 
the development of single attributes, such as size and splendour of colours, they do not come up to its abundant and most 
thoroughly accomplished markings of the under surface expressing the Nymphalid-type the most perfectly in sardanapalus. 
But above all other excellencies it was adorned by the noble descent, belonging to a genus being in every way unble- 
mished by vulgarity, the species of which are rarities to such an extent that none of the existing large collections is able 
to boast of possessing all of them in completion.** 
sardanapalus, clad in purple and blue, is fond of flying about very high between the sunny tops of trees and 
it comes down only sometimes when scenting something that appears especially piquant to it. On being chased 
up, it has the same dashing flight of lightning-speed as the Prepona, and nothing is seen but a sparkling of 
red, violet and blue. The rare deep-blue stwarti shows quite different movements. It also flies rather swiftly, 
but it has the same elegant, gliding flight as phalcidon and pericles, exhibiting the most brilliantly the magnifi- 
cent deep blue, surrounded by the grand primeval forest. But few have been granted the pleasure of enjoying 
this charming sight, and even the collector is not very enthusiastic about it, unless he succeeds in obtaining 
the butterfly. — sardanapalus Bates (113 d) is characterized by the extensive transcellular red of the forewings 
and the light sparkling blue occupying by far the greatest part of the hindwings, being otherwise black. 99° 
are very rare and not yet described from the Amazon district. Hitherto known only from the Upper Ama- 
zon. It is always rare, although the species occurs all the year round near Sao Paulo and Pebas. 
, flere in Manicoré, I had, in the beginning of October, the chance of capturing my first Agrias sardanapalus: 
this capture I shall likewise never forget. On that day I was walking along my road as usually. when all of a sudden I 
saw a wonderful butterfly sitting directly in front of me on a small heap of excrements. But unfortunately too late, for 
I could just get a glimpse yet of the magnificent red and blue of its upper surface, when it was already dashing off in 
the swiftest flight. I noticed it, however, resting on a thick tree near by, though at a considerable height, with its head 
downward, like the Prepona. Now I looked about for a suitable hiding-place and began to wait, since I was quite certain 
that it would surely return to that delicacy. More than half an hour elapsed and I began to grow impatient. Now it 
moved its wings, but remained yet for a minute, slowly opening its wings, in this position. Finally, apparently once more 
enticed by the scent, it flew off and after having first cautiously been circling round the said place for some time, like an eagle, 
it finally settled down on it, fluttering restlessly. Now I succeeded also in stalking it and capturing it by covering it 
carefully with the net. That was the first specimen of this truly royal animal, and you may wel! imagine my pleasure when, on 
opening the wings, I saw the magnificently sparkling red and blue. In spite of all my efforts in baiting it, I succeeded 
only 4 weeks hereafter in obtaining the second specimen, and in the next month only the third and last specimen. 
Sardanapalus seems to be one of the most widely spread species of Agrias, as I saw one specimen near Manaos on 
the yonder bank of the Amazon River, and another on the Rio Negro, while I captured it in Manicoré, as well as in 
Sao Paulo de Olivenea and Iquitos, besides the species has been found in the Cordilleras.‘‘ (Dr. HAHNEL.) 
sara Fruhst. has lost the blue reflection distal from the cell of the forewings, the red transcellular spot of the 
forewings is very much decreasing, whereas the black distal margin gains the same extent as in A. bolivianus 
(113 c). The under surface, however, inclines to a brighter hue; the type in the Coll. OBERTHUR has even a 
broad white median band of the hindwings. From Sarayacu and other places in Ecuador. — lugens Stgr. denotes 
a geographical variety of Southern Peru which has occasionally come to us from Pozzuzo especially in the last 
years. The type originates from the Chanchamayo. According to the 10 specimens of my collection about 
half of the specimens have no blue reflection at all beyond the intensely red area the others having a blackish- 
darkened, partially indistinct steel-blue reflection. The blue disk of the hindwings is sometimes receding (= fa. 
hades Lathy at first reported from Northern Peru); and if it is absent altogether, we have the form decyanea 
Niep. — As lugina Fruhst. the Bolivian race was denominated, because the name of bolivianus Sigr. (113 c) 
collides with A. amydon boliviensis Fruhst. lugina is in its size inferior to the Peruvian geographical race, and 
