~I 
— 
AGRIAS. By H. FRUHSTORFER. | 5 
the design of markings of the under surface (113d 3) follows the tendency of the South Brazilian forms of clau- 
dia in as much as the yellowish- or greenish-grey areas at the base of the hindwings of lugens and sardanapalus, 
as well as the median bands of them, are peculiarly discoloured into greyish-violet. The distal margin of the 
hindwings likewise participates in this modification, and the submarginal zone surrounding the ocelli assu- 
mes a deeper brown analogous to claudianus. Another thing remarkable is an uncommonly broad, almost purely 
white subapical band of the forewings, followed by a transcellular spot of the same colour. lugina, in its varia- 
bility, is better known than dugens and undoubtedly subject to greater differences in colouring than the Peruvian 
race. go have, as a rule, no blue reflection whatever distal from the red basal area. — Specimens with a 
magnificent blue band of the forewings, as we figure 113 c, are rare and have been denominated sardanapaloides 
Fassi. The blue spot of the hindwings in this form leaves free only a narrow black distal margin. But speci- 
mens with a reduced blue disk are of more fequent occurrence, and we may even expect gg without any at all, 
although none has been discovered so far. A specimen captured by Fassu is interesting for possessing in the 
blue spot of the hindwing at the end of the discocellular another small oblong red diffuse spot, thus forming 
already the transition to A. godmani Fruhst. the habitat of which is further inland. The 99 generally resemble 
the © of A. amydon (113 d), but the forewings exhibit a much narrower, darker red covering and an insignifi- 
cant whitish, instead of yellowish, diffuse spot before the apex. The 9, being by far the most common, is cer- 
tainly that with unicolorously brown-black hindwings. Fasst captured also such a specimen, though only 
one, in which the white-blue double pupil of the occellated band in the anal angle of the hindwing shows 
very distinctly through above. A second 2 form is that with traces of red in the hindwing. One specimen has, 
analogous to the extent of the large blue spot of the bolivianus-g (113 ¢), a uniformly red tinge at the hind- 
wing; in another specimen the red is confined upon a slight hue across a short distance in the median of the 
hindwing. The third Q-form, finally, with blue in the hindwing, thus retrograding to the colouring of the 3, 
has a faint discal blue tinge of the hindwings. Sometimes the blue spot of the hindwing is of almost the same 
size and intensity as in the $ of bolivianus. This magnificent 9 form, with extensive blue in the hind- 
wings, is denominated thusneida Fass/. We might mention yet a 2 with unicolorously black hindwings possess- 
ing, however, a faintly blue tinged apex above the red arc of the forewing; it may be a cross-breed between 
a richly coloured sardanapaloides-3 and a poorly coloured lugina-@. 
A. aedon, the third of the red species, has uncommonly pointed wings in the ¢ and resembles above 
a very dark sardanapalus. The red area of the forewings remains relatively narrow, it is covered with a dark 
purple hue, the inner margin of the forewings being broadly bordered with black. The magnificent spot of 
the hindwings darker blue than in A. sardanapalus, the scent-pencil with reddish tips of its hairs. The under 
surface is most peculiar and cannot be confounded with any other Agrias. Both the wings, except the pale 
reddish median area of the forewings, of a peculiar bluish grey. Forewing with two brown oblique bands; hind- 
wing with three red-brown longitudinal stripes, being proximally bent inwards between the medians. Bet- 
ween the bands there is no variegated filling at all, like in the other Agrias. The basal area likewise exhibits 
only a most scarce brown spotting. The 9 has round wings, is larger than the 3, above unicolorous with a 
red median area being distally lightened by yellowish. Two local races: aedon Hew. (11& a) is based upon an 
abnormously coloured 3 which we copied according to Hewrrson’s figure. The ground-colour of the under 
surface is greenish instead of light brown, and the black eye-spots do not exhibit a white pupil as in the gd 
of my collection. The latter mark is presumably quite individual, whereas the greenish colouring indicates 
a local or temporal form which rarely comes to Europe. STAUDINGER, moreover, seems to have had before 
him specimens of both the different colourings, because he mentions that the under surface may be dark green 
or bluish-grey. The 2 uncommonly approximates the 9 of A. amydon (113d), but the yellow preapical band 
is absent altogether, and the red median spot expands beyond the cell in Chiriqui-specimens. There are but 
few specimens known, that of the Coll. Gopman having been shot down with a gun, since it always remained 
at a height not approachable with the net. Colombia and the Volcano Chiriqui where the species occurs yet 
at a rather considerable elevation. — salvini Fruhst. (113 c) is a light, local form of A. aedon Hew., differing 
in the 3 on the upper surface by the bright red discal band resembling the 3 of claudina and on the hind- 
wings by the larger blue discal spot. Forewing beneath grey as in aedon, but with obsolete subapical 
bands and nearly disappearing dots in the cell. Hindwing with very small white-pupilled submarginal ocelli, 
without any submarginal band, and red-brown discal bands and spots. @: larger than the ¢, with lighter, 
yellowish-red discal spots which are of a much narrower shape than those of aédon owing to the extensive black 
ground-colour of the forewings, being especially conspicuous at the inner margin which is bordered by a inuch 
broader black. Hindwings like those of the g, but more roundish and with intense red-brown discal bands 
and dots in the cell which are blackish in the 2 of aedon lying before me from the Chiriqui. Legs, palps and 
thorax whitish-grey, much lighter than in aedon. Description according to a couple from Manauré in Colombia. 
Collection GopMAN. 
A. amydon, a species distributed from Colombia to Surinam and the whole Amazon district as 
well as Central Brazil and advanced along the Andes as far as Bolivia, of the utmost individual modifiability 
sardunapa- 
loides. 
thusnelda. 
aedon. 
salvini. 
