1882.] 177 [Hagen. 



which gives a full classification of the Colias of the whole world, Mr. A. 

 Keferstein enumerates the characters which are variable, and therefore not 

 to be used as specific characters. 



1. The discal spot of the upperside of the primaries. He is black or 

 wanting sometimes in Palaeno, Behrii, Pelidne. 



2. The submarginal series of black spots of the underside of the primaries, 

 which are wanting sometimes in Aurora, Philodice. 



3. The same series of the underside of the secondaries, wanting some- 

 times in Myrmidone. 



4. The discal spot of the underside of the secondaries is on the same 

 species surrounded by a darker ring or not; so on Behrii, Nastes. 



5. The mealy spot above near the costal margin of the secondaries of 

 the male is on Electra, Edusa and probably on other species only exception- 

 ally present, after the examination of a series of specimens. This statement 

 is very important and corroborated by the similar occurrence on Pap. 

 Priamus. 1 



Concerning the reduction of the American species it is of importance 

 that Hecla is considered to be a variety of Myrmidone. Eury theme is not 

 united with Chrysotheme. Interior and Labradorensis are, after Moeschler, 

 united with Philodice. 



A large number of American species were not represented in the author's 

 collection. 



I am also indebted to Mr. S. H. Scudder for the use of a separate copy 

 of Une nouvelle Colias du Caucase, 1882, by the Grand Due Nicholas 

 Michailowitch. The species C. Olga is particularly interesting by its varia- 

 tions and by the comparison with four nearly related species. All are 

 figured. 



The London Entomologist, Vol. xr, 1872, p. 49, has a very interesting 

 paper on Colias Edusa by Mr. E. A. Fitch. The unusual abundance of 

 this species in England in 1877 was normally double-brooded and occasion- 

 ally triple-brooded. Among the numerous specimens placed at the disposal 

 of the author, twelve varieties were especially interesting and are all 

 figured. 



" Could we but get (p. 53) series of each supposed species of Colias, 

 such as could be procured of C. Edusa this year in Britain, and allowing 

 for the variation attributable to geographical distribution or climatal causes, 

 it is more than likely that the most discriminating speciologist would be 

 baffled." I am well aware, that the reductions proposed by myself will be 

 chiefly objected to by entomologists not being able to study similarly large 

 series of specimens. 



1 Nevertheless Mr. Alpheraky, Stett. Zeit. 1883, p. 488, contradicts the statement. 



PROCEEDINGS B. S. N. H. VOL. XXII. 12 SEPTEMBER, 1883. 



