46 



INSECTS OF SAMOA. 



a maximum, mean, and minimum expanse of 69, 64, and 58 mm., and two 

 females measure 62 and 66 mm. respectively. 



A very uncommon species in the Apia district, but a few specimens were 

 seen in every month ; sometimes common in other Samoan localities : Rechinger 

 found it abundant on Apolima in June (Rebel, I.e.), and it was very abundant 

 there in March 1924, and also at Lalomanu from September to December, 

 1924 ; it occurs commonly in several localities in Savai'i (Fagamalo, Tuasivi, 

 etc.) and in Tutuila (Pago-Pago). In Tonga I saw a single male at Neiafu, 

 Vavau, and Armstrong found it very common at the same locality in March 

 1925, especially on the top of Talau Hill, where, however, all the specimens 

 seemed to be males. He states that they showed a marked preference for a 

 species of wild pepper very similar to the kava plant ; both sexes were driven 

 out of this by beating, and it seems possible that it is the food-plant, but unfor- 

 tunately he was not able to find eggs or larvae. Both sexes are very fond of 

 the flowers of Morinda citrifolia, and occasionally visit those of Lantana, but 

 I have never seen them at any other flowers. 



This species is a very swift and strong flyer, and extremely difficult to 

 catch on the wing. In the Laomanu district is a long and narrow promontory 

 (Text-fig. 1) running in an easterly direction, and along this both sexes delighted 

 to fly out to sea in the teeth of the strong south-easterly wind ; few were seen 

 to return, and some at least reached the outlying islets of Nuutele and Nuulua ; 

 they were accompanied in their flight by smaller numbers of E. schmeltzi and 

 D. m. melittula. 



An egg, which was laid in my hand by a captive female, was yellow and of 

 the skittle-shape common among Pierines ; unfortunately it was lost before it 

 could be measured. The other early stages are unknown. 



16. Belenois java schmeltzi, ssp. nov. 

 Belenois teutonia; Schmeltz, p. 190. 



Pagenstecher, p. 301. 

 Anapliaeis micronesia ; Cockerell, p. 168. 



The forms of Belenois occurring in Fiji, and other groups of islands in the 

 Pacific, have long been considered races of B. teutonia Fab. of " New Holland " 

 (Australia) ; this in turn, however, is conspecific with B. java Sparrm. (an older 

 name), and is therefore placed as a race of the latter both in the British Museum 

 collection and in Seitz. The species is very widespread in the Pacific, but does 



