518 



PAPILIONID^. 



an exceedingly variable character, although this appendage is in all cases 

 shorter than in typical P. machaon. There are also some very interesting 

 aberrations of this species from China. In one example the black markings 

 on the left pair of wings are bleached in appearance whilst the right pair are 

 (piite normal. Another specimen has the abdomen entirely yellowish white, 

 as is the case in P. podalirius, var. zanclceus, Zeller. In another specimen 

 tlie black band on upper surface of abdomen is very narrow. 



Ladakensis, to which reference has previously been made, is only observed 

 in the N.W. Himalayas after the snowy ranges, which afford an impassable 

 barrier to the monsoon, are passed. I first met with it on descending the 

 Zoji-la Pass towards Dras. It was very abundant at intervals along the beds 

 of streams, and seemed to be fond of congregating on wet patches of sand. 

 IMr. de Niceville, who accompanied me, netted over twenty specimens in one 

 sweep, and these exhibited all kinds of modification in the length of the tail. 



The form occurring in Kashmir and the outer ranges of the N.W. Hima- 

 layas agrees very well with some European specimens of P. machaon. 

 Mr. Moore (Journ. Asiat. Soc. Beng. 1884, p. 32) describes a form of this 

 species {sikJdmensis) from Sikkim ; and Mr. Elwes, referring to this form in 

 his paper on the Lepidoptera of Sikkim (Trans. Ent'. Soc. Lond. 1888, 

 ]). 437) states that it is "darker and more heavily marked than in Europe, 

 smaller and more uniform in colour than in Japan ; " and adds that it 

 occurs at a great elevation, " probably from 8 or 10 to 12,000 feet and 

 upwards." 



Dr. Staudinger describes a form of P. machaon, from the neiglibourhood 

 of Margelan and also from Samarkand, as var. centralis (Stett. ent. Zeit. 1880, 

 p. 193). He says : — " It is a form of the second brood which flies in those 

 localities during June and July * ; tlie first brood, composed entirely of 

 typical specimens, flies in April and May." This variety is distinguished 

 by a preponderance of the yellow ground-colour and more restricted character 

 of the black markings ; the black basal portion of ])rimaries and the basal 

 and inner marginal areas of secondaries are sufi'uscd with yellow ; the 

 abdomen of the male is almost entirely devoid of black markings. Some 

 aberrant examples of P. ^nac/iao?^ from China seem to be referable to var. 



* M. (iniiii-(irt<liiiii(ul() ( lioin. sur L(']). iv. ji. Ill) scciiis to hv doubtl'ul wlictlicr tlie spociincna 

 of var. cr>i^m/i« referred to above were taken al I lie lime of year or in the place mentioned liy 

 Dr. Staudinger. 



