PAPILIO. 



539 



In one of the Chinese specimens the secondaries are entirely black on the 

 upper surface, and the submarginal markings on the under surface are but very 

 faintly indicated, whilst an examjole of the same form, taken in Kulu, N.W. 

 Himalayas, is entirely without markings on either surface of the wings. From 

 this form the size and number of the submarginal lunules gradually increase, 

 and the red spot towards extremity of the tail becomes visible. The red 

 lunules and white spots increase in size by degrees until the characteristics of 

 var. lama are reached, of which form a female example is figured by Oberthiir ; 

 continued gradation leads up to the typical form of ])hiloxenus, and beyond 

 this to an extreme form in which the red markings are very pronounced, some 

 of them confluent, and the white quadrate spot very large with a smaller white 

 spot above and below it. 



In addition to the variation referred to in the above remarks, P. philoxenus 

 is subject to still other modifications. In some examples all the spots on 

 secondaries are red ; in others, although the submarginal lunules are well 

 defined, the spot on the tail is absent. In some specimens there is an extra 

 red patch above anal angle, and in others this is represented by a white blotch 

 which is sometimes broken up into two or three spots. The white quadrate 

 spot, which is usually present, is excessively variable in shape, being in some 

 specimens nearly circular ; in others it is triangular, and in others, again, bar- 

 shaped, often contracted in the middle, and sometimes separated into two 

 spots ; in a few specimens this mark is hook-shaped. 



A common insect throughout the Himalayas. Elwes states that in Sikkim 

 it is met with up to an elevation of 8000 feet from April to November. 



Distribution. Central and Western China * ; the Himalayas, Siam, Upper 

 Burmah. 



Papilio alcinous. 



Papilio alcinous, Klug, Neue Schmett. p. 1, pi. i. figs. 1-4 (1836). 



Papilio alcinous, var., Gray, Cat. Lep. Ins. B. M. i. p. 12, pi. iv. figs. 2, 3 (1852). 



Papilio mencius, Felder, "Wien. ent. Mon. vi. p. 22 (1862). 



Papilio sputhatus, Butler, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. (5) vii. p. 139 (1881). 



Papilio hcematostictus, Butler, loc. cit. 



* Oberthiir (Etud. d'Entom. xi.) records a variety of P. maricp, Semper, from Kouy-Tchcou. 

 I am not accjuainted with Samper's species, which is from the Philippines, but I am inclined to 

 think that Oberthiir's insect is referable to P. philoxenus. 



4b 2 



