MELIT^A. 
215 
Melitcea athalia, Laug, Butt. Eur. p. 191, pi. xlv. fig. 3 (1884) ; Pryer, Rliop. Nihou. 
p. 27, pi. vii. fig. 6 (1887). 
Melitaea niphona, Butler, Cist. Ent. ii. p. 281 (1878). 
" Expands from 1'50 to 1-75 incli. All the wings deep brownish fulvous, with black markings 
arranged as in the last species, but much broader, the whole insect having a darker 
appearance. Underside : Fore wings pale fulvous, a row of black spots running across the 
wing near its centre, several black lines and spots internal to this ; near the apex and along 
the greater part of the costa is a patch of straw-coloured spots. Hind wings with the light 
bands very broad, the central one often nearly white, without spots. 
" Larva. Black, dotted with white ; head and prologs black ; spines rust-coloured {Dup.). Feeds 
on Plantago, &c., in May and September." {Lang, I. c.) 
A more detailed description of this larva Avill be found in Buckler's ' Larvee 
of the British Butterflies,' where Melampyrum i^ratense is given as the food- 
plant. 
Var, niphona, Butler. " Female. Allied to M. athalia of Europe, but considerably larger ; the 
discal line placed farther from the submarginal one, and almost divided into spots in the 
primaries ; wings below altogether paler than in M. athalia, the secondaries being creamy 
white, with the markings sharply defined and similar to those of M. athalia. Expanse of 
wings 1 inch 11 lines. — Tokio." {Butler, I.e.) 
The figure (Plate XXIV. fig. 7) is drawn from the type of niphona, ButL, 
in the National Collection at South Kensington. 
This form, which occurs commonly at Gensan in the Corea, also at Oiwake, 
Assama Yama, and the Island of Kiushiu, agrees very well with specimens in 
my collection from Amurland and the Ussuri. Dr. Fixsen also records this 
form from the Corea, and suggests that it might bear the varietal name oi 
mandscJiuricha ; he also records a melanic form of M. atltalia. Pryer gives a 
figure of a curious aberration on plate vii. fig. 7. I have similar examples ot 
M. athalia from various European localities. 
M. atltalia is widely distributed throughout Europe, and is also found in 
Armenia and Siberia. It may be observed that a really good monograph ot 
the genus Melitcea, especially of the athalia group, is much needed. All 
the species appear to be exceedingly variable ; some of them occur near 
the sea-level, others are only to be found at a considerable elevation. As 
no drawing, however good it may be, is sufficiently faithful for the purpose 
of identification, careful study of the actual types would be absolutely 
necessary. At the present time there is much diversity of oj)inion as to the 
relationship of such species as athalia, parthenie, and dictijnna ; and if a large 
number of each of these from many difl'erent localities were mixed together, 
