RUOPALOCERA MALAY ANA. 



Hab. — Continental India; Daijaeling (coll. Hewits.). Malay Peninsula; Malacca (Piiiwill— Brit. 

 lfu&.; Biggs — coll. Diat.). Borneo; Sarawak (coll. Hewite.). Gilolo;* Dodinga (Lorquin — F elder). 



Tli is is always a somewhat scarce species. I have only received one (a female) 

 specimen, and for this I am indebted to the entomological exertions of the Rev. L. 0* Biggs. 

 Capt. Pinwill also found it at Malacca, bat it has not been received from those other parts of 

 the Malay Peninsula in which considerable collections have been made. 



Genus GERYDUS. 



Oertjdm, BoiKduvol, Sp. Gen. i. t. 28, f. 2 (1886). 

 Si/mrtha, Horsf. Cat. Lep. E.I.C. p. 59, t. 2, f. 2 |1828). 

 Mitetn* (nee Hiibn.), Westw. (part), Gen. Diurn. Lq>. p. 502 (1852 s !, 



Anterior wings elongate and ovate, costal margin arched and convex, apex subacute, 

 outer margin ol>li<pioly convex, inner margin nearly straight, very slightly concave ; 

 subcostal tier vine with four nervules : first emitted about one-fourth before end of cell, 

 second near end of cell, third a little beyond cell, and fourth minute, Btarting from third 

 a little before apex. Posterior wings elongate and ovate, costal margin nearly straight, 

 posterior margin convexly rounded, distinctly angnlated in the female. Eyes naked, palpi 

 very long, terminal joint long and slender ; legs scaly and compressed, the first joint of 

 the tarsi remarkably elongated, widened and compressed; antennae slender, terminating 

 in a slightly formed club. 



Fio.GO. — Posterior 



This is a truly remarkable genus, the enlarged and widened basal joint of the 1^^^*" 

 tarsi being a phenomenal character in Bhopalocera. The focus of the distribution 

 of Genjdus appears to be in the true Malayan region. 



It has been erroneously stated that one species inhabits ants' nests, but no real facts can 

 be adduced in support of the assertion, f 



L Gerydus symethus. (Tab. XX., fig. 2 * , and Tab, XXIX, fig. 14 5 .) 



Papilio Symirhw, Cramer, Pap. Es. iL t. 149, B, C (1779); StoU, SuppL Cram. t. 37, f. 3, 3 C (1790|. 

 Poh/omviatus Sj/mi-ihut, Oortt. Knc. M^th. ix. p. m lHO il-SiiS). 

 Symttka Pmidu, Horsf. Cat. Lop. EJ.C. t. 2, f. 2, 2/t(1828K 



Oenfdua Symrthvs> Boisd, Sp. <im. i. L 23, f. 2 . 183li) ; BuU, Trans. Liim. Soc. ser. 2. Zool. vol. i. p. 546, 

 u. 3 (1877)* 



Mihtw fyiflrt/ita, Kirby, Syn. Cat. Diurn. Lep. p. 336, n. 2 (1871) ; Sneli. Tijd. Ent. sis. p. 152, n.87 1 187tii. 



* Felder (Beiso Kov. Lep. h\ p. 210) gives tho habitat as " Halmalirirn." According to Crawford (Diet. Iud. Islds., Ac, 

 pp. 147 & 101 thin ndino can be either spelt M Halinahera" or u Almahera," and is tho equivalent of Gilnlo. 



f In 'CftsselPa Natural History' (vol. vi. p. 441 it is stated that Gerydua (Milctiut) tymcthwi is "said io inhabit ants' 

 nests," On risking my friend the author, Mr. W. V. Kirby, for the original authority ol ihi* statement lie referred im- to an 

 article in tho 1 Entomologists Weekly Intelligencer* (No, 142, p. 89), written by Mr. Stainton, where it is stated on thu 

 authority of l>r T Hirrich-Sehaffer, <b:*t die butterfly "took up its residence pennancntlY within the nests of ants," and thai 

 "the aeeoimts he had received of its habits led irresistibly to the coualusion that this singular butterfly never disported ii*olf 

 on the wing, but wandered listlessly in the labyrinths of thf ants' nesta," Mr. Staiuton has obligingly informed me that 

 n the information was no doubt acquired in conversation with Herrich*8ch«ffer." It only remains to Bay that the information 

 given by that excellent entomologist must have become erroneously transposed, either — ua is most probable— really n i. rring 

 to tlie larva of the butterfly, or— as in equally rmpsible— to nxnc other insect, perhaps a moth. For the butterfly is common in 

 the ^ f 1 1 1 1 l y Peninsula, and I have received ii" front ±n many different collectors, £ent home with other Rhopalocera captured on 

 tho wing, that had it been found only in ants* neats I must have received information of so uncommon an occurrence. 



Max 81, 1884, So 



