The Queensland Naturalist. 
May, 1927 
34 
Troides priamus richmondius, Gray* 
Of all the butterflies of the Brisbane district this is 
the finest. The sexes are quite unlike, except in the 
general formation of the wings, the female being consid- 
erably larger, but wanting the rich colouration of the 
male. In the male the fore-wings are deep velvety black, 
with silky green sub-costal band from base almost to 
apex, and a very variable band, slender along dorsum, 
but expanding into spots at tornus, occasionally almost, 
if not quite absent. The hind wings are silky green, with 
somewhat variable black margins; a discal row of round 
black spots, and occasionally a sub-marginal row of bright 
yellow translucent spots. Sometimes these spots, both 
black and yellow, are greatly obscured, or quite absent, 
the wings then appearing uniform green, with black 
border only. The under-surface of both wings is black, 
without the velvety surface of the upper, and elegantly 
variegated, with bluish green streaks and spots, those 
towards the margins of the lower being golden yellow. 
The body is black on thorax, with a green streak, its 
under-sides being bright red; the abdomen bright yellow 
above, sides black. Antennae long and black 
The female is dull black, with grey spots and streaks 
on upper side of fore-wings, those on the hind wings 
being larger and arranged sub-marginallv, more or less 
tinged with yellow, and having a black spot near centre. 
Body dusted yellow with sides of thorax beneath bright 
red. 
This butterfly, now rarely seen about Brisbane, was 
by no means a rare species in the early days. 
In the year 1870 it occurred in very great numbers 
in the streets of the town, and boys were chasing and 
capturing many. Of these, two male specimens are still 
in my possession, and in fair preservation, but of the 
females also taken at the same time, they were sold with 
my collection a few years ago. But few have been seen 
since those days, and then generallv high up, quite out 
of reach of the net. though once af Bulimba a singular 
occurrence happened. As a female was passing over the 
garden, a bougainvillea in flower caught its attention, and 
* Priamus. — King of Troy at time of its capture and 
destruction by the allied Greek armies. He was killed whilst 
in Sanctuary. 
Richmondius. — This form so named bceause it was first 
taken on the Richmond River, in N.S.W., its southern limit. 
