3 ^ 
The Queensland Naturalist. Sept, I9i3 
NOTES ON THE NYMPHALID BUTTERFLY. 
Hypolimnas Bolina Nerina, Fabr. 
Hy K. Illidgc. 
On tilt* ITtii Mai'ch, 1918, I captured a 
sj)ecimcii of this butterfly hi my garden at 
Bulimba, tvhicii differs so greatly in col- 
ouration from any 1 had previously seen that at first 
glance whilst on the wing I look it to be a male 
with the round white diseal spots entirely obscured. I 
also took another varietal form in March^ 1916, and yet 
another in April of the succeeding year, both at Bnlimba 
For deseriptive purposes T liiought varietal names might 
provt' useful, which togelher with figures on the plate, 
would enable any (Ulier c(dlcctor obtaining similar s[)OC!- 
mens to identify tlicm. 
The first 1 have ('hIUhI var. imt)erialis from its gen- 
t'l’al dark imperial j)urj)le colour, the other two formosa, 
as exi)ressive of their richly beautiful ai)t)earanee. 
Jm])crialis corrcsi)onds except as regards colour 
with indicator < . in \Val<‘rh()nse & Lyell's Buttertiics 
oi‘ Australia; the orange dorsal patch in forewing is al»- 
hcnt, likiMvise 1 lu' (*en1ral pateh of l)!ue in hind wing, 
^vhi(dl is i'ej)lact'd hy a N'twy faint tinge of silky gretui. Its 
predominating tujlour is dai’k silky purple ^\■^th a eop])ery 
tinge near l)ase and along dorsum to luuir Pumus. Tlu* 
under surface agr(‘es fairly well with the general deserip- 
tion given in that work, hut the diseal bands of fortMving 
fu-e almost abscTit, and on ]lind-^ving quite obsolete. 
In var. formosa the iniddle s]K‘ciinen (Ui the plate is 
of a general |)nrj>lisli black, with faint iridescent discal 
blue. ])ateh and small orange dorsal s[K)t. The lower 
specimen has discal patch more extensive, and tawn;^ 
orange dorsal pateh much larger. The hind Avings of the 
mid<lle figuia' in plate liave the central patch of iridcs- 
( ent blue rather small, wliereas in the lower figui'c it is 
very much more extensive, much paler, and along the 
nerviires paler still. 
^T'’or convenience in describing these forms in luy 
notes, I have given them vaideta! names, as indicated, but 
’"The Butterflies of Aust. Waterhouse and Lyell. “We 
have intergrades between these variations, so do not 
regard them as sufficiently constant to warrant their be- 
ing named as forms of nerina.^’ 
