11 
1891.] W. Doherty — A List of the Butterflies of Engano. 
type of Euplma, and although it would be more pedantically accurate 
to follow Fabricius rather than Cramer, it seoms a pity to confine the 
use of Euploea to two or three species (with their local forms) forming 
a small aberrant genus, now well-known as Macroplcea, while hundreds 
of species cluster around core as their natural type and centre. Macro- 
plcea (Mr. Moore's Euploea) is a true genus, and must be ultimately 
recognized as such. But unless we accept M. Moore’s little groups as 
genera, we must find some general name for the large mass of species 
remaining. It is unlikely that naturalists will consent to call them all 
Grastia. Surely they had better keep the name of Euploea as before, 
with Grastia (= Vadehra* Moore) as a subgenus under it. 
As to the position of the family as a whole, I understand that Mr. 
Scudder now gives it a low one, below the Apaturido), Nymphalidce and 
Satyr idee. Much, however, may be said in favour of retaining it at the 
head of butterflies. The shoulder plates are in most butterflies shaped 
more or less like a human foot as seen from the side, having a long 
posterior process. It is only in the Danaidce and the Acrmidm that they 
are simply semicircular in shape (in the Danaido e more than half a circle) 
without the posterior process. The process is also greatly reduced in 
Cynthia aud Cethosia, the nearest genera of the Apaturidce, while in the 
lower forms of the Tetrapoda, the plate greatly resembles that of other 
butterflies. The long claws of the Danaidce, culminating in Banais 
with its aborted paronychia, may also show a higher development than 
other Tetrapoda. But they are also found in the Papilios, and seem to 
go along with a prolonged and aerial flight. The fore-feet of the male 
still retain the tarsus, which is lost in most Neotropidm ( Ithomiadm ), 
but it is less developed than in the Morphidm and most other higher 
butterflies. 
The striking feature of the Danaidm, however, is the more perfect 
development of the fore-feet of the female into sensory organs much 
resembl ing the antennae, but set with highly specialized tactile hairs or 
papillae. I have taken a good many notes on this subjoct, on which so 
far as I know nothing has yet been written, and when they are more 
complete, I hope to publish them. So far as examination has yet shown 
me, there seems to be a gradual development upwards from the Morphidce, 
in which the joints arc tapering, the last the slenderest, with a conspicu- 
ous pulvillus and rudimentary claws with their appertaining hairs. 
In the higher groups, these tarsi become less and less like a foot, and 
* Mr. Moore applied this name to two different genera of butterflies in the same 
issue of the Proceedings of the Zoological Society. 
t These also occur in all Tetrapoda, and in some other groups, as the Nemeo- 
biadtc, but arc there few and small. 
t 
