164 
COLIAS. By H. Fruhstorfer. 
moluccarum. marginal bands on both wings; Bangkei.—moluccarum subsp. nov. (68 c) is inferior in size to asciefna; 
also the black submarginal marking on the hindwing beneath is reduced; Northern and Southern Moluccas. 
etesia. —- etesia Hew. is a small form (apparently even smaller than scylloides ) from Australia, with the upper 
praerubida. surface of the hindwing tinged with yellow; only known to us from Hewitson’s figure. — praerubida 
subsp. nov. has in the $ above washed out black spots and beneath strikingly large light carmine-red sub¬ 
marginal patches and extended distal tinge of the same colour on both wings. Flores. -— The larva 
according to Martin is velvety green, with a yellowish white lateral stripe and some very small black 
spots, the whole upperside finely ringed and incised, as in a leech. Pupa with pointed head, similar to 
that of crocale, but shorter and more convex than the slender pupa of the latter. — A further race, 
which we have not seen in nature, is known from Luzon in two specimens only. 
gorgophone. C. gorgophone Bdv. (68 d), distributed from Cape York to Sydney, is apparently rarely brought to 
Europe; the <$ differs from the figured $ in the absence of the black submarginal spots of the forewing. 
The under surface is as in scylla. 
21. Genus: Col las F. 
Of this important Palearctic genus we have here only a few species to deal with, which are 
frequently only offshoots of Transhimalayan species and differ but little in their southern localities. 
Like Parnassius, Colias forms one of the most homogenous genera of all the Lepidoptera; they are 
certainly among the oldest extant and their origin can be traced back to the middle of the tertiary age. 
The similarity of some species to Pieris callidice suggests a direct development from that genus. But in spite of 
all the superficial resemblance of the species one to another, the pattern and colouring are extraordinarily 
inconstant, and most species are inclined to .local variation, also hybridisation seems to occur rather com¬ 
monly (an exceptional thing among the butterflies). It has been proved that the membranous scales, that 
is those which are placed on the larger interneural areas, may be employed as a pretty reliable character 
for differentiation. The marginal scales (fringes) are with a few exceptions light red or rose-coloured. 
Besides the vein-scales there are often also highly specialised scent-scales, which in the are placed at the 
base of the hindwing. But as the pursues the $ for copulation they can scarcely be of value for 
purposes of attraction, and we are therefore inclined to regard them as stimulating organs. 
Colias differs from Catopsilia in the second subcostal vein arising beyond the cell and in the still 
less developed precostal; on the forelegs the claws are entirely without the appendages (paronychia) 
which are present in all the other Pierids. 
polio- 
graphus. 
napata. 
murina. 
pyxagathus. 
glicia. 
lalivitta. 
nila- 
giriensis. 
palidis. 
naukralis. 
C. hyale (see vol. I, p. 65. pi. 25 g), one of the commonest European butterflies, inhabits those 
districts of North-West India which belong to the Palearctic zone, from whence it has extended to Bhotan in 
the east and the Nilghiris in the south, poliographus Motsch. (= simoda Orza ) (I, p. 65, pi. 26 a) is the 
principal form of Japan, which reaches the tropical region on Ishigaki and Formosa and is also occasionally 
taken as an immigrant on Luzon. In Japan and on Tsushima poliographus is one of the predominant 
butterflies, the first messenger of spring, which already begins to appear when the snow is still lying, and 
that not in hibernated specimens but freshly emerged from the pupa. On Tsushima I met with hyale as 
late as the middle of October — a handsome form, mostly with white —- where it still enlivened all 
the meadows in hundreds. — From the extreme north of Japan a form deserves mention which has very 
fine, dot-like yellow subapical spots on the forewing, usually of very small size (f. napata form. nov.). 
Similar examples to those figured by Leech pi. 24, fig. 14 seem to occur occasionally, as I brought one 
with mouse-grey instead of black apical tinge on the forewing from Nagasaki (f. murina form. nov.). In 
Ivioutchou flies a relatively small dark race, which approaches erate in the broad black apical tinge of the 
forewing. •— In the high mountains of West China appears to occur exclusively -a gigantic form with 
particularly bright light lemon-yellow colouring (pyxagathus form. nov.). —• Specimens with gold-yellow tinge 
on the fore wing in the Fruhstorfer collection from Japan recall the variety radiiformis Schultz, 
known from Europe. — glicia subsp. nov. (72 f) is the not rare and apparently constant form occurring in 
Kashmir, which is conspicuous by the continuous, relatively large yellow subapical spots on the forewing 
and recalls, sareptensis Stgr. from South Russia. Known from elevations of 14-—15,000 ft. — In lativitta 
Moore (72 f), from North-West India, these small yellow spots are absent, in which this form approaches 
erate. — nilagiriensis Fldr. (72 f) is a very small race with very broad black distal margin, particularly in 
the $, which on the forewing has scarcely any trace of whitish dusting. Nilghiri Hills, South India, 
known from elevations of 5000 ft. — As belonging to the Palearctic fauna, but allied to the Japanese 
forms, we mention here hyale palidis subsp. nov., from the Yilui district, characterised by a light cream- 
coloured upper surface in the and pale yellowish white, very small $$. The distal border of both 
wings shows a tendency to fade into light grey, likewise the discal spot of the hindwing is paler. Also 
the under surface of the wings has very fine black markings. — As naukratis subsp. nov. we introduce a 
further form, approximating to Staudinger’s alta, of delicate yellow ground-colour, which in size is 
