CYRESTIS. By H. Fruhstorfer. 
583 
somewhat closer to the base, being distally accompanied by some few rests of the white ground-colour. Mo¬ 
reover the very dark outer border of the forewing shows, from the costa to the excavation at the anal angle, two 
violet-blue submarginal lines; the forewing has at the apex a conspicuous, fulvous, oval, subapical spot, and 
below it between the radials a smaller, almost red, round spot; proximally these spots are accompanied, from 
the costal margin to the lower radial, by another violet-blue line; the meridional stripes are very thin and re¬ 
gular. The chain-pattern is represented on the hindwing by three distinct links, on the forewing by the C of 
thyodamas', the anal angles are on either wing marked with deep orange-brown, and on the forewing the ground¬ 
colour which extends from the second meridional stripe to the dark apical area, reaches the costal margin. Also 
on the under surface of the hindwings the blue ornamental line is quite distinct and displays a metallic lustre, 
which is not met with in like intensity in any other species of Cyrestis. Two local subspecies must be dis¬ 
tinguished: naisina Fruhst., from the Smaller Sunda Islands, Lombok, Flores, Adonara. It was Fruhstor- naisina. 
fer, who first pointed out this subspecies, but unfortunately the original description is very meagre, possibly 
having regard to the safeguarding of his prior rights. It reads as follows: Cyrestis nais from Sumbawa and Lom¬ 
bok has on both wings the bands narrower, and the submarginal band on the hindwing more minutely dotted 
with violet, which distinguishes it from the much darker typical nais Wall, from Timor. I name this hitherto 
undescribed form naisina. It is somewhat subject to Melanism, which increases towards the East; the $$ 
are rather larger, more pale yellow, and have the wings more rounded. All the blue and violet markings 
of nais are replaced by gray or a dull blue-gray; the forewing has the entire costa bordered with black, and the 
white ground-colour does in no case reach the costa. The two subapical spots are not so brillant fulvous, and 
the lower, smaller one is distally accompanied by an elongate oval spot, representing the remainder of the white 
ground-colour, not observed in nais. The meridional stripes, the chain-pattern and the outwardly open C 
at the anal angle of the forewing above the yellow spot are as in nais. The buff-coloured stripe which distally 
accompanies the submarginal band on the hindwing, is also present, but of a less clear shade and on the veins 
shaded with gray. According -to Fruhstorfer it is not scarce in Lombok at elevations of about 2000 ft., 
frequenting dried-up water-courses” (Martin). — pallida Mart, from Sumba. This island which lies somewhat pallida. 
to the south of the chain of the Smaller Sunda Islands, about under the same latitude as Timor, possesses a sub¬ 
species of its own, intermediate between nais and naisina ; being still lighter than naisina it recalls the dwarf¬ 
ed dry-season forms of thyodamas, but resembles nais in that the white ground-colour reaches on the forewing, 
between the second meridional stripe and the black-gray apex, the costal margin. The two subapical spots 
are nearly obsolete or quite indistinct gray, without any yellow or red. The forewing has in the basal half of 
the costa the portion surrounding the orange-yellow costal line shaded with brown-green, whereas in nais and 
naisina it is blue-gray, pallida seems to be very scarce, the available material consisting in one $ in the 
Tring Museum, 2 CS in the Fruhstorfer and two <$<$ in my own collection (Martin). 
C. achates is represented by two forms: achates Btlr., a very constant form from New Guinea, of achates. 
which no further subdivisions are known; only the intensity of the yellow and blue markings may slightly 
vary on either wing, which has however no connection with the locality. Judging from the nature of the sub¬ 
marginal band on the forewing one should place achates in the thyodamas- group, but it is surprising that so far 
away to the East we should find a form so closely resembling the continental forms of thyodamas, whilst the 
nearer nais and naisina differ so much in colouring and markings. The meridional stripes are complete and rather 
heavy, more so than in thyodamas and ?iais; the first and second consist, when they start at the costa of the 
forewings, of two branches having their interspaces delicately laved with pale blue; in no other Cyrestis form 
we find so much blue along the costa in the basal half; also the submarginal band is on either wing most profusely 
marked with blue. The chain-pattern is so indistinct, that we can barely recognize the two links at the anal extre¬ 
mity of the submarginal band on the hindwings. The innermost meridional stripe does not reach on the hindwing 
the anal margin, but ends shortly beyond the median vein; but the first median nervule being obscured with 
black appears like the continuation of the meridional stripe. The $$ are larger and paler and have the tails 
longer. According to Hagen it loves to alight on the gravel of shady brooks in the woods; it flies in December, 
April, May and July, throughout New Guinea, Jobi, Mysore, Waigeu, Mysole, the Aru Islands and, according 
to Martin, also Gooclenough Island. — whitmei Btlr. from Lifu, Loyalty Islands. This eminently beautiful whitmei. 
species is the most eastern representative of the thyodamas- group and at the same time of the entire genus; its 
quite unexpected occurrence justifies our hope of discovering possibly some other species on the islands of the 
Pacific or on the east-coast of the continent of Australia. Its author compares it with achates, placing it bet¬ 
ween this and nivea, and in reality it is very closely allied to achates, showing at the same time all the cha¬ 
racteristics of the thyodamas- group. The are smaller than those of Achates, the $$ of about equal 
