712 
PROTHOE. By H. Fruhstorfer. 
ribbei. 
octavia. 
papuana. 
microps. 
unionia. 
xantliocera. 
aluna. 
neopomme- 
rania. 
having on the forewings the subapical band very broad and yellowish-brown, not clear white as in its nearest 
ally erminea Cr. from Amboina. The $ has the wings more rounded than the and differs, aside from the 
yellowish-brown band on the forewing, from ribbei (which has the subapical band white) in the broader, black 
outer border of the hindwings. Moreover erinna has on the hindwings 4 submarginal bluish-white dots, which 
are not found in ribbei. $ somewhat paler blue than <$. Brown $$ such as I possess from Amboina and 
New Guinea, I never received from Obi. Island of Obi. — ribbei Rob., a distinct island form, differs both 
from erinna and erminea in having the transverse bands on the forewing much narrower, with only the two 
costal spots white, whereas the rest assume a yellowish tone, without, however, being so deep clay-yellow as 
the very broad bands of erinna of Obi. The £ has on the forewing the macular band nearly white, quite 
faintly dusted with yellowish-grey and greenish, and on the hindwings the ground-colour of the upper surface a 
striking pale blue. Batjan and Halmaheira. — octavia Fruhst., from Waigeu, differs from papuana Ribbe from 
Dutch and German New Guinea in the greenish instead of blue iridescence of both wings. On the forewings 
the white subapical dots much larger, clearer white, the uppermost elongate; the subapical band broader and 
deeper yellow, but not so large as in erinna Fruhst. from Obi. Between middle and lower median a distinctly 
blackish-blue centred ocellus which even in the freshest New Guinea specimens either is absent or only shows 
faintly through from beneath. Hindwings with broader black border, the black submarginal lunules more pro¬ 
minent. Between the upper and middle median nervules always a small, black, greenish centred ocellus, not 
found in papuana , or quite minute in but very distinct in erinna. In this octavia comes much closer to the 
Moluccan forms than papuana from New Guinea. Under surface of both wings darker, with all the white dots 
and bands more distinct and clearer white, the blue spotting of the hindwings more intense, likewise the black 
dots in the cell of the hindwings. $$ unknown. Island of Waigeu. — papuana Ribbe (114 a) represents a 
retrogression to erminea, the $$ being brown instead of blue. $ above a beautiful steel-blue, not greenish as 
octavia In my large series of no difference appears to exist between specimens from Dutch and Ger¬ 
man New Guinea. — microps Rob. is an aberrative form with very small ocelli on the hindwings. According 
to Hagen it is not scarce, being generally found resting on the trunks of trees, with the head downwards and 
the wings closed. A rapid flier, using his wings, however, only when scared and generally returning to his 
old resting place. November till July. — antonfa Fruhst. approaches octavia Fruhst. in the dark greenish co¬ 
louring and the broad black border of the hindwing, differing from papuana Ribbe in having the submarginal 
band on the forewings narrower but nearly dark fulvous, composed of smaller, more isolated spots. Underneath 
darker than papuana, with the blue spots on the forewings and the white discal dots on the hindwings greatly 
reduced, but on the hindwings the brown bands broader and more distinct. Milne Bay (British New Guinea). 
9 not in my collection. — xanfhocera Rothscli., from the Solomon Islands, has the hindwings underneath 
chiefly fulvous, above very broadly bordered with black. Forewings pale brown at the base, with relatively 
narrow transverse band. Choiseul. — aSuna Fruhst., rather smaller than the preceding, with the borders 
of the hindwings narrower. Island of Alu in the Straits of Bougainville. 
A. neopommerania Hag. differs from the allied forms in the presence of a black, slightly waved 
middle line on the upper surface of the hindwings, the peculiar olive-green ground-colour and very broad, clear 
white transverse band of the forewings in which it resembles erminea. Sexes monomorphic. $ with the band 
on the forewings even larger than in Neu-Pommern, a local form also in Neu-Mecklenburg. 
Tribus Charaxidi. 
On the forewings the median vein with a short basal spur; 3. subcostal nervule ending in the apex; 4. subcostal very long, 
downcurved at the end, running to the outer margin (in Siderone and allies to the apex or a point just before it). Larva 
smooth, with 2 or 4 horns at the head, abdomen ending in 2 more or less long points. Several genera: Prothoe, Eri- 
boea, Charaxes. 
59. Genus: Protlioe Hbn. 
The genus Prothoe is in the frequently most gorgeous colouring of the under surface related to Cha¬ 
raxes in the same way as Agrias is to Prepona. 
