NYCTALEMON. By Dr. A. Seitz. 
95 
black by the veins and in the interspaces interrupted by shadows. New Mecklenburg. — ab. ornata Pfeiff. 
(70 c). All the bands with an intense brass tint, traversed by the black veins and indented at the edges. In 
the hind wing the otherwise dark marginal portion is intermixed with numerous metal spots and, on the con¬ 
trary, there are small black spots in the green median band. In all the forms of orontes the black band of the 
hindwing beneath is not slightly rounded, but sharply flawed. 
A. liris Fldr. (71 c) is very similar to orontes, but on the forewing both the bands are more slantingly 
arranged, the band before the apical portion much sharper and finer. Fringe of hindwing broader white, 
especially the broad dent in the centre of the margin almost quite bluish-white. Batjan. — sordidior Rothsch. 
has a broader, darker median band of the forewing; the band of the hindwing is much broader, dull metallic 
green; in the lower part of the band the pale blue colour is absent, and the tail is pale blue with 2 black 
spots. Expanse: 112 mm. Base Camp, Dutch New Guinea. 
A. metaurus Hpffr. (= orontes On. nec Cl.) (70 b). Mostly all the bands of a deep brass, sometimes 
coppery golden tint. All the bands very much broader, especially those in the forewing; also that before the 
apical portion strongly expanded and curved. Northern Australia. 
A. zodiaca Btlr. (= metaurus Wkr., orontes Wkr. nec Cl.). Similar to metaurus , but recognizable by 
the median band of the forewing being extraordinarily widened at the inner margin, about 3 times as wide 
as at its beginning below the costa, and with a very intense copper gloss. North Australia and New Guinea. 
A. cydrius Fldr. (71 c). In contrast with zodiaca, the fringe of the hindwing is but very narrow white 
between the ends of the veins. The marginal lobe in the middle is above almost quite black. All the blue- 
green bands above are shortened, those of the hindwing only in and above the cell, whilst the whole inner- 
marginal portion remains black. Amboina. — moerens Pjeijf. is a very dark form from Waigeu. 
A. agathyrsus Kirsch (70 b, 71 c). A very common species from New Guinea. The median bands are 
strongly widened, especially the band of the hindwing is diffuse at the inner-marginal part, mostly in both 
wings with an intense brass tint. Fringe of hindwing broad white, the tail of the hindwing almost invariably 
of a pure bluish white, at the base at most spotted. In the forewing the ground-colour in the basal half as a 
rule intensely covered with metal-blue; band of forewing slanting and rather straight; end of abdomen brass- 
coloured. — coerulea Pfeiff. (70 c), from Mysol, differs from the latter in the narrower and, in a certain light, 
very deep sky-blue band of the hind wing. 
A. aruus Fldr. (= arnus Fldr. *) (70 c). Separated from agathyrsus by the very broadly flown band 
of the hinclwing, with an almost entirely white lustre, which is not very clear in the figure. The median band 
of the fore wing is very much curved and at the inner margin twice as broad as below the costal margin. Aru 
Is. — In ab. pallida Pfeiff. (70 b) the band of the hindwing is much broader, flown out at the inner margin 
and of a bright whitish-blue with a very slight yellowish tint in the anal part. 
A. boops Ww. is said to differ from all the other Alcidis in the uncommonly large head and the thick, 
protruding eyes to which the name alludes. The light bluish green band of the hindwing is broadest in the 
middle. Likewise from the Aru Is. Unknown to me in nature. 
A. passavanti Pfeiff. (71 b) is at once discernible by its small size and probably only a stunted form 
of agathyrsus. Expanse hardly 7 cm; bands deep glossy dark blue and those in the forewing very flat. French 
Island **). — gracilis Pfeiff. is similarly small, but lighter. New Mecklenburg. 
A. ribbei Pag. Very similar to latona (69 c), in the C the dent in the margin of the hindwing hardly 
projects beyond the others. Band of hindwing as in latona, not very broad, straight, and coppery before the 
anal portion. Beneath the forewing in the distal % black, traversed by the light blue bands, hindwing with a 
broad black marginal band intermixed with a chain of light blue spots. Bougainville. Probably only a slightly 
different form of the following latona with which it is best united. 
A. latona Drc. (69 c). Like ribbei, but the metallic bands are more sharply outlined; in the C hardly 
perceptible traces of the subapical stripe. Band of hindwing before the anal portion with a very bright purple 
reflection. Salomons Is. 
A. aurora S. G. (69 c). Hindwing in the distal half quite blue-white without a coherent marginal band, 
only sometimes strewn with feeble black dots or small spots. Before the anal area with a bright pink, purple 
or brass-coloured reflection. Band of forewing strongly flown out towards the base. Subapical stripe absent. 
New Guinea and Duke of York I. Not rare. 
2 Genus: SSyctalemoil Palm. (Lyssa Hbn., Lyssidia Wiv.) 
In this genus a number of very similar, very large, brown, tailed lepidoptera are combined, which 
according to the opinion of many authors represent but one total species, or at any rate only few, extremely 
similar though variable species. The very strong wings are always dark wood-brown, forewing broad and 
*) In Feldeh’s text arnus is quoted by mistake, but aruus in the plate, which is also surely meant. 
**) The patria quoted is probably not the island situate to the south of Melbourne in the Bass Straits. This 
question could not be cleared, because the author died shortly after having done the proof-reading. 
ornata. 
liris. 
sordidior. 
metaurus. 
zodiaca. 
cydnus. 
moerens. 
agathyrsus. 
coerulea. 
aruus. 
'pallida. 
boops. 
passavanti. 
gracilis. 
ribbei. 
latona. 
aurora. 
