SEASONAL FORMS 
579 
drought. Here the distinction between the forms might be local 
and not seasonal; or, as I am disposed to think, a seasonal form 
may have become localized. 
Precis lavinia, Cram. The nomenclature of this species is in 
great confusion. Messrs. Godman and Salvin brought together the 
various forms found in Central America under the name coenia , Hiibn., 
including what is generally known in the West Indies as genoveva, 
Cram. Mr. G. A. K. Marshall has recently arranged the genus 
Precis in the National Collection, and I am happy to find myself in 
complete agreement with one whose knowledge of the genus is so 
intimate. Cramer figured three forms, all from Surinam ; a £ which 
he called lavinia, a $ which he called evarete, and a ? which he called 
genoveva . The last two I agree with Mr. Marshall in considering to 
be dry- and wet-season forms respectively. The insect is extremely 
variable in ground colour, in the size of the ocelli on the upper 
surface (especially the anterior ocellus on the hind-wing), in the 
presence or absence of a greenish gloss, or “ glance,” and in the 
presence or absence of a transverse white band on the fore-wings 
{zonalis, Felder). In some specimens from Guiana this white band 
is replaced by a purplish gloss. It is almost impossible to divide 
these varieties into local races since the various forms overlap con¬ 
siderably, and the most widely different forms are found in Mexico. 
However, speaking generally, it may be said that the form coenia, 
Hiibn., prevails in the United States and northern Mexico; that the 
form zonalis, Feld, {genoveva, auct.) prevails in the West Indies 
(approaching to coenia in the Bahamas); that the type form lavinia, 
Cram., of which the £ has a hind-wing with a green gloss, prevails 
in Brazil; lastly a brown form is found in Peru. 
But what does not seem to have been generally noticed is that 
all the numerous varieties are themselves dimorphic. That is to 
say, that (as in the Indian species of Precis) they may be divided, 
as regards the colouring of the under surface of the hind-wings, into 
(1) those with several ocelli, of which two at least are conspicuous, 
(2) those in which the ocelli are merely indicated by black dots, or 
are entirely wanting, and (3) individuals intermediate in this respect. 
Analogy with the East would lead one to call the first wet-season 
forms and the second dry-season forms. 
