OCR Text |
Show 1867.J MR. A. G. BUTLER ON THE GENUS MYCALESIS. 719 the synonymy of this extensive group of Butterflies has been uselessly increased. As, by a careful comparison of the types and typical descriptions with the specimens in our collection, I have succeeded in satisfactorily determining several of the above species, I hasten to lay the result of m y investigations before the Society. Sp. 1. MYCALESIS MELUSINA. Papilio melusina, Fabricius, Ent. Syst. iii. pt. 1. p. 240. n. 750 (1793). Hab. Sierra Leone. B.M. This has been already placed with P. dorothea of Cramer, with which it is doubtless identical: it in almost every point agrees with the insect from Old Calabar, described by Mr. Hewitson under the name of M. raesaces. I have pointed this out to Mr. Hewitson ; and he agrees with me that his species can be nothing more than the Calabar form of the insect from Sierra Leone. la. MYCALESIS MIRIAM. Papilio miriam, Fabricius, Ent. Syst. iii. pt. 1. p. 242. n. 754 (1793). Hab. Angola. B.M. "Alis dentatis fuscis subtus cinereis : anticis ocellis duobus, posticis septem. Habitat in Indus."-Ent. Syst. This only differs from the preceding in being entirely brown on the upperside, and in having the markings of the underside much more distinctly visible. Sp. 2. MYCALESIS PERSEUS. (Fig. 2, p. 718.) * Papilio perseus, Fabricius, Syst. Ent. p. 488. n. 199 (1775). Papilio tabitha, Fabr. Ent. Syst. iii. pt. 1. p. 243. n. 756 (1793). Hab. North India. B.M. " Alee anticce fuscce, mox immaculatce, mox ocello parvo, pupilla alba ante apicem. Posticce fuscce, immaculatce. Subtus omnes basi fuscce, apice dilutiores, anticis punctis tribus, posticis septem albis subocellaribusi'-Syst. Ent. "Alee supra omnes nigree anticis ocello parvo atro, pupilla alba. Subtus pallidiores striga e punctis ocellaribus minutissimis pupilla alba."-Ent. Syst. This is of course only another of the many varieties of M. otrea of Cramer : the underside of the wings is represented by Donovan in his ' Insects of Asia;' but the colouring is so extravagant that the figure rather hinders than aids the determination of the species. 2\ MYCALESIS CLERIMON. Papilio clerimon, Fabricius, Ent. Syst. iii. pt. 1. p. 217- n. 67S ' (1793). Hab. ? * The type is in the Banksian collection. |