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Show 32 MR. H. J. ELWES ON THE GENUS PARNASSIUS. [Jan. 19, the fore wing and four on the hind wing), together with the four basal ones, are almost always present, corresponding to those on the upper surface, in which the red is often absent. The pattern of the underside is very characteristic, and would, I think, alone be enough to distinguish all the specimens from Lahoul from any other species. The antennae are decidedly blacker than in any of the allied forms, and though ringed faintly with whitish in some specimens, are never so much so as in all the forms of P. delius, or in P. actius, discobolus, and jacquemonti. They vary so little in 100 specimens that I have examined, that should series" from other localities besides Lahoul be found to present the same constant differences in antennae and markings from P. actius that these do, I think it might be allowed specific rank with as much or more justice as other so-called species of Parnassius. Of the habits we know but little. It begins to fly about the middle of July or earlier, according to the season and elevation, and continues to be found in a fresh condition till the end of August. 1 think that the figures of Blanchard and that given by Oberthur, which is taken from a male specimen from Boisduval's collection, supposed by him to be the type of Boisduval's description, represent this species and not the true P. jacquemonti. Whether this species ever occurs in the same region with that insect I am not at present able to say; but I think it does not occur at so high an elevation, and I doubt whether it extends to Ladak. I have never seen specimens from any locality east of the Ganges valley in Upper Gurwhal, where Mr. Duthie found it at elevations of about 11,000-13,000 feet near Phuladaru. P. HONRATHI. Parnassius honrathi, Stgr. Berl. ent. Zeit. xxvi. 1882, p. 161, t. i. figs. 4, 5, 5 a. P. corybas, Ersch. Fedtschenko's Reise, p. 2, t. i. figs. 1, 2 (1874) (nee Fischer). This little-known species seems to have been first discovered by Fedtschenko at Kulbasin, near Sangi Djuman, on May 25, and Kuli Kalan on June 25, in Zarafshan, about 7000 feet high, but being mistaken by Erschoff, who described the Lepidoptera of the collection, for P. corgbas of Fischer, remained unknown until Haberhauer sent from the Hazret Sultan Mountains south of Samarkand a number of specimens (about 20 males and 5 females), which he took at about 6000-7000 feet in July 1881. These were described by Dr. Staudinger, who considers the species quite distinct from P. corybas of Fischer, which comes from Kamschatka, and is probably only a form of P. delius. It differs from all other Parnassius of this group in having black antennae, black fringes, and black legs and feet ; the clothing of the body beneath is also black. The pouch of the female is of the apollo type, though this is not shown either in Erschoff's or Staudinger's plates; and Staudinger says that in one specimen it has a rather produced point. |