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Show 338 ON A NEW AGRIAS FROM THE AMAZONS. [Mar. 21, 5. On a new Species oi Agrias from the Valley of the Amazons. By F. D. G-ODMAN and O. SALVIN. [Received March 11, 1882.] (Plate XIX.) Some time ago Mr. A Maxwell Stuart, whilst travelling on the Upper Amazons, captured a magnificent specimen of an Agrias, a genus much prized by all lepidopterists both for its rarity and beauty. On his return to England he kindly made us a present of it; and as it proves to belong to a hitherto undescribed species, we have much pleasure in naming it after him. AGRIAS STUARTI, sp. nov. (Plate XIX. figs. 1, 2.) Both wings deep purplish-blue, bordered outwardly with a narrow metallic green band, beyond which it is greyish ; primaries with costa and apex black, this colour extends along the outer margin towards the posterior angle, where it fades into grey ; secondaries with costal region and inner margin broadly black : beneath, primaries black, apical third metallic green, reddish orange towards the base; secondaries, basal half orange, outer half metallic green with three rows of black spots parallel to the outer margin, the middle one having central white spots. Exp. 3*7 inches, Hab. Yquitos, Amazons (A. Maxwell Stuart). Mus. nostr. This insect is a close ally of A. beatifica, Hew., from which, however, it differs in the greater extension of the purplish-blue colour of the upper surface. Beneath there is but little difference, but the black spots of the secondaries are rather larger. Mr. Stuart captured a single male example of this fine insect whilst it was pursuing a specimen of Callithea buckleyi, which resembles it both in colour and markings, and with which it appeared to be fighting. N o doubt, like other members of the genus, it flies about the tops of the highest trees, settling on the foliage out of reach, and rarely coming near the ground1. A. beatifica has also a Callithea which is found together with it, and likewise resembles it in coloration; this is C. degandii, the sexes of which, though considerably different from each other, are alike in the two species. Mr. Hewitson has given a very good figure of the male of A. beatifica in his ' Exotic Butterflies;' but the female (of which we have a single specimen procured by Mr. Hauxwell at Pebas on the Upper Amazons) differs so much that a short description and figure of it here may be desirable. AGRIAS BEATIFICA $ . (Plate XIX. figs. 3, 4.) Both wings black, with a broad metallic green band commencing 1 O n the habits of the other Amazonian species of Agrias, see Bates Journ Ent. ii. p. 337. |