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Show 1882.] MR. H. J. ELWES ON BUTTERFLIES FROM SIKKIM. 399 allied to or identical with others found in Ladak or in Europe. Four of these were only known before in Ladak, at a distance of about 800 miles from Sikkim; but as the intermediate country is unexplored, they probably occur all along the Himalayan frontier of Tibet. On a future occasion I propose to compare the Butterflies of Palaearctic genera found in the Himalaya more closely with their European and N.-Asiatic congeners; but in the meantime I will enumerate those species which are of special interest in this collection, as I have no doubt that the number of species now received forms but a small proportion to those which exist at high elevations in the South-eastern Himalaya. PAPILIO MACHAON, var. ASIATICA, Men. Cat. Mus. Petr. i. p. 70. A very large number of this species in good condition, and varying but very slightly amongst each other. The type in Sikkim, where the species is found at 8000-10,000 feet elevation, is darker and more heavily marked than in Europe, smaller and more uniform in colour than in Japan. It closely resembles on the upperside Papilio zoli-caon of California, but differs considerably from that species or variety beneath. Specimens from Nepal agree with those from Sikkim ; but those from the North-west and Kashmir seem nearer to the European form in tint. PARNASSIUS EPAPHUS. P. epaphus, Oberthur, Et. Ent. livr. iv. p. 23 (1879). P.jacquemontii, Gray, Cat. Lep. Brit. Mus. p. 76, t. xii. figs. I, This species has lately been distinguished by M . Oberthur from P. jacquemonti; but it is extremely difficult to say whether it is really distinct or not. I have seen four specimens in the British Museum and three in the Hewitson collection, all that exist in England to m y knowledge. These agree very well with each other and with Gray's figures. They are probably from the same part of Ladak, at an elevation of 16,000 feet, and perhaps were all taken by the same person, Major Charlton. They differ from P. jacquemonti of Boisduval in being smaller and in the shape of the fore wings, which are narrower and more pointed. As a rule there are no red spots at the anal angle of the hind wing, though this is not a character of much importance. The antennae are distinctly ringed and the liinges distinctly spotted. PARNASSIUS EPAPHUS, var. SIKKIMENSIS, n. var. (Plate XXV. figs. 4, 5.) I have now received from Sikkim fourteen specimens of a form which probably represents the same species in this part of the Himalaya, and which are distinguished principally by the smaller size, and by the broad white fringes distinctly marked at the end of each |
