OCR Text |
Show 1881.] OF AMURLAND, NORTH CHINA, AND JAPAN. 897 VANESSA C-ALBUM, Linn. Syst. Nat. x. p. 477. V. fentoni, Butler, Cist. Ent. ii. p. 281 (1878). V. hamigera, Butler, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. ser. 4, xix. p. 92. V. c-album, Strecker, Cat. Amer. Lep. p. 130. I have little doubt that the supposed species described as above are only varieties of V. c-album ; at least it will require much better evidence than we have to prove the contrary. The Japanese specimens which I have seen are variable in the colour of the underside, but not more so than European and American specimens. Butler says that V. fentoni is nearest to V. satyrus. I have a series of specimens from Washington Territory supposed to belong to four or five distinct species, but which seem to me to be all forms of one, which, until the confusion which exists in this difficult group is cleared up, I prefer to call V. c-alBum. Some of them with greenish underside agree with a Japanese specimen ; and I have a specimen of V. c-album from Norway very black below, agreeing with others, which are called by American collectors V. satyrus. A specimen from Zurich agrees with what I had from Mr. Janson as V. fentoni in all important characters. The species seems not common, but occurs in Central Japan and Amurland. V. C-AUREUM, Linn. Syst. Nat. ed. xii. p. 778. V. angelica, Cr. t. 388; Jans. Cist. Ent. ii. p. 271. I need not go into the much-argued question as to the correct name of this, but am disposed to think that as Linnseus's description is applicable, and he distinctly says it is from Asia, we may take his name in preference to that of V. angelica, Cr. The species is common in Japan and China, but has not yet been found in the Amur region. V. PRYERI, Janson, Cist. Ent. ii. p. 269 (1878). This, though allied to the last species, is, I think, clearly distinct. It is brownish or chocolate below, with the L-shaped mark on the hind wings large and distinct, whilst V. c-aureum is always of a paler yellowish colour below. V. URTICE, Linn. Syst. Nat. x. p. 477. Occurs uncommonly in Amurland and Japan, if, as I believe, the variety which Mr. Fenton calls V. Butleri, MSS., is the same. Those I have seen from Raddefskaia have the hind part of fore wing and basal two thirds of hind wing much suffused with black. V. CALLIRHOE, Fab. S. E. 473 (1775). Papilio atalanta indica, Herbst, t. 180. fig. 12 (1794). Occurs in Japan, China, and Amurland. V. CARDUI, Linn. Syst. Nat. x. p. 475. Occurs in Amurland and Japan, doubtless also in China. PROC. ZOOL. Soc-1881, No. LVIII. 58 |