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Show 346 MR. G. F. MATHEW O N N E W [June 29, weak for much exertion. My hunting-ground was therefore confined to a slope on the hillside at the back of the native village, which had recently been cleared for yam-planting. Here Butterflies were more numerous than at Ugi; and if the weather had been more favourable, and I had been able to get about more, I believe I should have taken a large number. As it was I secured examples of several new species, Papilio bridgei being among them. The most plentiful were a Precis near P. ada, but very different to the Ugi form, Hypolimnas alimena, very fine, and several species of Euplcea. Danais archippus was not seen at all in this place, although it was so common at Ugi ; perhaps its migration had not yet extended so far in a northwesterly direction. From the little I have seen of the Solomon Islands, I feel quite convinced that when they are properly worked they will yield a large number of new and interesting Rhopalocera, and I hope on a future occasion to be able to describe some more new species. ARGYRONYMPHA, n. gen. Head moderately large, hairy between the eyes ; eyes rather prominent, smooth ; antennae long, slender, extending to beyond two thirds of costa, with a long, gradually-thickened club: palpi conspicuous, pea-green, porrect, ascendant, clothed outwardly at their base with fine short white hairs, the hairs less numerous towards the tip and dark grey; tip black, finely pointed : thorax rather short: abdomen almost as long as hind wings, slender, pinched in at base, and with a brush-like tuft of hairs at base of genital organs in male. Fore wings rather long and narrow in male, broader in female ; costa moderately arched, convex at base ; apex somewhat acute in male, truncated in female; hind margin entire, oblique; inner margin straight, hairy to beyond the middle; anal angle slightly obtuse ; nervures of fore wings dilated at base ; cell narrow, rather long ; first subcostal nervule emitted just before end of cell; discocellular nervules pointing outwards ; median nervure and first discocellular nervule forming a moderately acute angle. Hind wings: costa elbowed at base, very slightly concave at one third, and rounded off at apex ; hind margin very moderately sinuate ; inner margin slightly grooved. First pair of legs imperfect, rather pubescent, pale green ; second and third pairs long, slender, smooth. This interesting genus does not appear to come very near any yet described, but bears some relationship to Hypocysta, Westw., and Nissanya, Moore. Tiiese beautiful little Butterflies were local in their habits and of retiring disposition, frequenting shady spots in the dense forest. When disturbed, they flew but a short distance and settled upon the leaf of some low shrub, always on its upper surface. They were rather restless, and generally walked several times round the margin of the leaf, and then flitted off to the next. While so engaged their wings were kept erect, and the bright metallic spots and stripes made them very conspicuous. |
