OCR Text |
Show 514 MESSES, G O D M A N AND SALVLN O N [Apr. 21 is a very poor one, and there is now no likelihood of any additions being made. In 1884 (P. Z. S. pp. 314-320) we wrote a short paper on the Rhopalocera of the island of Dominica, and gave an account of the 27 species enumerated, together with a general view of the relationship of the Butterfly fauna of the island to that of the adjoining regions. The present list entirely confirms the conclusions arrived at and points to the great poverty of this portion of the West-Indian fauna. The Danainae are represented by two species of Banais, the Ithomiinaa being wholly absent. Of Nymphalin» we find only eight species of six genera, all of them more or less common continental species. Heliconinae are absent, and so are* Satyrinae, Morphinae, and Brassolinae. Erycinidae are unrepresented, but Lycaenidae show eight species, of which we now describe three as new, all of them slight modifications of widely spread southern forms. Of Pierinae (seven species), Pieris Virginia is the only one peculiar to the Antilles and is also found in Dominica. The only Papilio is apparently P. eurydamas, which also occurs in Martinique. Of Hesperiidae we find thirteen species, and of these we give new names to three, two of which have not been found elsewhere. Comparing the Butterflies of the two islands, we find little to notice. Grenada has, as might be expected, a slight preponderance of southern forms, of which Cystineura cana is an example. DANAINAE. 1. D A N A I S PLEXIPPUS (Linn.). Banais plexippus, Biol. Centr .-Am., Bhop. i. p. 1; P. Z. S. 1884, p. 315. Three examples from St. Vincent (both windward and leeward sides), with white subapical spots, agreeing with South-American specimens. 2. DANAIS EBESIMUS (Cram.). A South-American species of wide range, occurring in Hispaniola and Jamaica. " Swampy forest by the sea-shore north of Granville, Grenada!; common in this locality. Also Telescope Estate, windward side, April." NYMPHALINJE. 3. COL.ENIS JULIA (Fabr.). Several specimens agreeing with South-American examples, having the oblique submarginal dark band on the primaries well developed. The Dominica species is much nearer Cramers C. cillene, but differs in some respects. All these island forms require revision. •' St. Vincent; very common in open lands below 1000 or 1500 feet." |