PLATE XL
( O E D E R — L B P I D O P T B R A . SECTION—DIUMA. FAMILY—PAPILIONIDÍE, LEACH.)
ORNITHOrTERUS POSEIDON. E. DOUBLEDAY. (ANN. NAT. HIST. xix. 173. MARCH 1847.)
Ornithopterus alls l,olosericeo-™-idibus limbo nigi-o, antids fascia longituclinali latissima nigra venis viridibus
divisa ; posticis subtus am-eo-ráidibus nigi'o-maculatís ángulo ani am-eo. . ,
Ornithopterus with the wings satiny-green, ^ith a narrow black border, the fore ones with a very broad longitudinal
fascia divided by green veins ; liind wmgs beneath golden gi-een with black spots, and the anal angle shaded to golden
colour.
Expansion of the fore wmgs, inches.
Inhabits Dai-nley Island. In the British Museum.
D E S C R I P T I O N . — A b o v e , anterior wings with the entire limb deep velvety black, the disc occupied by
a broad fascia of the same coloiu', united to the black mai-gin below the apex, divided by the median
vein and branches which are golden green; its inner side more fuscous and opaque. The space between
this'and the costal and inner margins is occupied by two stripes of bright golden-or satiny-green,
shading to bright coppery. The anterior of these is narrow at the base and becomes gradually wider
until near the apex of the wing, when it suddenly narrows. The lower foUows a direction parallel to
the inner margin until neai- the anal angle, gradually widening to this point, when it is bent abruptly
upwards, and extends parallel to the outer margin more than half its length. Hind wmgs small, subtriangular,
the anterior and outer margins rormded; satiny green with coppery reflections, the limb
narrowly black, the outer margin with one or more round black dots; and generally near the outer
margin is a series of round orange spots between the veins ; anal margin black, deeply frmged with
orange hairs.
Below, the fore mngs have the limb black, broadest on the costa toward the apex, bearing a green
spot and two green streaks; the disc green, divided by black veins, and bearing a subcontinuous row
of five black spots between the middle and outer margin. Hind wings golden green, the golden colour
predominating externaUy, the anterior and outer mai-gins black, with a row of six black spots beyond
the middle of the wing, the costal spots sometimes preceded by an orange dash; the anal angle
broadly golden yellow. Head and thorax black, the latter with a long golden green vitta above, and a
blood-coloured patch on each side beneath the base of the wings. Abdomen golden yellow. (Male.)
OBSERVATIONS.—This beautiful butterfly is stated by Mr. E . Doubleday, in his Genera of Diurnal
Lepidoptera, to have been found abundantly by Messrs. Jukes and Mac GUHway flying, very high
on Darnley Island, among the cocoa-nut groves. The natives of that little remote rocky islet capture
them, and seeming them by one end of a long thread, they fasten the other end of the thread to their
hair, allowing the butterflies to flutter arovmd their heads.
As the question may be raised whether O. Poseidon is not a geographical variety of O. Piiamus, it
is necessary to state its difi'erences from that and the supposed species allied thereto. From the male
of O. Priamus it varies, as suggested by Mr. Doubledaj', in the form of the green bands of the fore
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