( 301 ) II. On the PieridaB of the Indian and Australian Regions. By Alfred R. Wallace, F.Z.S., &c. [Read 18th February, 1807.] The Pieridce form a rather extensive group of diurnal Lepidop-tcra abundantly distributed over the whole world, and typically represented in our own country by the " cabbage," the *' orange tip," the " brimstone" and the " wood white" butterflies. The white or yellow colour that characterizes these familiar insects is that which recurs most frequently throughout this group in every country ; but in the tropics other forms appear by their side de-corated with a variety of colours, and assuming to some extent the forms and markings of the more brilhant families of but-terflies. It is to be observed, however, that in most cases the ground colour of the insect is either white, yellow or black, and even in those exceptional cases in which the wings are entirely red or bluish-grey, the female of the same species, or of one closely allied to it, presents us with the usual simple colours. The rich rufous-brown, which so constantly reappears throughout the great family of the Nymphalidts, is not to be met with in a single instance in the whole range of the present family. The metallic blue of Morpho awd of the Lyccemdoe, and the rich green of various shades which occurs in most otiier groups of butterflies, are also entirely absent. Althourjh the markinijs are often very beautiful and very varied, well formed ocellated spots (almost universal in the Satyridce and very frequent in the Nymphalidcs) never once occur ; the only approach to them being the small discoidal ocelli in some species. The form of the wings is generally rounded, rarely angular, and the hind wings are never adorned with spa-tulate, linear or filiform processes, such as occur frequently in most other groups of butterflies. The nearest approach to a tail in the whole family is found in the genus Gonepteryx, and is never much more developed than in our own brimstone butterfly. It appears, then, that quite independently of structural characters, the Pieridce possess specialities of colour, of marking, and of form of winH, which in their combination mark them out as a natural and somewhat isolated group ; and strikingly illustrate the stability of type that sometimes obtains in what we usually deem unimportant and very variable characters. At the same time it is to be noted that in the important structural character of the neuration of the wings, few families exhibit so many modifications. This character serves chiefly to break up the group into three-VOL. IV. THIRD SERIES, PART III. — NOVEMBER, 1867. Y
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