melpomene, ten distinct varieties are described all more or
less connected by intermediate forms, and four of these varieties were
obtained at one locality, Serpa on the north bank of the Amazon.
Ceratina Ninonia is another of these very unstable species exhibiting
many local varieties which are, however, incomplete and connected by
intermediate forms; while the several species of the genus Lycorea all
vary to such an extent as almost to link them together, so that Mr.
Bates thinks they might all fairly be considered as varieties of one
species only.
Turning to the Eastern Hemisphere we have in Papilio Severus a species
which exhibits a large amount of simple variation, in the presence or
absence of a pale patch on the upper wings, in the brown submarginal
marks on the lower wings, in the form and extent of the yellow band, and
in the size of the specimens. The most extreme forms, as well as the
intermediate ones, are often found in one locality and in company with
each other. A small butterfly (Terias hecabe) ranges over the whole of
the Indian and Malayan regions to Australia, and everywhere exhibits
great variations, many of which have been described as distinct species;
but a gentleman in Australia bred two of these distinct forms (T.
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