Local form, a.—Male: has the orange colour of the upper surface of a much deeper fiery-red hue; on the under surface, the black spots of the lower wings are nearer the margin, and the yellow spots below them are entirely absent; there is also a green line between the subcostal nervure and the margin; on the under surface of the fore wings the green patch in the discoidal cell extends to its base, and is reflexed in a narrow line along its upper edge.
Female: differs still more from that sex in O. Crœsus; the white markings on all the wings are so large as almost to fill up the spaces between the veins, the lower part of the discoidal cell in both upper and under wings being also occupied with a whitish patch; the range of spots occupying the posterior margin are of a dusky yellow colour.
Hab. Ternate (♂), Gilolo (♀) (Wall.).
This well-marked local form is no doubt peculiar to Gilolo and the small adjacent islands, as the original species is to Batchian.
I was three months in the island of Batchian before I obtained a specimen of this fine insect, which I had seen once or twice only flying high in the air. I at length came upon it flying about a beautiful cinchonaceous shrub with white bracts and yellow flowers (Mussænda, sp.); and having cleared a path round about, I visited the place every morning on my way to the forest, and once or twice a week had the satisfaction of capturing a fine male specimen of O. Crœsus. The females were more plentiful and more easily caught. I afterwards sent out one of my men with a net every day to look after this insect only. He would stay out all day long, wandering up a broad rocky torrent, where the males flew up and down occasionally or settled on the rocks which just appeared above the water. He generally brought me one, and sometimes even two or three specimens; and thus, with those that I myself captured at the flowers, I secured a fine series of this richly coloured species.
4. Ornithoptera Tithonus, De Haan.
O. Tithonus, De Haan, Verh. Nat. Gesch. Ned. t. 1. f. 1.
Hab. S.W. Coast of New Guinea (Leyden Museum).
This remarkable species must be very rare, as I never saw it in any part of the New Guinea district that I visited; nor was it seen during the exploration, a few years ago, by a Dutch steamer which visited the part of the coast where the only specimen known was said to have been obtained.
5. Ornithoptera Urvilliana, Guérin.