Zoological Illustrations Series II/Plate 114
JASIA Australis.
JASIA Australis,
Australian Jasia-Butterfly.
Family Nymphalidæ. Sub-family Paphianæ. Genus, ——
Sub-Generic Character.
See pl. 90.
Specific Character.
Wings above yellowish white, the outer half of the anterior black with a series of spots disposed in the shape of the letter Y; inferior wings with a black border, margined by cinereous, and an orange spot at the anal angle.
We believe the specimen from which our figures of this new and strikingly distinct butterfly were taken, is the only one which has yet been sent to Europe. It was captured by Mr. Cunningham, who accompanied Captain King, in his voyage to the North West coast of Australia, on the skirts of Careening Bay, Port Nelson, where the Ship Mermaid was hove down; and the officers had more leasure to attend to zoological pursuits. Mr. Cunningham remarked that it flew with great swiftness, in which respect it perfectly resembles the rest of the genus Jasia, of which it is a typical example. The geographic range of this group is thus proved to extend from the South of Europe to Australia, but it is entirely unknown in the new world.
The family of Nymphalidæ is the sub-typical group of the diurnal Lepidoptera, forming our tribe Papiliones. In its own circle it therefore represents the Feræ among quadrupeds, the Raptores among birds, the Aptera among annulose animals, and the Scolopendridæ in the order Myriapoda. The analogical representations resulting from this view of the subject are innumerable.