I have to adduce on this matter will therefore, I hope, possess
some interest and novelty.

On examining the closely allied species, local forms, and varieties
distributed over the Indian and Malayan regions, I find that larger or
smaller districts, or even single islands, give a special character to
the majority of their Papilionidae. For instance: 1. The species of the
Indian region (Sumatra, Java, and Borneo) are almost invariably smaller
than the allied species inhabiting Celebes and the Moluccas; 2. The
species of New Guinea and Australia are also, though in a less degree,
smaller than the nearest species or varieties of the Moluccas; 3. In the
Moluccas themselves the species of Amboyna are the largest; 4. The
species of Celebes equal or even surpass in size those of Amboyna; 5.
The species and varieties of Celebes possess a striking character in the
form of the anterior wings, different from that of the allied species
and varieties of all the surrounding islands; 6. Tailed species in India
or the Indian region become tailless as they spread eastward through the
archipelago; 7. In Amboyna and Ceram the females of several species are
dull-coloured, while in the adjacent islands they are more brilliant.

_Local variation of Size._--Having preserved the finest and largest
specimens of Butterflies in my own collection, and having always taken
for comparison the largest specimens of the same sex, I believe that the
tables I now give are sufficiently exact. The differences of expanse of
wings are in most cases very great, and are much more conspicuous in the
specimens themselves than on paper. It will be seen that no less than
fourteen Papilionidae inhabiting Celebes and the Moluccas are from
one-third to one-half greater in extent of wing than the allied species
representing them in Java, Sumatra, and Borneo. Six species inhabiting
Amboyna are larger than the closely allied forms of the northern
Moluccas and New Guinea by about one-sixth. These include almost every
case in which closely allied species can be compared.

Species of Papilionidae of the Closely allied species of Java and
Moluccas and Celebes (large). the Indian region (small).

Expanse. Expanse.
Inches. Inches.
Ornithoptera (Helena { O. Pompeus 5.8
Amboyna) 7.6 { O. Amphrisius 6.0
Pa