Collection Melchior Pass

Over decades, the internist and paediatrician from Cologne, Dr. Melchior Pass, has collected and constantly expanded this remarkable collection of butterflies and moths, that counts about 200 drawers. Obviously his favourite group were the tropical swallowtails (Papilionidae), which represent about two-thirds of the entire collection. Especially the Birdwing-butterflies (genera Ornithoptera, Troides, Trogonoptera) from Southeast-Asia had attracted him, but also many other genera from around the world. In addition, his collection also contains a number of drawers with other, usually colourful butterflies, for example, Morpho butterflies from South-America. Some moths-species, especially the particularly attractive groups like emperor moths (Fam. Saturniidae) and hawk moths (Fam. Sphingidae), are also well represented. As well a small reference collection of European butterflies and moths exists.

Drawer with tropical butterflies from the Pass-collection
 
 
A special feature of the collection are the type-written explanations, partly with additional drawings, which are attached to most of the specimens. Details on distribution or their way of life are found here, as well as enthusiastic descriptions of colours and pattern elements or explanations about the meanings of the scientific species- and genera names.
 
The collection has been donated to the ZFMK and will be integrated into the main collection.