948 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXVI. 



Hahits. — The egg is laid in the axil of a flower-bud or on the 

 stalk of a flower ; nearly always amongst the flowering parts. 

 Never more than one is deposited at a time. The little larva eats its 

 way out of the side of the egg towards the top and is at first more 

 or less like other Ij^ctenid larva3. However, after the first moult it 

 begins to show the "teeth" of the mature stage. It bores into 

 the flower-bud when very small and feeds on the tender parts of 

 the inside. As it grows bigger, however, it takes to eating the 

 rest of the flower parts and even the young leaves. It is at all 

 times sluggish and is sometimes attended by ants of various sorts. 

 Before pupation it becomes a dark brownish-pink in colour and 

 wanders away to some crevice or secluded, darkish place where it 

 fixes itself down with a bod3'-band and tail-attachment. When 

 touched it emits a knocking noise by moving the body from seg- 

 ment 0/10 forwards: it moves it up and down, though verj- 

 slightly. The larva, when not feeding, retires to branches 

 or the trunk of the tree and hides itself in the crevices 

 of the bark or similar places. The habits of the butterfly 

 are identical with those of Bapcda schhtacea in every way 

 and the caterpillar feeds on the flowers of ZkijijJius xt/lopn'i'us, Z. 

 rugosa (^Rhamnacece); (iuisqualis indica (^ Combretacea- ): Sapindiis 

 frifoliahts (Sapindacece) and, doubtless, many others. The habitat 

 of the butterfly : is throughout India, Burma, Ceylon, Java and 

 Borneo, in the plains and hills, in forests or open country, from 

 sea-level up to 3000' at least and practically everywhere except iii 

 desert country'' where rainfall is deficient. Specimens have been 

 taken in Calcixtta, Karen, Chin Imshai and Chin Hills, Masuri, 

 Lucknow, Matheran, Thana, Belgaum, Dharwar and Kanara Dis- 

 tricts in Bombaj^ ; Java ; Port Blair in the Andamans. 



37. Genus Cheeitra. 



The genus contains but two species, one with the underside pure white, 

 the other with it washed with ferruginous ; both with a long, feathery white 

 tail at the end of vein 2 which is as long as the whole costal margin of the 

 fore wing ; another, not a quarter the length, at the end of vein 1 and a 

 short apology for one at vein 3. Eyes naked ; body moderately robust ; palpi 

 pointing straight forwards, second joint long and roughly scaled, reaching 

 for half its length beyond the head, the third one-fourth the length of the 

 second, slender; the palpi of the female much longer than in the male. 

 Antennae gradually thickened to end, tip pointed. The transformation of 

 jaffra are known and are given below. The larva is abnormal, soniwhat the 

 shape of that of Rathinda but with only short, dorsal, hooked teeth instead 

 of long tentacular processes. The pupa is stouter than that of Rathinda but 

 much of the same type and is attached only by the tail. The larva is prac- 

 tically omnivorous in the matter of foodplants. The genus inhabits North 

 East India in the Himalayas ; South India ; Ceylon ; Burma ; the Malay 

 Peninsula and some of the Malay islands. 



194. Cheritra jaffra, Butler. — Male. Upperside : both wings : blackish- 

 brown, covered with a beautiful purplish gloss. Fore wing: immaculate. Hind 

 wing with the anal extremity of the outer margin black separated ofi" from 



