318 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, 1891. 



THE BUTTERFLIES OF THE CENTRAL PROVINCES, 



By J. A. B. 



Part V. 

 (Continued from Vol. VI., page 183.) 



FAMILY IV., PAPILIONIDJK. 

 Subfamily 1, Pierin^:. 



86. Nichltonia xiphia, Fabricius.* We now come to the sub- 

 family known as the "Whites," of which the butterfly named above 

 heads the list, so far as the Central Provinces is concerned. It is 

 very like what is known as the "Wood-White" at home. lis 

 wings are not so narrow, however, and are more rounded. It is 

 pure white, with the exception, of two dark brown or black marks — 

 one at the apex and another spot near it — both on the forewiug. 

 Underneath the inner spot is reproduced, while the mark at the apex 

 is wanting. The hindwing underneath bears a few faint greenish 

 marks or striae. It is a very feeble little creature, and seems to 

 prefer shady nooks and lonely glades in forests. 



87. Terms hecabe, Linnaeus. This is one of the commonest of 

 Indian butterflies, sharing with D. chrysippus the honour of being- 

 found all over India. The least observant person must have noticed 

 it at any time he may have taken a walk, except perhaps in the very 

 hottest or in the very coldest weather. It is a small bright yellow 

 butterfly, with a black border to the wings, which is deeper on the 

 forewing than on the hindwing. The border on the forewing is 

 irregular and deeply indented. The caterpillars of all the species of 

 this genus, as far as is known, are pale green, and so are the chrysa- 

 lides usually. Sometimes, however, they assume different colours, 

 assimilating themselves to the surroundings on or near which they 

 are suspended. The chrysalis is a queer looking object : the wing- 

 cases forming a deep keel, and the palpi-cases produced into what 

 looks like a long and pointed snout. 



The underside of this butterfly is subject to many variations — in 

 the hot weather it is sometimes almost entirely pale yellow, while in 

 the rains it is marked with lines and splashes of a reddish colour, 



# The numbers in brackets after the name of each butterfly have now to be 

 omitted, as we have got beyond the published portions of " The Butterflies of 

 India, Burmah and Ceylon," by Mr. Lionel de NiceVille. 



