BUTTERFLIES OF THE CENTRAL PROVIM ES. 



with notes (in most cases) as to its habits, &c., &c, will be found. 

 The few notes I am able to give are chiefly from personal observa- 

 tion of those butterflies that I have come across. 



Sub-Order— RHOPALOCERA. 



Family — Nymphalidje. 



Sub- Family — Dana i nee. 



1. Danais melanoides, Moore (see Danais aglea, Cramer [ 16 ]. — 

 Of this butterfly I have as yet only one specimen, a male, taken at 

 Jagdalpur, the capital of the Bastar Feudatory State. It has semi- 

 transparent wings, very pale blue with black veins. 



2. Danais limniace, Cramer [26.]. — This butterfly, with D. chry- 

 sipptis, D. genatia and Euplcea core y is very common, is found every- 

 where, and can be taken nearly all the year round. It has pale blue 

 wings with black veins. The wings are not so transparent as are 

 those of the last-named species. It is a rather large insect, and has a 

 lazy, sailing flight. The male has a pocket or scent-pouch in the 

 hindwing, and protrudes from the anal extremity of the body two 

 processes of a greyish colour which resemble bottle-brushes in 

 miniature. When this is done an odour is perceptible. No doubt 

 this is a provision of Nature to protect it from its enemies. It is a 

 most difficult insect to kill, as are most of the Danaince and Euploeince ; 

 a squeeze, such as would crush the life out of such a strong-bodied 

 creature as a Charaxes, has no effect on it, its body is so leathery and 

 tough. The best way of killing it, as far as I have had experience, 

 is to put a drop or two of benzine on its body. It is easily captured, 

 seemingly having very little fear of human beings. It is imitated 

 more or less closely by several other species of butterflies, the ones 

 most common in these parts being Papi/io dissimilis and the female 

 of Nepheronia gaa. 



3. Danais chrysippus, Linnaeus [28] with varieties D. alcippus* 

 Cramer [29] and D. dorippus, Klug [30]. — The typical D. chrysippus 

 is the commonest and most widely spread of all butterflies in India, 

 or at any rate, the one that strikes the eye more than any other. D. 

 alcippus and D. dorippus are, I believe, only forms of D. chrysippus. 

 During the time I have been in the Central Provinces (now nearly 



20 



