46 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XIX. 



There is ti very large member of the sub-family, found iu the damp 

 jungles of the Western Ghats, south of Bombay, called Ifestia 

 inalabarica, with a span of 4"*5-6", known as the " wood-nymph " 

 which may be mentioned in passing as constituting an example of 

 the only other genus of the three forming the sub-family of the 

 Danaines in India. It is also quite possible the insect might be met 

 with in the neighbourhood of Maliableshwar. 



These butterflies have all a slow somewhat tiuttering flight but 

 i-emain long on the wing at a time and travel considerable distances, 

 i-arely loitering in one place ; though, on hot steamy days in the 

 rainy months, the males of Euploea may be seen beating backwards 

 and forwards in open spaces in wooded places, sailing along at inter- 

 vals with the wings held very much inclined to each other over the 

 back, never horizontal, their bodies bent down and the curious feathery 

 looking vellow or oreenish scent-brushes— the v smell very strong at 

 such times and are quite perceptible in the still air even to the human 

 sense — protruded from the end : probably endeavouring to attract 

 the females. At times, also, great numbers of several species mixed, 

 often all five of the common ones, may be found sitting togethei- 

 with the wings closed over the back, as is customary for their kind, on 

 a species of Crotolaria with yellow flowers in the jungles ; and it is 

 not uncommon in the hot weather to put up a crowd of hundreds from 

 a small patch of the plant. It is difficult to say what the attraction is. 

 It is not the flowers for there are, as often as not, no flowers on the 

 plants aifected ; frequently even withered stems are chosen. Croto- 

 laria is a genus containing Indian Hemp from which intoxicating 

 principles are extracted. Perhaps this may explain the insects' liking 

 for the plant : the heat probably causes an exhalation of intoxicating 

 fumes. The black and white Danais aglea, D. limniace and Eu- 

 plcea core with a D.-plexippvs at odd intervals may sometimes be seen 

 flying, in a continuous stream which may last for hours, in one direc- 

 tion : thousands must pass in the time. Why they should do this is not 

 known, though scarcity of larval food has been suggested as a possible 

 cause for their leaving certain localities. In the districts covered 

 with heavy jungle, however, these migrations are as common as it 

 elsewhere and there is certainly never any lack of food in such places. 

 The Milkweed or Monarch Butterfly said to be found occasionally 

 in England, Anosia erippns. Cram., is belonging to this sub-family : 



