COMMON IWTTEUFLIES OF THE PL A IKS OF INDIA . 441 



a', Uppersidc male : nearly black : upperside 

 female : is brown with oooUua and markings 

 much more distinct than in the dark 

 male, these markings black ; UTiderside 

 male : often with chalky spots in dry- 

 season form ; underside both sexes in wet 

 season striated like wet-season ismene. Exp. 

 2-75"... . varaJia. 



b^. Upperside male and female: brown like 

 ismene, the black ocellus distinct, the under- 

 side resembling that of ismene also but the 

 male often with inky markings towards the 

 base of wings, always without white chalky 



markings. Exp. 2-75" to 3*1" gohhala. 



B. Forewing upperside : with a large patch of yellow- 

 orange near apex. 



a. Forewing upperside with subapical black spots 



large, confluent, extending inwards and join- 

 ing black patch beyond apex of cell. Exp. 

 3-25" to 3-5" zitenius. 



b. Forewing upperside with subapical black spots 



small, rarely wanting, never extended in- 

 wards, surrounded by orange patch. Exp. 



2-8" to 3-3" hethami. 



Of these insects ismene is the only one that can be said to belong 

 jircperly to the Plains of India and it is one of the very commonest 

 of all butterflies throughout the country. Betliami is yery local, 

 being recorded so far only from Pachmarhi in Central India. Zitenius 

 is probably altogether confined to the dense jungles and hills of 

 kSouth India, Sikhim, Assam, &c. The remaining two species are of 

 common occurrence in the bamboo jungles of the West Coast South 

 of Bombay and on the borders of the plains and may occasionally 

 stray into them ; varaha should certainly occur on the ghats round 

 the town of Bombay and gokhala is sure to turn up round Khandala 

 or slightly further South, but not under l,50(i elevation. The larvte 

 of the last three species are well known and are abundantly distinct ; 

 they are coloured green, dark and light in stripes, haye two straight 

 horn-like processes on the head and the tail ends in two well 

 separated points. The larva of aoLliala feeds upon bamboos, of 

 zitenius probably also ; of ismene and varaha upon grasses. Seasonal 

 dimorphism is strongly developed in all species. 



