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THE BUTTERFLIES {RHOPALOCERA) OF THE NIMAR 

 DISTRICT, CENTRAL PROVINCES. 



BY 



D. 0. Witt, i.f.s. 



In 1905 when I took over charge of the Nimar Forest Division it 

 occurred to me that a collection of the Rhopalocera of the District 

 might achieve some interesting results. The peculiar position of Nimar 

 at the extreme western corner of the Province as well as the very dry 

 nature of the climate led me to hope that the District might be found 

 to contain species not usually met with in the moister parts of the 

 Provinces. 



I commenced in the rains of 1905 and had soon collected the com- 

 moner species which are found everywhere. It was amongst the 

 Lycmnidce however that I expected to find most scope for my energies. 

 Unfortunately, however, I was unable to carry through my intended 

 programme. My official duties as well as the preparation for Govern- 

 ment of a Forest Flora of the District took up most of my time and I was 

 only able to devote odd periods to the Rhopalocera. Although I was 4 

 years in the District, in the end my collecting was all done in the rains 

 and early cold weather of 1905 and 1907. The list attached must 

 therefore be looked on as very incomplete ; at the same time I trust 

 it may prove of interest to some readers of the Journal. 



The naming of the different species presented no very great difficulty 

 except for the Lycmnidfu. " The Butterflies of India " by Marshall 

 and deNiceville, and Colonel Bingham's " Butterflies " in the Indian 

 Fauna series were made use of. Unfortunately this latter is incomplete 

 and does not include the Hesperiidoi. The Hony. Secretary of the 

 Bombay Natural History Society very knadly gave me what assist- 

 ance he could in the matter and was able to get a few specimens 

 named by Mr. Lefroy, but even this assistance brought to light how 

 extremely backward we are and how little we really know about the 

 Lycoinidce and ITesperi/dce. There must be a large field for enquiry 

 lying open here for anybody who has the opportunity or the time to 

 enter it. 



Before proceeding to an enumeration of the species a short descri 

 tion of the situation and physical features of the District, as well as the 

 climate are necessary to make the list of any value at all, i 



