570 INSECTS ABROAD. 



hairs. It will be seen from this brief description how appro- 

 priate is the name Callidryas, i.e. " Beautiful Wood-Nymph." 



Below, it is dull yellow, like that of a withered leaf, and the 

 surface is covered with a number of large greyish-brown blotches 

 that look exactly like the fungus marks so often seen on decay- 

 ing leaves. This colouring is evidently intended for the purpose 

 of concealment, as, if the insect were to settle among dying 

 leaves, it would certainly escape the observation w^hich its gaily- 

 coloured upper surface would be sure to attract. These colours 

 are those of the male. The female is coloured in a similar 

 manner below, and above is dull yellow, profusely covered with 

 blotches like those of the under surface. This is probably for 

 the sake of protection, as it certainly causes the female to be 

 much less conspicuous than her mate. 



This species is a native of St. Domingo, but the genus is a 

 very large one, and is spread over a considerable portion of the 

 hotter parts of the earth. The general colours are the same 

 throughout the genus, but in some species the orange patch is 

 much larger than that of Thalestris, while in one or two it is 

 spread nearly over the entire wing. 



The gaily-coloured Txias Mariammt is a native of various parts 

 of India. 



The colouring of the specimen from which tlie drawing was 

 taken is as follows : — The upper wings have a brown edge, 

 widest at the tip^ Then comes a large scarlet patch occupying 

 the greater part of the wing, with the exception of an irregular 

 black bar which crosses its centre. When the wings are spread, 

 this bar is continued to the lower wings, and runs round their 

 edges so as to form a bold black band, shaped as shown in 

 the illustration. The rest of the wings is white. Below, it is 

 yellow. The upper wings have a patch of yellow immediately 

 under the red of the upper surface, and there is a large black 

 spot near the middle. The lower wings have a row ,of pale 

 brown spots near their tips. 



This is a singularly variable species, the most curious of which 

 is a specimen that was brought from the Punjaub. On the right 

 upper wing of this insect there is a large black spot near the 

 middle, while the corresponding wing of the left side has no spot 

 at all. There is also a similar spot on each of the loAvor wings. 



