Genus TAGIADES Hb. 



I. Japetus Cram. (PL \', fig. 9 a, b, c). 



Papilio Japetvis. 

 Tagiades Obscurus. 

 Plesioneura Distans. 

 „ Japetus. 



Cramer, /F/. 145, />/. 365 E. F. (1782) . . . 

 Mabille, Ann. Soc. Ent. dc France 1877, /. 274 . 

 Moore, Lcp. 0/ Ceylon I p. i75' pl- 68- A- i (1881) 

 Plotz, Jahrb, d. Nass. V. 37, .s. 47, i^'b. 29 . . 

 Elwes and Edwards, Trans. Zoo/. Soc. 0/ London 14,4. 



/. 137, 141 (1897) 



Sxei.len supposes that T. Obscurus of Mabille and P. Distans of Moore 

 are the same species as T. Japetus Cram. 



Tagiades Japetus. 



W. J. Batavia (3—14); Depok (95); Buitenzorg (265); Sindanglaya (1074); 

 the neighbourhood of Pelabouan Ratou (W)-nkoopsbay) (4- 200) ; Soukaboumi 

 (602) (Fruhst.). 



C. J. Touban on the north coast (2); province of Semarang (200) (Jacobson). 



E. J. Province of Pasourouan (+ 500) (Fruhst.). 



This butterfly is one of the most common Hesperidae on Java; it is in 

 the habit when roused, after a moment's flight to place itself with outspread 

 wines against the under-side of a leaf. 



The larva is wont when touched, to open the mandibles wide for biting. 

 It lives in a folded leaf or between two leaves sewn together of the plants, 

 which at Batavia are called, oiibi djaiva (Ipgjmea Batatas Poir.), onbi kalappa 

 (Dioscorea Alata L.), djagonng (Zea Mavs L.), and according to Horsfield 

 also on Dioscorea OPPOSiriFOLiA L. Once also I found one in a folded leaf 

 of Roxburghiacea spec. 



The colour of the young caterpillar is whitish green or blue, of the grown 

 up ones a dark green, the foremost segments somewhat yellowish, sometimes 

 also light green studded with yellowish dots, and with a dark dorsal line, which 

 indicates the vas dorsalis. Through the body the great, yellow testes are 

 distinctly visible. The head of the young larva is red but afterwards becomes 

 dark brown or black. It is heart-shaped, bifurcated on the apex, in the one 

 individual deeper than in the other and the two points formed thereby are 

 sometimes more or less rounded. 



The pupa also lies in a folded leaf and is attached at the anal extremit)- 

 and by a girdle-thread. Its shape resembles the pupa's of Pieris, but it has 

 no projections. Its colour is a yellowish white with some brown marbling and 

 some milk-white spots, of which the greatest on the wing-cases and one that 

 is somewhat smaller on the foremost part of the thorax. 



