190 



RHOPALOCERA MA LA YA iVJ . 



dark castaneous and l.ocominK obsolete at apex ; posterior wings with two pale fasciae as on anterior wmgs, 

 but curved and wider apart, the outer fascia containing three apical black spots surrounded with whitish and 

 separated by the subcostal nervulos, and with two smaller spots near anal angle ; a pale and darkly bordered 

 submar<^inal fascia as on anterior wings, but which from apex of upper median nervule (where the outer 

 margin is obtusely angulated) to anal angle is again outwardly bordered with paler coloration. 



Female. Wings generally much paler in hue than in the male; anterior wmgs with a distinct 

 subapical transverse" subviolaceous or whitish fascia, and with the submarginal linear fascia distinct as 

 beneath; posterior wings with the spots and fasciaj, both above and beneath, as on underside of male;* 

 the subapical pale fascia on anterior wings being broader beneath than above. 



Exp. wings, $ 42 to 44 millim ; 2 40 to 44 millim. 



Hab.— Andaman Islands: Port Blair (Moore). +— Malay Peninsula; Province Wellesley (colls. Dist. 

 and Saiier) ; Sungei Ujong (Durnford— coll. Dist.) ; Malacca (Biggs, coll. Dist.— Pinwill, Brit. Mus.) ; 

 Singapore (Kerr— coll. Dist.)— Sumatra.— Java (Brit. Mus.)— Borneo ; Sandakan (Pryer— coll. Dist.)— 

 East Africa; Zambesi (coll. Hewits.) ; Nyassa (coll. Dist.). 



The females of this species vary considerably in the size and distinctive character of the 

 pale subapical fascia to the anterior wings. The most strongly marked or albinic specimens in 

 my collection are from Province Wellesley, whilst the most melanic forms I possess are from 

 Malacca and North Borneo. Consequently, were I to theorise from the specimens now before me, 

 I should consider the species to increase in melanism in an easterly direction, a conclusion which 

 actual facts would probably contradict. The specimens figured are from Province Wellesley. 



The most interesting fact in connection with the geographical distribution of this species 

 is its presence, unmodified and distinct, in Eastern Africa. The late Mr. Hewitson received it 

 from the Zambesi, and subseqjiently it reached my hands contained in a small collection made 

 in the neighbourhood of Lake Nyassa. 



B. Posterinr iriii(is not promincnthi anfiiilated. 



3. Abisara haquinus. (Tab. XVIIT., fig. 13 2 .) 



Pci.ilio II,„iuini(s, Fabricins, Ent. Syst. iii. 1, p. 55, n. 169 (1793). 



Emcsis Dnipmli, Horsf. Cat. Lep. E.I.C. t. 2, f. 3, 3« (1828) ; Boisd. Sp. Geu. i. t. 7, f. 2 (1886). 



Ahisara liwjuinHs, Butl. Cat. Fabr. Lep. p. 137, u. 2 (1869) ; Traus. Linn. See. ser. 2, Zool. vol. i. p. 546, 



n. 3 (1877). 

 Tii.dhi luviuiiiiix, Kirby, Cat. Dinrn. Lep. p. 286, n. 2 (1871). 



Male. Wings above dark purplish-brown; anterior wings with a subapical pale and somewhat 

 ochraccous fascia ; apical portion of the nervules in both wings paler. Wings beneath much paler than 

 above, the discal areas reddish ; anterior wings with a curved pale fascia on upper portion of cell and 

 immediately beneath the sulicostal nervule, a subapical pale ochraceous fascia as above, and with the 

 following bluish markings more or less spotted with black, viz. : — an oblique spot reaching apex of cell, two 

 black spots beyond cell connected by a bluish lunule, above which are some small black spots divided by the 

 subcostal nervules ; these are outwardly followed by a straight series of about four spots (the lowest situate 

 above the first median nervule), two on each side of the second median nervule, and one on inner side and 

 at base of third median nervule ; a submarginal series of linear pale continuous lunules becoming obsolete 



* By an acoiilcnt, the figure of tlie female here given has been rendered inexact ; thns the posterior wings above 

 do not possess two contiguous discal fascice, Imt should be as correctly shown beneath. The submarginal spots should 

 be as shown on the underside, save that the first black spot between the subcostal nervules has been there omitted. 



\ This haliitat has not been certified by Wood-Mason and de Niccville in their enumeration of Andaman Bhopalocera. 



