LiuYTiL^m^. " :;^^ 



I have not seen any of these butterflies alive, but from the notes of 

 various collectors they are evidently very active insects, resembling in 

 their flight and habits the smaller Nymplialincc. The Cingalese L. 

 Rama, Moore, is noted by Messrs. Hutchison and Mackwood (Moore's 

 Lepidoptera of Ceylon, p. 68) as frequenting forest lands and the 

 vicinity of jungle, and darting about and settling on the ground; while 

 the Natalian L. Laius, Trim., seems only to settle on the stems and 

 twigs of trees. 



The larva of the European species feeds on the " Nettle Tree " 

 (Celtis australis), but I am not aware that the food-plant of any other 

 Libi/thca has been recorded. 



118. (1.) Libythea Laius, Trimen. 

 Plate VII. fig. 3 ( ? ). 

 Lihytliea Laius, Trim., Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., 1879, P- 337- 



Exp. al., I in. lo-^ lin. — 2 in. 2 lin. 



^ Dark-hroivn, glossed with bronzy -yellow reflections; with ycde 

 fidvous-ochreous bars and spots. Forc-iving : a longitudinal bar from 

 base occupies lower half of discoidal cell, widening gradually to its 

 abrupt extremity just above origin of first median nervule ; immediately 

 beyond bar (sometimes touching or even merged in it) a large, roughly 

 subquadrate spot, which is widest interiorly, and anteriorly reaches to 

 end of discoidal cell ; a little beyond and below this spot, a larger paler 

 subovate spot, the upper part of which is traversed by the second 

 median nervule ; on outer portion of inner margin a very faint pale- 

 ochreous cloud ; an irregular, oblique, subapical row of three white 

 spots, of which the first is nearest middle, largest, exteriorly elongated 

 and crossed in its upper part by the subcostal nervure, and the others 

 are together apart, of about equal size, one above and the other below 

 the second radial nervule. Hind-iving : costal margin rather broadly 

 dull-whitish from base as far as a quadrate, pale, whitish- ochreous spot 

 about middle, lying between costal nervure and first subcostal nervule ; 

 below and beyond this spot, just above second subcostal nervule, a 

 small ochreous spot ; beyond middle, a straight transverse bar formed 

 of four contiguous spots (of which the first is largest and the fourth 

 smallest and less distinct than the rest), extending from just below 

 second subcostal nervule, not far from apex, to first median nervule, not 

 far from its origin. Under side. — Hind-wing and apex of fore- wing 

 very variable in tint and clouding, the prevalent ground-colour being 

 glossy-grey irroreUed and hatched with Mack and fuscous. Fore-wing : 

 paler than on upper side, the bars and spots larger ; discoidal cell filled 

 by much enlarged and united bar and spot ; a small whitish spot 

 immediately beyond upper part of extremity of cell ; second and third 

 spots of subapical row united in one crescent-shaped marking. Hind- 

 wing : in two specimens the upper side costal spot and discal bar 

 VOL. II. B 



