9S LLOYDS NATURAL HISTORY 



Aitacus paphia,d:xmQX (nee Linn.), Pap. Exot., ii., pi. 146, 

 fig. A; pi. 147, figs. A, B; pi. 148, fig. A (i777)- 



Satuniia niylitta, Guerin, Rev. Zool., 1855, pp. 6, 297, pi. 6, 

 fig. 2. 



AfitJiercca mylitta, Walker, List Lcpid. Lis. Brit. Mus., v., 

 p. 1247, no. 8 (1855). 



There are a considerable number of imperfectly segregated 

 local forms of this species, several of which have received 

 distinctive names. It would therefore be useless to give a 

 detailed description ; but in general terms it may be said that 

 the male is fawn-coloured, more or less varied with brown or 

 yellow, and generally yellowish towards the tips of the fore- 

 wings. There is a large, round, talc-like, transparent spot on 

 each wing, crossed by a line like a crack, and enclosed in two 

 yellow rings, separated by a brownish-grey space, and bordered 

 by an outer black ring. The outer yellow ring is incomplete, 

 and on its inner side is replaced by a narrow bluish-white 

 crescent, bordered on both sides with red wuthin the outer 

 black ring. The brown or pink sub-marginal line is well 

 marked, and edged outside with w^hite. The female is lighter 

 fawn-colour, or yellow, and the fore-wings are hardly falcate. 

 The pro-thorax and the costa of the fore-wings are light grey. 

 Drury's figure of the male measures nearly six inches in 

 expanse ; it is reduced on our plate, and it appears to cor- 

 respond best to a dark form from Northern Lidia, sometimes 

 called AiitJicrcEa iiehulosa (Hutton). 



The Lidian silkworms, which produce the so-called Tusseh 

 silk, are the larvoe of A. mylitta and its allies. They are 

 found on ZizypJius jujtiha^ Teruiinalia alata, Bouibax hepta- 

 phylhnn, and other trees, and are usually watched by the 

 natives on the trees, and not reared in actual captivity. The 

 larvi-e are yellowish green, with a light yellow lateral stripe. 



