PEOCEEDINCS OF THE THIRD ENTOMOLOGICAL MEETING 10.!3 



had no previous experience, but the sketches in the Plates exhibited 

 herewith are, in nearly every case, the result of the examination of a 

 large number of specimens. In no case v.as the sketch made from a 

 single specimen. I am sending a set of my slides to the Colombo Museum 

 where anyone interested can examine them. They include all the Ceylon 

 Hesperiiidse with the exception of C. spilothijrus and G. albojas lata. 

 WTien removed from the body of the insect and dried, the clasps almost 

 invariably shrivel and curl up, thus entirely altering their outlines as 

 seen under a microscope. I have, therefore whenever possible, used 

 perfectly fresh undried specimens for my sketches. In cases where 

 there are only shght differences between the prehensores of two forms 

 it is iiecessaTy to examine a large number of each, to ascertain if these 

 differences are permanent or only casual variations. For instance, 

 with regard to Padraona dam, Messrs. Elwes and Edwards write that 

 Mr. Edwards dissected " fifteen specimens from different localities, and 

 found considerable variation in degree, but no differences which can 

 be regarded as specific."' Lieutenant-Colonel Evans in his notes on 

 Indian butterflies (Journal of the Bombay Nat. His'. Socy.) says that he 

 examined 23 males in his collection and found he had five species. I 

 have dissected over 100 Ceylon specimens, and I find two very distinct 

 forms which show no signs of grading and extremely slight internal 

 variation. {See PL 1'/ 1. figs. 27 — 3 ».) I beheve there is also a third but 

 I have been unable, so far, to obtain sufficient specimens to prove that 

 it is not merely a variety or seasonal form. (8,'f PL 171, figs. 31, :'>2.) 

 By the courtesy of Mr. F. Hannyngton, I.C.S., I have been able 

 to dissect a few specimens from Coorg and found two forms among 

 them which are very distinct from anything I have «een in Ceylon. 

 Apparently this group is spht up into numerous local races, and, so 

 far as my experience goes, the prehensores will be found a more constant 

 and reliable means of separating them than the colouration of the ^Yings. 

 I believe that similar local races also occur m the philippina and kutnara 

 groups of the genus Parnara. A question which arises is whether 

 differences in colour caused by climatic influences are accompanied by 

 changes in the prehensores. This of course can only be settled by 

 breeduig experiments. For instance, Indian writers treat Caprona 

 saraya as a seasonal form of C. ransonnetti, although Messrs. Elwes 

 and Edwards point out that their clasps differ considerably. 



In Ceylon C. siamica shows an almost similar divergence fi'om C. 

 ransonnetti and would therefore, I presume, be treated as a seasonal 

 form. I have examined about a dozen specimens of C. siamica and 

 have, so far, found no signs of grading in the clasjjs and am therefore 

 inclined to regard it as distinct. (See PL 171,. figs. 9, 10, 11 and 12.) 



VOL. Ill o 



