﻿'i>. 78 



i 



NYMPHALIN^. (Group LIMENITINA.) 145 



beautiful insects on the wing, being almost always found in forests or amongst trees, 

 having a particularly graceful sailing flight, and settles on leaves with fully expanded 

 wings." Of the species placed by him under the genus Athyma, he observes, " all 

 the species known to me in nature are strong on the wing, but frequently settle, 

 often on the ground with wide-spread open wings, or on leaves of trees and bushes. 

 They are forest-loving insects, occurring only where there is a rich vegetation ; and 

 of those placed by him vmder Neptis, he says, " The species are easily captured ; 

 they have a floating, sailing flight, frequently settling on bushes, with spread open 

 wings" (Butt. Ind. ii. pp. 76 — 166). Mr. J. Betham observes, under Neptis 

 (Hordonia, &c.), " The flight of the butterflies of this genus is peculiar ; they seem 

 to float and sail along, so that when on a level with the eye they disappear and 

 re-appear ; when settled on leaves, as is their habit, they rest with extended wings " 

 (J. Bombay, N. H. S. 1890, 280). Mr. W. Doherty says, " I have noticed enough 

 facts to be confident that timidity is a source of protection. la the Eastern Grhats, 

 S. India, where Neptis Nandina [?] is rare, I could always tell it from N. Varmona a 

 hundred yards ofl", because it flew away ; but then Varmona is, like Hordonia, a 

 protected species" (P. Z. S. 1891, 25G). Mr. de Nic^ville observes, that " of the 

 Nymphalinee, the species of the geuus Neptis are earliest on the wing, and do not 

 appear at all to mind the leaves being wetted with rain or dew. After a shower 

 they will appear immediately, and even fly when there is no sun. Wherever there 

 are a few trees or bushes along the roads, in gardens, and in fact practically 

 everywhere, they may be found, weakly sailing about and frequently settling ; 

 apparently highly protected, as they show no fear whatever" (.Journ. As. Soc. 

 Bengal, 1895, 411). 



Habits of Lakva. — The larva of the European L. Sibylla is stated to be solitary 

 in habit, feeding principally on Caprifoliacece or allied plants, constructing for itself a 

 hibernaculum or nest from a rolled-up leaf, to which, generally, when about half 

 grown, it retires for the winter. The larva of Modnza Procris " feeds on Mmsoenda 

 fro7idosa, and when young remains on one leaf, eating it regularly back from the 

 point, but leaving the midrib, and as it eats it fringes the eaten margin with its 

 excrement, held together by silk, among which it is absolutely undistinguishable. 

 After the last moult it abandons these habits, and lives openly on the upper- 

 side of the leaf, having changed its form for one in which it is able, 

 apparently, to despise concealment " (Davidson, J. Bombay, N. H. S. 1890, 

 274). The larva of Rahinda Hordonia "feeds on Acacia and Albizzia, and has 

 the curious habit of feeding by preference, not on green leaves, but on those 

 which it has caused to wither. It bites through one or two pinnse, which 

 immediately droop and dry up, but are kept from falling by a few threads of 

 silk with which the larva has taken the precaution to attach them to the central 

 VOL. III. April 23rd, 1898. U 



