38 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 



perhaps too much so in several instances. The remaining 

 vokimes to complete the Famia of British India are being 

 edited by Mr. H. Druce , and we hope may be issued soon. 



3. In 1890 Moore issued his Vol. I. of " Lepidoptera 

 Indica," a magnificent and costly work, in which every species 

 is figxu"ed, Mi\ Moore died before the work was finished, 

 which I beheve is being completed by Col. Swinhoe. 



4. A very useful " List of Indian Butterflies," published 

 by the Bombay Natural History Society in 1912, Parts II. 

 and III., edited by Capt. W. H. Evans, R. E., range of 

 locality is given, as well as every race or sub-species, with 

 numerous serviceable notes. The two Papers can be separately 

 bought ; bound together they form a handy volume invaluable 

 for reference. 



Having finished Avith the works of reference, I now come 

 to the Ceylon butterflies themselves. These are put at 226 to 

 228 species. The great majority of these are also found in 

 South India, 42 of the number are peculiar to Ceylon as being 

 distinct species or sub-species, but very doubtfully so ; a 

 slumper would reject half ; personally I thmk 30 species only 

 are distiactty Cej^lonese and these include nearly all the rarities. 



In distribution, the foot hills up to 3,000 feet show the 

 largest variety ; at 4,000 feet upward 7 species appear ; in the 

 dry zone and never above 500 feet elevation about 20 species 

 are found, including all the "Colotis" gKPup, popularly known 

 as "orange tips," and several Lycoenidse and Hesperidss. In 

 the bamboo jungles of the Southern and Sabaragamuwa 

 Provinces and in lesser degree in the Western Province are to 

 be found the scarce Satyrinx and Discophora lepida, about 30 

 species are found everywhere from Colombo to Jaffna or 

 Nuwara EHya, even at the top of Pedru. One butterfly 

 discovered a few years ago in the Nitre Cave country, and 

 named " Atella ceylonica," has a very restricted range ; so far 

 it is found only in a valley about six miles by three , varjong in 

 elevation 1,000 to 2,500 feet. 



The best and longest worked centre is Kandy, with a radius 

 of ten to twelve miles. I have records of 178 species captured 

 — one species, " Elymnias singhala," used to be confined to 

 this area, but is now extending elsewhere. 



