CEYLON BUTTERFLIES. 33 
It varies a little on the upper side, but very saree on the 
under side in Ceylon specimens. 
Usually very rare at Haldummulla, but sometimes appears 
in fair numbers in the tea in November and December. It 
settles, usually low down, on the side of a tea bush, so only 
gives room for a very awkward stroke with the net between the 
bushes ; it also requires very careful stalking, so is not easy 
to catch. I have never succeeded in attracting it with sugar 
or other baits. 
Localities: Kandy, Badulla, &c. ‘‘ Ratnapura” (F, M, 
Mackwood). 
61. ARGYNNIS HYPERBIUS, B.; Acidalia niphe, M.; Argyn- 
nis hyperbius taprobana, K.—A, hyperbius is found in India, 
Burma, Abyssinia, China, Japan, &c., but it is possible that our 
Ceylon specimens form a local race, though they only differ in 
the slightly darker ground colour. They vary extremely little. 
It is common at high elevations nearly all the year round, 
and is usually found on the patanas near jungle. It settles 
on the ground, or low down, and is very easy to catch, as it 
only flies a short distance if disturbed. 
I have seen one straggler (2) as low as Haldummulla (3,006 
feet), but it is very rare below 4,500 feet. 
Localities : Nuwara Eliya, Horton Plains, Haputale, Mas- 
keliya ; in fact, wherever the wild violet grows. 
62. ATELLA PHALANTA, M. & E.; Atella phalantha, De N, 
& B.—Found in Africa, India, Burma, Malaya, China, &ce. 
Common at Haldummulla nearly all the year round, except 
in September and October, viz., the end of the dry season. 
Sometimes it flights in very great numbers. When flighting, 
it goes fairly fast and straight, but at other times it settles on 
flowers, &c., and is very easy to catch. In the dry low- 
country it swarms on wet patches on the roads. 
Common from Galle to Jaffna and at all elevations up to 
6,000 feet at least. 
63. ATELLA CEYLONICA; Alella alcippe ceylonica, B. & 
K.—Peculiar to Ceylon. Differs from alcippe “‘ in the broad 
immaculate black apex of the fore wing in both sexes and on 
the greater breadth of the terminal band on both fore and hind 
wings ” (Bingham). 
5 6(2)18 
