142 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 
the fore wing, the terminal halves of the veins on the hind 
wing are very lightly marked with grayish-black, and there 
is a narrow gray marginal line at the tornus. 
It is normally an insect of the dry low-country, but it often 
joins in the November—December flights, and may then be 
found at any elevation. I received a very dark variety of 
the female from Ohiya (6,000 feet) in October, 1917, before 
the flights had started. It was in perfect condition, not like 
those that have “ flighted ” far ; it may, therefore, occasionally 
breed in the hills. 
I have found it especially abundant in the Hambantota 
District in March and May, and in the Mannar country in 
July, November, and January. 
‘““ Also Anuradhapura in December ” (F. M. Mackwood). 
171. Appias TAPROBANA, M. ; Appias hippo taprobana, B. ; 
Appias lyncida taprobana, E.—Moore also gives A. vacans, 
which is only a lightly marked variety. 
Bingham separates the race taprobana, from Southern India 
and Ceylon, from hippo, by the fact that, on the under side of 
the hind wing, the sub-costal vein and veins 6, 7, and 8 are 
conspicuously edged with black in taprobana, whereas they are 
yellow in hippo. This does not apply to Ceylon specimens, 
as, in my experience, almost 25 per cent. show no signs of 
this black edging. The width of the black border to the hind 
wing below is extremely variable, and specimens in which 
this border is narrow (viz., A. vacans) seldom show any black 
edging to the veins. All varieties fly together. 
T had been collecting in Ceylon for twenty-seven years before 
I caught a specimen of this butterfly. In May, 1916, I saw a 
fair lot of males while travelling from Galle to Tangalla. 
After entering the dry zone east of Tangalla I saw no more, 
although species of Capparis, which is said to be its food plant, 
are plentiful between Tangalla and Hambantota, and much 
scarcer further west. It continued to be plentiful at Tangalla 
till, at any rate, the end of October, and I also received 
specimens from Kandy in September and October. It was 
fairly common round Galle in July, 1918, especially at 
Gintota, where I saw numbers flying round a tree of Crateva 
roxburghi. 
