CEYLON BUTTERFLIES. 145 
2nd, spiculifera.Smaller and of a paler blue. The termen 
of the fore wing more falcate, and the hind wing proportion- 
ately smaller. The black border of the fore wing is much 
narrower, especially near the tornus, and there is a series of 
small elongated blue spots on this border that in interspace 3 
being shifted inward, and the two in interspace 1 almost or quite 
joined to the ground colour. As Moore points out, ceylonica 
appears to be nearest to pingasa and spiculifera to hippia. 
His variety fraterna appears to be an intermediate form. 
Ceylonica is common in the drier low-country, but is found 
at all elevations during the flights, but I have only taken 
spiculifera in the hills. Both are variable, and it is easy to 
grade them. 
Personally I believe spiculifera to be the cold season (or high 
elevation) form, while fraterna and ceylonica are the dry and 
wet season forms respectively of those bred in the low-country. 
Indian writers all agree in regarding pingasa and hippia as 
distinct species, and it is curious that varieties of our Ceylon 
race should almost grade into each of them. An analogous 
case i8 that of Terias leta and venata, the former of which is 
allied to the Ceylon 7. rama and the latter to 7’. cingala, and 
yet there can be little doubt that rama and cingala are only 
varieties of our Ceylon race. 
The females vary greatly in the width of the blue markings 
on the upper side and the amount of black shading below. 
In June, 1916 and 1917, I got specimens at Wellawaya, which 
were very exceptionally dark both above and. below ; in fact, 
all flying there then were of this unusual colour. The males 
with them seemed to be normal specimens of ceylonica above, 
but had more black shading below. I have received a similar 
pair from Kandy. These dark varieties of the female are 
good mimics of D. septentrionis. Normal varieties mimic D. 
limniace and aglea, but especially resemble R. exprompta, 
which, however, is not found in the usual haunts of Nepheronia. 
They usually fly among thorny bushes in the low-country, 
and are not easy to catch. They are often seen at Haldum- 
mulla when “ flighting,’ but are seldom caught, as they go 
fast and straight and seldom settle. The mimicry of the 
females also prevents recognition until too late. 
