Pnbl. 2H. VI. ofi. EUPLOEA. By Dr. A. Seitz. 77 



Although the thght of plerippus is slow and awkward, it is nevertheless untiring, and sometimes the 

 insect sails for long stretches holding the wings expanded without moving them. I verj' often saw ■pli'.rippiis 

 at sea flying at a very considerable hight, and observed that it could settle on the surface of the water 

 with the wings expanded and rise again without difficulty into the air. Several times it has happened that 

 single specimens reached Europe and were caught in Portugal and Great Britain, so that in future it may 

 possibly become acclimatized in South Europe where Asclepias occurs. 



D. septentrionis Bflr. (28 d). Black, both wings marked with transparent light bluish green streaks septentrionis. 

 and dots. The cf has, between the 1. median vein and the submedian, a scent-organ which appears as a 

 grey-brown silky spot above and as a projecting crescent-shaped fold beneath. In Southern Kashmir, rare, 

 in April and again from July to OctoJjer; common in West China, in the mountains up to 1500 m. — The 

 larva is said to be similar to that of the following species and to feed on Vallaris dichotoma. This butterfly 

 is distributed over a very large portion of the Oriental Region, being extremely common in many places, 

 for instance Ceylon. 



D. limniace Ct: {— exoticul (hnel.) (28 e). Similar to the preceding, the ground-colour less deep limniace. 

 black, the Nile-green streaks and spots much larger, partly confluent. Scent-organ as in septcntrumix. In 

 Kashmir, common, but not every year, in May and again in autumn (Yoitng). — Larve light yellowisii 

 green, with numerous lilack transverse stripes and yellow side-stripes; head and abdominal legs spotted 

 with black; the filaments black and hght green; on Asclepias. Pupa green, somewhat constricted behind 

 the thorax, with raised golden dots. 



Though liiiiiiiacc occurs in great abundance in Southern China (Swatow, Hongkong), the specimens 

 from there being among the largest of this species, it apparently does not reach in China the Palaearctic 

 boundary, entering our Region onl}^ in Kashmir. 



D. melaneus Cr. (= ephyra Wm.) (28 d). Likewise similar to the previous forms, but the cf without melaneus. 

 the crescent-shaped lobe on the underside of the hindwing, bearing instead a black velvety spot near the 

 anal angle. Ground-colour in both sexes darker brown and the cellules of both filled in with vitreous light 

 green. In West China, eastwards to Chang Yang, common, from May to October in several overlapping 

 broods; flies in woods. The Palaearctic spring-specimens are partly essentially smaller than Indian specimens; 

 many individuals are much larger than the one figured. 



D. tytia Graij (= sita Kull.) (28 e). The largest Palaearctic Danaid. Basal half of both wings for tytin. 

 the greater part Nile-green ; distal half of the forewing Ijlack , spotted with green , that of the hindwing 

 cinnamon-red. In Kasiimir, not rare in woods, all through the summer. In China everywhere; Japan, not 

 rare; Askold (OBEKTHiJE). — Larva dirty white, l)lackish above, with 2 dorsal and 1 lateral row of yellow 

 spots; head black, spotted with grey, legs black; on Marsdenia roylei. Pupa pale glassy green, with golden 

 yellow spots. 



The butterfly occurs especially in woods, flying faster than most Danaids and resting on (juite thin, 

 dead, pendant branches. The separation of the continental specimens from the Japanese ones is l)ased on 

 minor differences and hardlj' holds good. 



2. Genus: £uploea /•'. 



Rather large insects which are nearly all l)lack-brown , having sometimes a magnificent blue gloss. 

 The shape of the forewing is often different in the sexes, the hindmargin being in the cfcf of these forms 

 strongly excurved. Antenna not strong, very gradually incrassate. Like all genera containing a very large 

 number of forms, also the present one has been divided into numerous genera according to the development 

 of the scent -organs of the d'(f. The genus is almost exclusively an Indo-Austrahan one, verj^ few forms 

 occurring in Africa, and only one species extending into the Palaearctic Region. *) 



The Euploeas are among the most characteristic butterflies of the Oriental Region, playing the same 

 part as the Neotropids in America. They are entirely confined to the warm districts, quickly diminishing 

 in number from the Equator north- and southwards. Exept in the outlying districts nearly all the s]iecies 

 are extremelj- common where they occur. They congregate sometimes in large swarms, sometimes they 

 migrate singly, the specimens flying along the roads in the woods almost at equal distances. The flight is 

 slow, little progressing, awkward, but, as the name implies, not inelegant when the butterfly abandons 

 itself to the wind and floats through the air. These insects have two periods of flight daily, the first from 

 9 — 12 and the other from 3 — 5 in the afternoon. They are busy visiting flowers, especially the blossoms 

 of Latana, often covering the flowering trees like black clouds. 



*) Of a second species, Eufjloea vestigiate, 2 specimens exists from the West Chinese province of Kwei-ehow. However, 

 the Euploeas being much given to wandering, one may consider these individues as stray specimens till further data become 

 known about the occurrence in the Palaearctic Region. Moreover, the province Kwei-chow lies for the greater part in the 

 Oriental, not in the Palaearctic Region. 



I 10 



