CHARAXES. By H. Stichel. 171 



matter, excrements, etc., even the perspiration of man and beast is said to be attractive for them. The coloration 

 is very diversified, tiie underside bearing especially often a many-coloured and loud pattern. Distributed over 

 the tropics and subtropics of tiie Old World, Africa being particularly rich in species, in the second place 

 the Indo-Australian Region, while only one species each is found in the temperate zone and on the European 



Continent. 



C. jasius L. (= jason L., rhea Hbn., unedonis Hhn.) (52b, c). Upperside brown, very faintly shot witli jasins. 

 lilue, tlie distal margin yellow-ochre; forewing with more or less dislimt yellowish submargiiial spots; liindwing 

 with blue spots instead. Underside wilii rings and irregular white markings on a blue ground, a silvery white 

 transverse band and in tlie distal area a blue-shaded yellow macular band. $ larger, less dark, the submarginal 

 spots as a rule more distinct. The butterfly varies to some extent, es])ecially in the number and size of tlie lilue 

 spots on the hindwing, which are sometimes quite indistinct. Such specimens may be placed witli ab. hageni /uigcni. 

 Fischer, produced by the application of alow temperature on the pupa. This artificial product has the pattern simpli- 

 fied on the underside, the forewing has no submarginal spots and the lilue spots of the hindwing are quite effaced. 

 The opposite development is represented by ab. bachmetjevi Fisc/icr, likewise an artificial product (cold). In this bachmetjcvi. 

 the brown row of spots of the forewing is distinct as far as the hind margin, the spots being larger and paler, 

 and proximally to it there is a second, more or less complete row of ochreous spots, while the hindwing has a 

 white median band and strongly enlarged blue spots. Also in nature there occur ,^^ with the submarginal 

 spots of the forewing enlarged and the row continued to the hind margin (i. brood). The egg of the species is dark 

 yellow, globular, above flattened, reticulate. Larva slug-like, narrowing in front and behind, the anal segment 

 with 2 pointed processes; light green with a yellow side-line; head large, laterally bearing a yellow stripe which 

 is continued along the lower long horn, there being 4 partly red horns covered with granules; skin densely btset 

 with white granules, the yellow lateral line gradually more bright posteriorly, on the body from this line down- 

 ward short hairs; on the back of the 6. and 8. segments a small pale rounded spot each, the anterior spot being 

 ringed with orange-yellow in the adult larva, the second being bluish with a dark border; length 50 — 52 mm. 

 The larva feeds on the strawberry-tree (Arbutus unedo), on small trees of the same, and has been fed up in capti- 

 vity on leaves of roses, being said to take also Black Poplar (Populus nigra) (Rossler). It reposes on a pad 

 spun on the upperside of a leaf, being very lazy, not moving during the day, feeding at night, not ravenously 

 but by starts, beginning a new leaf only when the old one has been devoured down to the stalk. It has the 

 peculiar habit of alternately contracting and extending the segments in the hot sun, as if it enjoyed the heat. 

 Although living in dry districts, it appears to be fond of humidity and loves to drink the drops of water 

 sprinkled on the food-plant. Pupa light green, suspended, almost egg-shaped, with the wing-cases slightly 

 bordered with red; head wedge-shaped; abdomen curved down close to the cremaster. Duration of pupal stage 

 10 — 12 days. The butterfly is a rapid flier, settles on tree-trunks and is occasionally attracted by ripe fruit 

 (figs). Mediterranean countries: Greece, Italy (as far as Firenze), Dalmatia, South France, Portugal and North 

 Africa. In two broods, the specimens of the second brood having the tails narrower and longer; Greek specimens 

 are said to have always a broader orange-yellow marginal band. 



C. polyxena Cr. (9 = bernardus F.) (61a, b). cj in 2 forms; the nymotypical one with a white band, >vhieh polyxei:a. 

 has a bluish tint at its edges and is more or less complete, there being on its outer side some dull yellow half- 

 moons in a black area, which are occasionally absent. The second form, sinensis Rolhsch., without white band sinensis. 

 or only with a trace of the same anteriorly on the forewing, the yellowish spots in the outer half of the wing 

 present, in the hindwing the black submarginal spots more or less united, except the last 3, with or without 

 white dots in them. On the underside the black markings of the hindwing belter developed. This form is hardly 

 distinguishable from the Indian subspecies hierax Fldr. In the $, which is larger than the ,^, the colour of the 

 band varies from yellowish white to pale ochre-yellow; the extremes may be placed with the 2 forms of the ^. 

 The outer yellowish spots of the forewing variable in number and size, the submarginal spots of the hindwing 

 separate except the anterior ones, or all more or less united. — Rare; China, from Hong-kong to Mupin and 

 Omei-shan. In the North-Western Himalayas flies a similar subspecies, hemana Koll., which almost reaches 

 the Palaearctic territory. 



B. Subfamily: Limenitinae. 



This subfamily is verv rich in species , playing in the tropical countries almost the most important role 

 among all the butterflies. Memiiers of the genera Nept/s in the Old World and Adilpha in the New, can lie seen 

 at all seasons of the year, in all weathers, on every road, in every garden and on every hill. The number of 

 individuals which are oil the wing is really surprising. In the southern districts of South India one sees sometimes 

 from the railway-carriage the Nept/s whirling up like coloured bits of paper from the Lantana-bushes covering the 

 embankments, and in certain localities of the interior of Brazil a specimen of Adelplm is posted on every twig that 

 projects above the road. 



Curiously enough, these insects become rapidly scarcer the more we approach the higher latitudes. They 

 are quite absent from the south coast of Australia, from Patagonia and South Chile and in the North the number 



