254 ■ ABISARA; DODONA. By Dr. A. Seitz. 



f/rgyns. Z. flegyas Cr. (89 Jj). Dark red-brown, I'eticulated with pale yellowish brown; between the yellow 



veins white transparent dots, which are iDlack on their proximal side. Central and West China, plentiful. — 

 Also in South China, and distributed over a large part of India in vai'ious local forms; in warm districts 

 all through the year and varying according to season. Larva green, paler at both ends and at the 

 sides, very flat, closely applied to the leaf and covered with a whitish down; in the spring adult on Moesa 

 montana (Didgeon). Pupa very smooth, with the abdominal segments distinctly marked, (juite tlat , the 

 head separated in two halves by a shallow groove on the occiput; yellowish green, with thin emerald-green 

 markings, rows of rounded spots on the back. The butterflies are found in the shade at road-sides; they 

 are not i-are and usually two specimens are met with not far from one another. Although one sees these 

 graceful small butterflies every day on roads in woods and at the edge of shrubs, I do not remember ever 

 having met with a larger number in the same place. The Palaearctic specimens belong to the nymotypical 

 form of flegyas, since the original for Cramer's figure came from Clu'na. There occur quite a number of 

 subspecies on the Indian islands. 



fi. Genus: Abisara FUh. 



Extremely similar to the preceding in facies and habits; the apex of the forewing less pointed, the 

 distal margin even, the antennae somewhat stronger and shorter, the wings without transparent dots. The 

 larvae likewise similar to those of Zcmeros, very flat, broad in the centre, the head not retracted into the 

 prothorax; differing from Zemeros in bearing sparse and minute hairs. Pupa also haivy, otherwise similar 

 to that of the preceding genus, being so much flattened that at first sight it ditfers but little from the lar\'a. 

 The butterflies have the habits of the preceding genus; though abundant, they occur but singly in the shade, 

 resting on leaves at road-sides and in the woods always with the wings half open. 



A. echerius. Above chocolate-brown, cT almost entirely imicolorous, ? with a distinct paler outer 

 area. In the apex of the hindwing 2—3 black ocelli, which are especially distinct beneath. The wet-season 

 edieriiis. form, echcrius Cr. (89 c), is above very deep dark brown shaded with purplish, especially in the cf, there 

 lydda. being distinct dark shadowy bands in the outer area. In the dry-form, lydda Heir. (89 d), the purple gloss 

 is absent from the upperside, the shadowy band in the outer area is hardly visible and the })lack ocelli in 

 the apex of the hindwing are absent or strongly reduced. The onisciform larva and the flattened chrysalis 

 pale green. The species is one of the commonest butterflies in China; however, it occurs more in the 

 south, approaching only here and there the Palaearctic boundary. There are two broods, which are on 

 the wing a long time. The summer-form bears on the upperside sometimes irregular but symmetrical white- 

 scaled places, which are apparently caused by the showers of rain which are frequent every day acting 

 upon the chrysalis. The flight of these little butterflies recalls to a certain extent Pamrge egerides. When 

 chased they escape in the dense shrubsj where it is impossible to follow with the net on account of the 

 thorny branches. The species is widely distributed and occurs in luunerous races over a large part of 

 India {primosa, kausambi. bifasciafa etc.). 



/y//"- A. fylla />b/. (89 d). Above black-brown, forewing with a yellowish white oblique band, hindwing 



with black submargiual ocelli. The forewing is much more pointed in the o"" than in the ?. In (lentral 

 and West China, not rare, besides 'Almost everywhere in the Himalayas, abundant in certain places. — In 

 Indian specimens the oblique band is usually broader and more even than in Palaeaictic ones. — fi/ZIa and 

 its near relatives have been separated from the true Abisara as Sospita liar. 



1. (Tenus: ]>o(loiia Heir. 



In neuration very close to the preceding genera, but very peculiar in colour and pattern, especially 

 on the underside. Easily recognized by the anal angle of the hindwing bearing a projecting lobe, which is 

 sometimes tailed as in Tliecla. Head broad, with a wide frons, anteriorly obtuse and appearing here flat 

 on account of the palpi hardly projecting. Antennae thin, rather long and quite straight. Body slender. 

 Both wings very broad, the forewing with acute apex, the hindwing with projecting anal lobe and fre([uently 

 with dentate or scalloped distal margin. The larva onisciform, ovate, flat, with sparse and minute hairs; on 

 Gramineae. The pupa also flattened, with bifid head. The butterflies are plentiful wherever they occur. 

 The genus occurs in India and China; the species appear to be mountain insects. 



durga. D. durga Koll. Above black-brown, with ochreons dots and before the apex white ones. The hind- 



wing beneath with thin ivory-yellow streaks in the anal area; before tlie apex of the hindwing two ocelli, 



sinica. each being surrounded with a distinct pale ring beneath. Kashmir. -- A larger local form, sinica Mengel 

 (89 d), has been described by Leech from Central and West China. It differs from the nymotypical durga 

 in the spots of the upperside being larger and more reddish ^-ellow, and in the underside being so broadly 

 and prominently streaked that the apical ocelli quite disappear. An albino of this form, which is uniformly 

 pale yellow above, has been described from Tibet l)v ObekthOr as ab. nlbewem. 



