NYMPHAMD^. DANAIN^. HESTIA. 2? 



3. Hestia jasonla, Westwood. (Plate ill, Fig. i $). 



H. jasonr'a, Westwood, Cab. Or. Ent., p. 87, pi. xlii, fig. i (1848), tnale ; Hutler, Trans. Ent. Soc. Lend, 

 third series, vol. v, p. 470 (1S67) ; Nectaria jasonia., Moore, Lep, Cej'i, p. 3, pi. i, fig. i (1880), 

 Habitat : Ceylon. 

 Expanse : 475 to 6 inches. 



Description : " Male and Female. — Wings semi'hy.iline, fuliginous-white ; nervurea 

 black. Upperside. — Forewhig witli a black basal costal border, an oblique irregular broad 

 band across the middle of the cell, a short streak on the middle of the costa, a streak through 

 the disco-cellular nervules, a large spot between the base of the two lower median nervules, 

 a crutch-shaped mark extending to the base above the submedian nervure, a discal series of 

 seven angulated-oval spots, a submarginal series of duplex spots terminating in a thickened 

 streak at the end of each nervule, and a marginal row of spots. Hiiuiwing with a black, round 

 spot in the middle of the cell, two small spots below it, a discal series of eight angulated-oval 

 spots, two of which are between the costal and subcostal nervures, a submarginal series 

 of duplex spots terminating in a thickened streak at end of each nervule, and a marginal row 

 of spots. Head and thorax spotted with white ; thorax above, palpi and femora beneath, 

 streaked with white. Abdomen black above, white beneath. Underside of both fore- and 

 hindwings marked as above. Some specimens are darker coloured than that above 

 described, being blackish fuliginous ; others, again, have a slight ferruginous tint pervading 

 the wings," {Moore, 1. c.) 



Horsfield and Moore, in the Catalogue of the Lepidoptera in the Indian Museum, p. 135 

 (1857), record a specimen of this species from Canara (South India), but all the Hestias we have 

 yet seen from peninsular India belong either to H. lynceiis or to H. malabariea, and with the 

 solitary exception noted above the present species appears to be confined to Ceylon. A variety, 

 also from Ceylon, has been discriminated by Butler, as having " the wings smaller, fuscescent, 

 especially towards the apex, with the spots more approximating to the external margin." 

 •'/Tt-'^/Za 7aj-(7«/a; affects the glades of woods, and is notable for its graceful flight, rising and 

 descending almost like a gossamer in the air, and well deserving the name of ' the Sylph' which 

 is commonly given to it." {Dr. Thwaites.) " It is found only in the deep shade of the damp 

 forest, usually frequenting the vicinity of pools of water and cascades, about which it sails 

 heedless of the spray, the moisture of which may even be beneficial in preserving the elasticity 

 of its thin and delicate wings that bend and undulate in the act of flight." ( Tennent.) " In 

 the forests, and especially about waterfalls in the western, central, and southern provinces, 

 this Butterfly may be found all the year. It has a very slow floating flight, often poising 

 nearly motionless, and is veiy easily caught." {Hutchison). 



The plate is taken from a male specimen from Ceylon, in the Indian Museum, Calcutta ; 

 the upperside only is shown ; the underside is similar to the upper. In the female the 

 wings are broader in proportion to their length, but the markings are similar. 



4. Hestia agamarschana,* Feider. 



H. agamarsckana, Feider, Reise Nov., Lep., p. 35'. pl- xliii, fig. 7 (1867) ; Wood-Mason and de Nic^ville, 

 Journ. A. S. B., vol. 1, pl. ii, p. 244 (i83i) ; H. jasonia, var. a, Kirby, Syn. Cat. D. L., p. 2, n. 9 (1871). 



Habitat : Andaman islands, Mergui. 



Expanse : 4-6 to 5-1 inches. 



Description : " Male.— ;F/«^i- pellucid white, with the nervures black, the cellular folds, 

 coniform spots on the nervures along the margin, with two confluent spots above and oval ones 

 between, an interrupted costal band on the foreiuing, a large confluent spot in the cell, three 

 large spots below the cell, a small subapical band, a diijco-cellular series of spots elongated 

 and confluent towards the costa forming an irregular black band, and the internal margin, 

 also on the hindwing the cellular spot and eight other round ones besides the marginal series, 

 dusky black ; on the underside the spots are paler and smaller." {Feider, 1. c.) 



•«'?' Agamarsena' from ayUfJ-Og ' unmarried.' a.id, OLpiJY^y, a^CSVOf 'male," in allusion to the fact 

 that the describer was ignorant of the opposite (female) sex." 



