NYMPHALID^. DANAIN^. DANAIS. 47 



26. Danals limnlaee, Cramer. 



Pa^ilio Hmniace, Cramer, Vap. Ex., vol. i, pi. lix, figs. D, E (1775); Herbst, Pap., pi. cxxiii, figs. 3,4 

 (1793) -.Danais kopardus, Butler, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lonil., 1866, p 52, n. 36 ; D. limniacc, G. Semper, Joiirn. des 

 Mus. God., heft xiv, p. 139, pi. viii, fig. 6 (1879) ; Tirumala liinniaca, Moore, Lep. Cey., p. 4, pi. i, fig. 3 (1880). 



Habitat : Throughout the Indian region. 



ExPANSK : 2"6 104-2; usually about 3*5 inches. 



Description : Male : Fore-wing deep blue-black ; a streak from the base, with an out- 

 wardly indented spot beyond in the cell ; two short sul)Costal streaks (the outer sometimes 

 evanescent) just beyond the cell, with three streaks immediately below them, one between each 

 pair of the nervules, the first narrow, the second and third broader, the third short and oval ; a 

 spot touching the cell below the third median nervule, a larger and longer spot below the second, 

 and in the space between the first median nervule and submedian nervure are an elongate 

 streak from the base, above it a shorter and broader streak, and beyond them a rounded spot — 

 subhyaline loluish-white ; these three latter markings are very variable. In some specimens all 

 three are distinct ; in others the two streaks coalesce ; in others again the upper streak 

 coalesces with the spot leaving the lower streak free, and, lastly, all three sometimes are almost 

 completely confluent. A sinuous submarginal row of nine unequal-sized, rounded, rather 

 prominent spots, and a marginal row of ten to twelve smaller spots — also hyaline bluish-white. 

 Hindiuing also deep blue-black, with a spot at the base, a short streak above the costal nervure, 

 another with a rounded spot beyond it below the costal nervure ; a small spot near the cell 

 between the subcostal nervules, a wide streak on each side of the discoidal nervule touching 

 the cell ; two short streaks united at the base in each median interspace, the outer pair much the 

 smaller ; a similar pair, but much wider, between the median and submedian nervures from the 

 base to the sexual mark ; a similar, but much longer, pair below the submedian, and a lengthened 

 abdominal streak— subhyaline bluish-white. The discoidal cell in some specimens is entirely 

 subhyaline ; in others there is a single black streak near the end, and in others again this streak is 

 bind and very prominent. An irregular prominent submarginal row of spots ; all those above 

 the second median nervule are rounded ; those below it somewhat elongate ; the rounded spots 

 are in pairs between the nervules with the outer of each pair large and the inner small ; a more 

 regular marginal row of smaller spots also hyaline bluish-white. Underside agrees in 

 markings with the upperside, but on the apical area of the foreiuitig and the whole of the 

 kindwi}ig the ground-colour is cupreous. The head and thorax are blue-black, spotted and 

 streaked with white. Abdomen swarthy above, and fulvous, with whitish spots below. Female : 

 Differs only from the male in the pair of subhyaline streaks below the median nervure being 

 lengthened across the space occupied in the male by the sexual organ, which latter is of course 

 absent in the female. 



** Larva yellowish-white or yellowish-green, with a pair of long fleshy filaments on third, 

 and a short pair on twelfth segment ; the filaments black and greenish-white, longitudiisally 

 lined with black points ; each segment with transverse black bars, one on each, thicker, which 

 bifurcates near the lateral line ; a narrower bar at anterior edge, and two, also narrower, at 

 posterior part of the segment ; lateral band yellow ; head and feet ringed with black. Fupa 

 green, somewhat cylindrical, constricted below the thorax, with golden scattered dots and beaded 

 ring. Feeds on Asclepias." {Moore, Lep. Ceylon, p. 5). Figured in Horsfield and Moore's 

 Cat. Lep. E. I. C.,pl. iv, figs. 3,3a (1857). 



The range of this species is very wide. It is found in the driest as well in the dampest 

 localities, and extends into the Himalayas up to at least 6,000 feet. In Travancore, according 

 to Mr. Harold Fergusson, it is common from the foot of the hills to the summits, most 

 abundant in November and December, common throughout February, only a few seen in 

 March, but again fairly common at the higher elevations in April and May. It is common 

 throughout the Deccan, extending into Sind, and throughout the plains of north India it is on 

 the wing nearly all the year round ; and in the outer Himalayas from Kashmir to Nepal. In Kulu 

 Mr. A. Grahame Young writes that it is common in some years, rare in others, and occurs in 

 May, August, and October, Mr. S. E. Peal has taken it at Sibsagar in Upper Assam. It is 

 not uncommon in Rangoon, and in the Nicobar Islands. In Calcutta it is plentiful all through 



