50 NYMPHALID^. DANAIN^E. DANAIS. 



28. DanalS Chryslppus, LinnKus. (Plate VI, Fig. 10 ^ ?.) 



Papilio chrysipptts, Linnseus, Mus. Ulr, p 263 (1764) ; Syst. Nat., vol. i, pt. ii, p. 767, n. iig (1767); 

 Cramer, Pap. Ex., vol. ii, pi. cxviii, figs. B, C (1777) 5 i^apilio (egyptius^ Schreber, Nov. Sp. Ins., p, 9, figs. 11, 

 12 (1759) ; Herbst, Pap., pi. civ, figs, i, 2 (1794) ; Danais chrysippc, Godt., Enc. M^th, vol. ix, p. 187, n. 38 

 (iSig) ; Z)rt«a/f c/j'jiV^ii^/Kj, Horsfield and Moore, Cat. Lep. E. I. C, vol. t, pi. iv, figs 7, caterpillar, 7a, 

 chrysalis; Salatura chrysippus, Moore, Lep. Cey., p. 7, pi. iii, figs, i, male ; la, female ; ib. caterpillar and 

 chrysalis (i88o). 



Habitat : Throughout India and Burma up to 7,000 feet elevation. 



Expanse : 2*25 to 3-4 inches. 



Description : Male and Female. Upperside : Forewing, with the costa narrowly, 

 the whole apical area, including a small portion of the extremity of the cell, and decreasingly 

 to the inner angle fuscous black ; the rest of the wing bright ferruginous, darker in the cell and 

 sometimes a little below and beyond it. A small quadrate spot on the costa, about one-third 

 the length of the wing from the base ; a larger one beyond it ; an oblique band of five spots 

 from the costa to the third median nervule, divided by the black nervules ; a small spot 

 between the discoidal and third median nervules touching the cell, and sometimes a smaller one 

 above it ; a round spot, variable in size, on the inner margin of the black apical area between 

 the first and second median nervules ; a submarginal and marginal series of small spots, the 

 former always with two increasing spots at the apex, the series sometimes extending from 

 the apex to the third median nervule, but generally with only the two spots below the macular 

 band present, the upper one of the two always the largest, as are also the spots below them 

 in the marginal series, white. In some specimens the apical area beyond the macular band 

 is suffused between the veins with ferruginous. Hindwing bright ferruginous, narrowly 

 bordered with a black band, irregular towards the apex, inwardly scalloped towards the anal 

 angle. Three white spots at the apical angle ; the upper disco-cellular nervule bordered with 

 a black spot below the point where the second subcostal nervule is given off ; another black 

 spot where the discoidal nervure is given off ; and a third filling the outer angle of the cell, 

 where the third median nervule is given off". In some specimens the nervules on the disc are 

 narrowly bordered with white. A marginal seiies of small somewhat squarish spots placed 

 on the marginal black band, frequently evanescent towards the apex. The male has in addition 

 a black sexual spot placed against the first median nervule, and extending into the space 

 between it and tire submedian nervure. Underside : Forewing as above, except that the 

 macular subapical band of white spots is only inwardly margined with black, the apical area 

 from that band almost up to the marginal black band being ochreous. There is also an 

 additional spot along the costa of the submarginal series. Hindwing ochreous, all the veins 

 and the spots on the disco-cellular nervules more or less bordered with white ; the sexual mark 

 in the male centred with a white spot, the marginal black band inwardly irregularly defined 

 with white, and the marginal white series of spots always complete, lunular, and much larger 

 than on the upperside. 



D. chrysippus is the commonest and most widely spread of all the Indian Butterflies. 

 It is found throughout Eastern and Southern Asia, and even extends into Europe and North 

 Africa. No locality seems to be uiisuited to it. Up to a level of 7,000 feet above the sea, it 

 may be found anywhere in the Indian Empire, but perhaps the dry hot plains of Northern 

 India are on the whole tiie most congenial to it. At all events there it is the most conspicuous as 

 it is almost the one solitary species that can thrive in the dust and glare It seems moreover 

 to be as indifferent to season as it is to locality, and in the plains of north India at all 

 events it is to be found throughout the year, though most abundant in the winter months. It 

 is hardly necessary to quote locahties or dates in this case, for wherever the temperature is 

 high enough, D. chrysippus may be found throughout the year. It has however not been 

 recorded from the Andaman isles, though it occurs at the Nicobars. Only in the hills does its 

 appearance seem to be governed by season. Mr. de Niceville has only met with it in the Simla 

 district in the autumn, Mr. A. Grahame Voung, writing fromKulu, gives, with reference to this 

 species, the following note which is of interest as relating to its occurrence out of India : — 



