NYMPHALIDili:. DANAIN^.. EUPLCEA. 65 



This is a very variable species. The blue gloss is much deeper and more brilliant in some 

 specimens than in others, and in one male and three females from Cachar, and one female from 

 Sylhet, it only reaches to midway between the disco-cellular nervules and the submarginal 

 series of spots, and moreover the gloss is not at all vivid even where present. In some examples, 

 taken by the Yunan Expedition, probably in Upper Burma, the marginal series of dots on the 

 forewintj is entirely wanting ; in Cachar and Sylhet specimens this series is sometimes confined 

 to six or seven spots towards the hinder angle, in others it is complete to the apex ; the sub- 

 marginal series is also equally inconstant ; in some specimens there are only five spots, in others 

 the series is complete. These spots also differ in size and colour — some are small, equal-sized, 

 round and white, others are large, elongated, unequal-sized and violet ; some specimens have 

 a very prominent cell spot and a discal series of four spots, others again are without all these 

 spots. The two marginal series of spots on the hindwing are also very inconstant ; in some 

 examples they are quite obsolete, in others as prominent as in E. superba. The underside is 

 also as diversely marked as the upperside, but it seems clear, even from the specimens in the 

 Museum, that all these are but casual variations of the same species. 



Mr. Wood-Mason met with this species commonly in Cachar from April to June ; and 

 Mr. A. O. Hume took it in the eastern hills of Manipur in May. 



45- Euploea errantii, Butler. 



Salpinx grcmtii, Butler, Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., 1879, p. 2. 

 Habitat : Cachar. 

 Expanse : 3-92 inches. 



Description : •• Female : Foreiuing above rich piceous brown, shot with purple, darkest 

 in Ihe centre, and palest at external angle, a small white subcostal spot just above the end of the 

 cell, a crescent-shaped lilac spot in the cell, a circular spot on the first median interspace, two 

 fusiform spots beyond the cell, and a series of seven spots, the sixth pyriform, parallel to the 

 outer margin : all these spots lilac with white centres ; an ill-defined lilac spot on the second 

 median interspace, a submarginal series of eight white dots between the lower radial and the 

 external angle. Hind-ving piceous brown, faintly shot with purple, the costal and external 

 areas broadly paler, two series of pale brown spots parallel to the outer margin, the first of 

 the inner series white-centred, costal border whitish. Underside olive-brown. Forewing 

 with the median area suffused with piceous, inner border whitish, a pinky-white subcostal 

 spot, and three in an inciensing oblique series above each of the median nervules ; three or four 

 scattered white dots in an interrupted discal series parallel to the outer margin, and six rather 

 larger white dots in a submarginal series between the lower radial and the external angle, 

 ^z'w^rf'/w^ with severnl white dots at the base, a discal series often white spots, the upper 

 three roundeil, in an oblique subapical series, the remainder rather elongated and parallel to 

 the outer margin ; nine white submarginal dots between the radial and the anal angle." 



" This species may readily be distinguished from E. splendens, ? \_=E. rogenhofert] hj 

 the greater width, and less brilliant purple (not blue) shot of the forewing ; also in the 

 more numerous submarginal spots of the forewing, the inner series being, moreover, larger and 

 lilac, whereas in S. splendens \r=E. rogenhofert] they are pure white, with pale violet borders ; 

 thediscoidal spot not present on the underside, but an additional spot beyond the cell, the outer 

 spots smaller ; no lilac dots beyond the cell of hindwing." (^Butler, 1. c.) 



From the description this species seems nearest allied to E. klugii. Out of a very long 

 series of this latter species in the Indian Museum, Calcutta, we are able to pick out individual 

 specimens that agree with the description of E. grantii^ but we are unable to separate 

 these specimens from E. kliigii, which is one of the most variable of Euplocas. It appears to 

 us that E. grantii is only one of the numerous varieties of E. klugii, but we have retained the 

 original description of it as a reference to the type alone can settle the question whether it is 

 a distinct species or not. 



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