NYMPHALIDi^. SATYRIN.E. AULOCERA. 197 



in the same localities. They fly with much bolder Nymphalidian flight than their tamer 

 congeners ^. siotiha and A. safaswali, and they do not extend out of the Simla district 

 into Kunawur." (Ent. Month. Mag,, vol. iv, p. 246). 



On the other hand, Mr. A. Graham Young holds that the two species are distinct ; he 

 writes of A. padina that *' it is fairly common in Kulu, and is doul>le brooded, the first brood 

 appearing in June on the grassy slopes amongst and above the ujiper forests, at an elevation 

 of 10,000 feet or so ; the second brood appears at a much lower elevation, from 3,000 to 

 4,000 feet. It is very punctual in its a]-)pearance. as in the fifteen years that I have observed 

 this insect, it has never appeared earlier than the 1st or later than the 3rd October. It is an 

 extremely powerful insect on the wing, and very difficult to take, it flies down one hill 

 straight across the valley, and up the opposite hill at a great pace, keeping some ten feet from the 

 ground, and very rarely settling ;" while of A. avatara he writes "confounded with the above 

 by superficial observers and cabinet naturalists, it is smaller in size than A. padma, and much 

 weaker in flight, taking but short flights, and is easily captured ; a succession of broods appear 

 througliout May, June, and July." 



A. padma is found in suitable localities throughout the Himalayas from Kashmir to 

 Sikkini. It is a forest-hauntuig insect ; in Simla the males appear plentifully in May and again 

 in July, but the female is usually very scarce ; in 1882, however, it was abundant in October. 



188. Aulooera s'^aha, Koiiar. 



Sntyrus sivnha, Kollar in Hiigel's Kaschmir, vol. iv, pt. ii, p 444, n i, pi. xiv, figs, i, 2 (1844); Sa/yrus 

 brnhminus, Blanchard, in Jacqucmont's Voy dans I'lnde, vol. iv , Ins , p. 22, n. 18, pi. ii, figs. 5, 6 (1844), 

 male (in part) ; Aulocera swaha, Lang, Ent Month Mag., vol. iv., p. 246 (1868J. 



Habitat : Himalayas. 



Expanse : 2'6 to 28 inches. 



Description: " Upperside obscure fuscous, glossed with greenish ; with a common 

 yellowish- white fascia, in 'i\\& fo> ewing macular, with one ocellus, the ocellus blind. Under- 

 side paler, the base and margins marbled with greyish ; the median common fascia entire, 

 the ocellus pupilled with white ; the cilia varied with fuscous and yellow." {Kollar, 1. c.) 



A. rcvaha is the commonest species of the group ; and is easily distinguished from A .padma 

 by its smaller size ; and by the bright bronzy brown, not black, colour of the underside ; the 

 white fascia of the upperside has in both sexes the inner white subcostal spot which is lacking in 

 the male of A. padma (A. avalara), and terminates in the forewing in four white spots ranged 

 round a blackish subapical spot ; there is also in many specimens a minute subcostal white 

 spot beyond. On the underside the ///WT^m^ has a diffused greyish band from the apex, 

 where it is broadest, along the outer and abdominal margins, marked with irregular dark 

 brown undulations most densely along the abdominal margin, but more sparingly at the apex • 

 in many specimens this band consists of greyish undulations on a brown ground, and in some 

 there is an irregular dark brown very sinuous line between it and the fascia. The sexual 

 mark in the male is usually very obscure in this species, but in some old specimens in the Indian 

 Museum, Calcutta, it is very distinct, and extends into the cell. The female differs only in 

 the more rounded outline of the wings ; and in having the pale fascia rather broader and its 

 edges less sharply defined. The colouration throughout is much paler. 



Typically A. swaha has the median fascia creamy-white on both wings on the upperside, 

 and pale buff on the forewing, almost pure white on the hindwing, on the underside. There 

 is a well-marked variety found at the higher elevations in which the fascia is on the upperside 

 deep yellow on the forewing and buff on the hindwing ; and on the underside bright yellow 

 on the forewing and almost white on the hindwing. In these specimens the dark brown line 

 beyond the fascia on the underside is more prominent. This is the form figured by Blanchard 

 as the female of A. btahmimis, but the specimens he figures are evidently males of this 

 variety of A. swaha. Typical specimens of this vaiiety are very distinct, but the gradations in 

 tone of the yellow tint are so gradual in internrediate localities that it is impossible to draw the 

 line of separation. 



