26 NYMPHALID/E. NYMPHALIN^E. MELIT^A. 



streak, often evanescent between the median nervules and another one exterior more macular, 

 outwardly more or less edged with obsolete ochraceous patches and the veins towards the 

 margin blackish-fuscous ; hindiaing with, the interno-basal third densely powdered with fuscous, 

 and bearing a subcostal spot and two in the cell outwardly of the ground-colour, with an 

 angulate discal band of obsolete ochraceous spots, surrounded very obsoletely with fuscous 

 as far as the third median nervule, terminated with three powdery spots outwardly on the anal 

 margin, and very often also inwardly with two or three blackish fuscous spots. Underside, 

 forewivg paler, with a dot and two annular cellular marks black, the black spots of the upper- 

 side evanescent, with other outer darker spots interspersed on the ground-colour, the sub- 

 marginal lunules somewhat silvery, surrounded with powdery black in a continuous series, 

 with the margin immediately beyond them ochraceous ; hindwing pale ochraceous, the costa, 

 the basal fourth and the cell silvery, an irregular basal fascia, three basal spots (the first near 

 the subcostal fold, the lowest at the internal [fold], the middle one cellular, often interrupted) 

 often confluent, and a disco-cellular spot deep ochraceous, surrounded with black, an angulate 

 submacular silvery discal fascia, surrounded with powdery black, the margin immediately beyond 

 it deep ochraceous, close beyond it with black streaks (the upper often evanescent), then with 

 obsolete fulvous spots, and immediately beyond these a series of joined submarginal lunules, 

 silvery, surrounded with powdery black much broader than in the forewing, a powdery black 

 marginal line." 



*' Smaller than the allied species, M. sitidura, Moore, distinguished by the silver bands on 

 the underside." QFelder, 1. c.) 



I have but little doubt that M. amcenula is synonymous with M. shtdura. The unac- 

 countable omission by Mr. Moore in his description of the latter species of the silvery markings 

 of the underside doubtless led Dr. Felder to consider his specimens distinct. 



311. MelitSSa balbita, Moore. (Plate XVIII, Fig. 7'^ ?)• 



M. balbita, Moore. Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1874, p. 268, n 26, pi. xliii, fig. S- 



Habitat: Sonamurg, N.-E. Kashmir; Chunpur and the Murbul Pass, Kashmir ; Sanch 

 Pass, Chumba. 



Expanse: ^,1-5; ?, 175 to 2-00 inches. 



DRSCRiprroN : *'M\le. Upperside bright fulvous; markings prominent ; n7/a pale 

 yellow, alternating with black ; costal edge and veins black ; base of wings and hind margins 

 fuli'T-inous black ; both wings with a broad exterior marginal black band, traversed by promi- 

 nent fulvous dentiform lunules. Foreiuing with a black constricted mark within the cell, a 

 streak at the end, a short longitudinal streak below it from base of wing, and two transverse 

 discal series of spots (the inner row being the largest). Hindwing with black subbasal irre- 

 gular transverse series of lunular marks. Underside paler. Foreiuing with the veins 

 fulvous ; costa and e.Kterior margin yellow ; markings not prominent ; cilia as above. Hind- 

 wino with black veius ; a basal band, a prominent disco-cellular spot, a broad curved discal 

 band, and a marginal series of broad lunules yellow, all bordered by a black line ; the discal 

 band traversed by a blackish irregular line ; the interbasal space bright fulvous, and the 

 interdiscal space yellow, with bright fulvous spots ; extreme outer margin and cilia yellow. 

 Female. Upperside dull, clouded fulvous; cilia paler; markings broader, confluent, the 

 base of the wings more broadly dusky black, the interdiscal space somewhat yellow, and the 

 marginal dentiform lunules more or less yellow. Underside as in male, excepting that the 

 exterior marginal lunules oi forewing, and the basal, discal, and marginal band of lunules, as 

 well as the disco-cellular spot of the hindwing is glossy yellow or dull silvery white." 



" The nearest European ally of this species is M. athalia." (Moore, 1. c.) 



The type specimen was taken by the late Captain R. B. Reed at Sonamurg. I took 

 this species on the Sanch Pass, Chumba, at the end of May ; and at Chunpur, and on the 

 Murbul Pass, Kashmir, in the middle of June. 



The figure shows the upperside of both sexes from Kashmir examples in the Indian 

 Museum, Calcutta. 



