52 NYMPIIALID.E. NYMPHALIN.E. APATURA. 



bluer and are less black bordered, the apical band broader and showing the white spots 

 more in the middle, and the discal fulvous band on the hind-mng is narrower." (Moore, 1. c.) 



This species is unknown to me. It is ei^idently very closely -AXx^iiio A. namouna, if 

 indeed it can be specifically separated from that species. There is a single male from 

 Buxa, Bhutan, in the Indian Museum, Calcutta, which agrees with the description of A. 

 bhavana in having only two subapical white spots on the forewing, but it is inseparable 

 from A. ttamouna, in which species the lower of the subapical spots is always small and often 

 obsolescent. The expanse of this specimen in 2-8 inches. 



331- Apatura chevana, Moore. 



Athyma chevana, Moore, Proc. Zool. Soc, Lond., 1865, p. 763, pi. xli, fig. i. 



Habitat : Sikkim, Assam. 



Expanse : 2*50 to 3- 65 inches. 



Description: "Male. Upperside dark brown; markings pale buff yellow. Fore' 

 wing with uninterrupted discoidal streak, terminated by two oblique spots ; a transverse 

 discal series of irregular-shaped spots, a submarginal row of small spots, and indistinct 

 marginal narrow streaks. Hindwing with a broad transverse band, a submarginal lunulated 

 band, and indistinct marginal narrow streaks. Body vi^ith pale buff-yellow waist-band and 

 abdominal rings. Underside— /(7;-,?j£//«^ with the markings as above, the interspaces ferru- 

 ginous brown, suffused with dark brown posteriorly, except along the base of the costa and 

 triangularly before the apex, which is pale nacreous blue. Hindtving with a naiTOW transverse 

 discal and marginal ferruginous-brown band, the rest of the wing pale nacreous blue, the 

 broad transverse and lunulated submarginal band being paler nacreous white ; a black dot on 

 lower part of disc." 



*^ Remark. — The whole underside of this species is very similar to that oi Apatura 

 ambica ; and Mr. W. S. Atkinson has informed me that in fresh-caught specimens the upper- 

 side has also the beautiful reflected purple gloss visible in that insect." (Moore, \. c.) The 

 female differs from the male only in having the upperside entirely unglossed with blue, the 

 markings straw-coloured, and both wings broader, the outer margin of the forewing less 

 emarginate. 



This species is a wonderful mimic of the white-spotted and banded group of Athymas, 

 and speaking of the latter genus Mr. Distant remarks,* it "is supposed to be of a protected 

 nature, owing to the fact of its being apparently ' mimicked' by species of other genera. 

 A most notable instance of this is afforded by the Apatura chevana, Moore, a Darjiling 

 species, which, though possessing the beautiful colouration of that genus beneath, is marked 

 above like a species of Athyma. This, however, on examinalion, appears to be a case of 

 • spurious mimicry,' as the insect when at rest, with its wings folded (and we are not told 

 that it is aberrant in this respect), Avould exhibit the Apatiiran distinctiveness, and thus be 

 afforded no protection by the A thy mad zixaul^iiiow of their upper surface." 



Regarding the position A. chevana assumes when at rest I can give no direct evidence, 

 having never seen it alive, but as the species of Athyma which it apparently mimics have 

 often been seen by me in Sikkim at rest with their wings wide expanded, it is probable that 

 the mimicker assumes the same attitude. 



A, chevana is a rare species in Sikkim ; the Indian Museum, Calcutta, possesses specimens 

 from the Naga Hills and Sibsagar in Upper Assam. 



332- Apatura sordida, Moore. 



A. sordida, Moore, Proc. Zool, Soc. Lond., 1865. p. 765, pi. xli, fig. 2, male ', A. phceacia, Hewitson, Ex. 

 Butt., vol. iv, pi. i, Apatura, figs, i, 2 {xZd^), female. 



Habitat : Sikkim. 



Expanse : ^ , 2'i2 to 27 ; ? , 2*5 to S'o inches. 



Description : "Male : Upperside fuliginous brown, /br^ww^ black at the apex, with 



* Rliop. Malay., p. 157. 



