5G NYMPH ALID.E. NYMPIIALIN^. HESTINA. 



distance before the apex of the cell; second just before the apex; ////;-(/ much nearer the 

 origin of the fourth than to the apex of the cell, extending to the apex of the wing. In 

 H. fersimilis and its allies the first subcostal is given off a short distance before the end of 

 tiie cell, the second at a considerable distance beyond, the third and fourth at about equal 

 distances apart beyond the second. Upper disco-cellular nervule very small, outwardly oblique ; 

 middle about twice as long as the upper, inwardly oblique, forming the base of the lower 

 discoidal nervule ; lozaer entirely absent, thus leaving the discoidal cell open. Third fuedian- 

 nervule moderately curved. Su5/nedian nervure straight, Hindwing, with the cosial margin 

 much arched at base, thence nearly straight, ouler margin in the typical species forming an angle 

 at the end of the second subcostal nervule, above and below which it is nearly straight but 

 sinuous ; abdominal margin slightly excavated at the anal angle. Prcccostal nerviire simple, 

 strongly bent outwards at the tip. Second subcostal a.n6. discoidal nervides given off from the 

 costal very close together in the typical species, the latter sinuous. In H, persimilis they are 

 given off much further apart, and the discoidal nervule is straight. 



Hestina is a genus of very small extent, only six species altogether having been described. 

 The typical species, H, assimilis, is found in China, and another, H. tnimetica, in Java ; the 

 remaining four species are all Indian, and, with the exception of one, H. nama, which extends 

 through the Eastern Himalayas and the hill ranges east and south of the Brahmaputra into 

 Burma, they are all confined to the Himalayas. The genus is very closely allied to Euripus, and 

 like N'eptis, Argynnis and Cyrestis, it comprises two groups, in which the position of the second 

 subcostal nervule of the forewing differs ; in H. nama, which most nearly resembles the 

 typical species, that nervule is given off before the end of the cell, in the other Indian species 

 it is emitted far beyond the cell. These latter, which in this feature correspond with Euripus, 

 and also more closely resemble it in colour and markings, are distinguished from Euripus by 

 the more regular and less sinuate outline of the wings, the rounded not linear shape of the 

 pale discal markings and the colour of the haustellum. 



All the species are more or less mimetic, and the females of the latter group are variable, 

 but not nearly so variable as in Euripus, and so far as is known not dimorphic. The 

 prevailing colouration is very similar to that of the blue Danais, subgenus Tirumala. 



They are not very strong on the wing or rapid in flight, and they frequent glades in 

 forests and orchards at moderate elevations ; with the exception of H. nama none of them 

 are very common or abundant in any locality. 



Zey to the Indian species of Hestina. 



A. Second subcostal nervule of forewing given off before end of cell. 



3^6. H. NAM*i N.-E. India, Upper Burma. 



B. Second subcostal nervule of forewing given off beyond end of cell. 



a. Discoidal cell of forewing crossed by a black bar. 



337. H. PERSIMILIS, Himalayas. 



338. H. ZELLA, Western Himalayas. 



b. Discoidal cell of forewing with the black bar obsolete. 



339. H. MENA, Kujiah, North India. 



The first group is represented by a single species, H. nama. 



336- Hestina nama, Doubleday. (Plate XXII, Fig. 99 ?). 



Diadema nama, Doubleday, Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist., first series, vol. xvi, p. 232 (1845) ; id.. Double- 

 day and Hewitson, Gen. Diurn. Lep , vol. ii, p. 281, n. 21, pi. xxxix, fig. 2 (1850) ; Hestina nama, de Niceville 

 Journ. A. S. B., vol. li, pt. ii, p. 58 (1882). ' 



Habitat : N.-E. Himalayas, Sylhet, Assam, Burma, 



Expanse : 32 to 4*3 inches. 



Description :Upperside. "/b;ifrw«;o- [indigo-blue], with the outer margin sinuate, slightly 

 glossed with purplish, especially towards the apex ; with numerous semi-transparent markings 

 of a bluish-white colour, viz,^ a longitudinal vitta in the cell at the base, followed by two spots, 



