64 NYMPHALIDiE. NYMPIIALIN^. PRECIS. 



Habitat: India, Ceylon, Biuma, Malay Peninsula and Archipelago, New Guinea. 



Expanse : 23 to 3*3 inches. 



Description : '-Male and female. Upperside fuliginous-brown, variable in intensity 

 of hue. ivrt-w/wo- with two transverse fascise crossing cell, the margins of which are very irre- 

 gular and dark fuscous, the first situated about middle and the second near apex ; the apical 

 half of wing is somewhat paler, and inwardly bounded by a dark fascia commencing near 

 Costa and outwardly and obliquely directed to third median nervule, from thence reflexed 

 inwardly and terminating near middle of inner margin ; between this and outer margin is a 

 somewhat similar fascia, followed by two very dark subraarginal lines, the outer one more 

 prominently waved ; cilia and a small subapical spot whitish. Hindwing with the apical half 

 paler and with the fasciae on the forewing continued, the first terminating near abdominal margin 

 about one-third from anal angle, the second broader and more outwardly curved than on forewing, 

 and possessing on its outer edge four or five obscure ocellated spots placed between the nervules ; 

 submarginal lines as on forewing, but the inner one more waved. Underside paler ; both 

 itings crossed by two somewhat broad, dark, basal fasciee, the first crossing the middle of 

 cell of the forewing, curved inwardly on cell of hindwing and indistinctly terminating near 

 base of abdominal marjrin ; the second crossing forewing at apex of cell, and terminating on 

 hindwing a little beyond end of cell ; a similar fascia commencing near costa of forewing, 

 and more or less amalgamating at median nervules, with an oblique fascia crossing both wings, 

 inwardly margined with a dark line commencing near apical angle of forewing, where it is 

 broadest, and terminating near anal angle of hindwing, where it is narrowest ; on the outer 

 margin of this fascia in both ivittgs are a series of more or less obscure ocellated spots placed 

 between the nervules ; two submarginal lines as on upperside, but the inner one much waved 

 and sinuated. In some specimens there are two distinct whitish [or ochreous] spots on the 

 underside of the hindwing, separated by the first subcostal nervule, the upper of which is 

 larger. Body and legs more or less concolourous with wings." (^Distant, I.e.) 



" Larva cylindrical, dark brown, with dorsal and lateral rows of short delicate branched 

 spines. Pupa short, with tubercular points on dorsal segments, thorax broad." (Moore, 1. c.) 



The intensity of the ground-colour and markings in P. iphita is very variable, specimens 

 from the region of the heaviest rainfall being as usual the darkest. On the underside the spaces 

 between the fascice are often suffused with violet of varying intensity, and the inner edge of the 

 dark discal transverse line is often defined with yellowish. It is an exceedingly common species 

 as a rule where it occurs ; it has a somewhat bold flight, but not for any great distance, it often 

 (but not always) pitches on the ground, frequently on bushes. It occurs throughout the 

 Himalayas, in Assam, Sylhet, Cachar, Burma, rarely in Calcutta, but commonly in the Wynaad, 

 Nilgiris and Ceylon ; eastwards it extends through the Malay Peninsula and Archipelago as far 

 as New Guinea. In the plains of Upper India it is seldom found, and never in the 

 drier parts. 



I also append a translation of Felder's description of P. intermedia ;* it is in my opinion 

 impossible to separate this form from P. iphita, but the species being variable, this description 

 will be useful for reference in further investigation as to the nature of the variations. 



The figure shows the upper and undersides of a male Shillong specimen in the Indian 

 Museum, Calcutta. 



A species closely allied to, but apparently distinct from, P, iphita occurs in the Malay 

 Peninsula and Archipelago. A description of it is appendedf. 



• Precis intermedia, Felder, Reise Novara. Lep , vul iii, p 402, n. 600 (1866). Habitat : Batjan, 

 Macassar, Celebes; Kambodde, Trincomali, Ceylon; Cochin; Calcutta, Darjiling, Bengal; Kulu, Himalayas. 

 Expanse : Not given. Description : " Malh. Upperside coloured as in P. iphit:i, marked almost as in 

 P. ida but the discal streak o{ the /orcwiftg more infle.\ed and that of the ^/«(fe'/«^ also more flexuous. 

 Undekside almost as in P. ida, hut the /wwrfw/w^ with the two anterior ochraceous spots most often absent. 

 Female. Ui'peksidk banded with rufescent-brown, hindivins on the undjsksidb with the two anterior 

 spots most distinct, whitish." 



'• We have a single female from Celebes, which has the apex of the forewing more produced than those from 

 the above mentioned places, which specimens, however, are all males The specunens from Trincomali in Ceylon 

 are the smallest, while those from the Moluccas are the largest." (Felder, I. c.) 



t Precis {Papilio) idu, Cramer, Pap. E.\., vol. i, pi. xlii, figs. C, D (1775) ; idem, id., vol. iv, pi. cccl.xxiv, 



