76 NYMPHALID^. NYMPHALIN^E. NEPTIS. 



the costa a little beyond the middle ; second branch, in the typical species, arising close beyond 

 the first, before the anterior extremity of the discoidal cell, [in the hordonia group it is given 

 off long after the end of the cell] ; third branch arising at about two-thirds of the length of the 

 wing and extending to the tip ; fourth branch arising at about three-fourths of the length of 

 the wing and reaching to the outer margin below the apex, the apical portion of the 

 vein being deflexed. Upper disco-cellular nervule almost obliterated, arising close beyond 

 the origin of the second subcostal branch [in the typical group] ; middle disco-cellular short, 

 arched towards the base of the wing in the typical species ; loiver disco-cellular obsolete, so 

 that the diicoidal cell is open, its place often indicated by a dark bar having a slightly curved 

 paler line dividing the pale discoidal patch into two parts, and extending to the median 

 nervure just before the origin of its third branch, which is slightly arched. Hindwing, very 

 oval ; the costal ?nargin much arched ; the outer margin rounded, slightly scalloped. Pracostal 

 nervure forming a short straight spur forked at its extremity ; costal nervure slightly curved, 

 [usually] reaching only to the middle of the costal margin ; subcostal nervure arising from the 

 costal just beyond the origin of the prcecostal, and emitting its branch almost at its base. The 

 upper disco-cellular nervule forming the curved base of the discoidal nervule ; the loxter disco- 

 cellular wanting, so that the narrow discoidal cell is open. Median nervure branching below 

 the branches of the subcostal nervure, with the spaces between the extremities of the branches 

 along the outer margin of the wing wider than usual, in consequence of the costal nervure 

 extending only to the middle of the costa [except in the columella group]. Forelegs, of the 

 7nalc very slender and short, more or less clothed with very delicate white hairs ; femur slightly 

 curved ; tibia scarcely half its length ; tarstis very short, not above one-third of the length of the 

 tibia, forming a minute, oval, exarticulate joint, destitute of claws. Of the female more robust, 

 and much longer than those of the male, scaly, with but few fine hairs ; femur slightly curved ; 

 tibia also a little curved, about two-thirds of the length of the femur ; tarsus nearly as long as the 

 tibia, well articulated ; the basal joint half the length of the tarsus, the remainder rather dilated, 

 with strong spines on the inside; the terminal joint minute, spined, but without claws. 

 Middle and hindlegs, rather short, scaly ; tibia spined beneath, with long tibial spurs ; 

 tarsus with four rows of strong spines beneath ; claivs rather long and very much bent, and 

 acute at the tip ; paronychia and puhillus small." 



" Larva slightly elongated ; head armed above with two short conical points ; second and 

 third segments of the body with a pair of diverging, obtuse, setose, fleshy spines, the hinder 

 pair being the largest ; an erect tubercle near the extremity of the body. Pupa with the head 

 Ijifid, and with the base of the abdomen-case much swollen." (IVestwood, 1. c.) 



The genus Neptis, like the genera Hestina, Argynnis and Cyrestis, is structurally 

 divisible into two groups, the first of which contains tawny and black species only, and has 

 the second subcostal nervule of the forewing given off from the costal nervure some distance 

 beyond the outer extremity of the discoidal cell ; in the second group some of the insects are 

 tawny and black and some white and black, and have the second subcostal given off just 

 before the end of the cell. The former group has been erected into a genus under the name 

 of Rahinda* by Mr. Moore. 



Neptis differs from all other Nymphalincr in the costal nervure of the hindwing terminating 

 before the end of the costa, instead of reaching the apex of the wing, except in the cohwiella 

 group, in which this character is extremely variable and in some localities even sexual. The 

 species are easily captured, they have a floating sailing flight, frequently settling on bushes with 

 spread open wings. " A^ept is is a very large genus, and is found in the warmer portions of 

 the Old World. Two species inhabit portions of Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, and the 

 genus is represented in Western, Southern and Eastern Africa, Madagascar, and Mauritius. 

 It is very abundant in Continental India, and extends eastward throughout the Malay Archi- 

 pelago ; it is found as far north as Japan and as far south as Australia." {Distant, I.e.) 



* Rahinda, Moore, Lep. Cey., vol. i, p. 56 (1881). " Differs from Neptis (aceris group) in the wings being 

 Compar.itively narrower, the forewing more pointed at the apex, having the second subcostal branch emitted 

 at some distance beyond the end of the cell, and the hindwing having the costal and subcostal nervures more 

 curved, the median branches nearer at their base, the short straight basal costal spur slightly furcate. Type, 

 R hordonia, Stoll, Suppl. Cramer, Pap. Ex., vol. v, pi, xxxiii, figs. 4, 4D (1790)." (Moore, I. c.) 



