NYMPHALID^. NYMPHALIN^. NEPTIS. 77 



Many of the Indian species are so very closely allied, that it is almost impossible to distinguish 

 between them without comparison with the types. They are also in many cases somewhat vari- 

 able, which makes correct determination still more difficult. Species of the genus occur in 

 almost every mountainous part of India'and at all elevations up to 10,000 feet, and also in the 

 plains of Peninsular and Eastern India where the rainfall is heavy, but they are not found in 

 the dry plains of Northern and Western India. 



In the genus Neplis the style of markings is extremely constant, more so perhaps than 

 in any genus of large extent. In all the species the ground-colour is black or very dark brown, 

 and the markings which are either white or tawny, are grouped into three almost parallel bands 

 at right angles to the body ; the first consisting of a streak from the base of the forewing 

 through the cell and extending into the lower discoidal interspace, sometimes divided abruptly 

 where the cell should end, leaving an elongate triangular spot as the outer portion ; this 

 band is termed the discoidal streak of the forewing ; following this is the discal band extend, 

 ing from the abdominal margin of the hind wing through the cell to the costa near apex, and 

 continued on the forewing to the costa as an interrupted macular curved band ; beyond this 

 again is the submarginal band common to both wings and in both about equidistant from the 

 discal band and from the margin ; besides these, there are in many species additional nar- 

 rower bands on the black space beyond the discal band ; but the three bands noted above, 

 the discoidal streak and the discal and submarginal bands are present in all, and usually very 

 prominent. The sexes are but slightly differentiated, the markings being the same in both. 



This style of marking is found in many species of Athyma, and in one at least of Apatura 

 so closely corresponding to Neptis as to be almost indistinguishable to an untrained eye, but 

 in all these cases the extension of the costal nervure of the hindwing to the apex dis- 

 tinguishes them at once from all Neptes except N. columella and allied species. 



In the first group the markings are orange, tawny or ferruginous in all the species ; it 

 is separable into two subgroups, in one of which the underside is mottled with fine ferruginous 

 striffi ; in the other the bands are unmottled. The discoidal streak is entire in some species 

 and indented in others, but in none is it completely divided. 



Eey to the Indian species of ITeptis. 



First Group, 



A. Second subcostal nervule of forewing given oflf far beyond outer extremity of discoidal cell. Coloura- 

 tion black, with orange markings. 



a. Underside mottled with ferruginous. 



a.^ Discal band ou hindwing whitish. 



351. N, {Rahmda) CNACALis, Andaman Isles. 

 b.^ Discal band on hindwing orange. 



a.^ Orange bands narrow, not extending below median nervure on upperside of fore- 

 wing, marginal line indistinct. 



352. N. (Rahiiuia) hordonia, N.-E. and S. India, Malay Peninsula and Islands. 

 b.^ Orange bands wider, extending below median nervure on upperside of forewing, 



marginal line prominent. 



353. N. (Rahitida) plagiosa, India, Upper Tenasserim. 

 c* Orange bands having deeply sinuated borders. 



354. N. (Rahinda) sin i; at a, Ceylon, 



b. Underside not mottled with furrugiuous, 



«.' Orange streak in cell of forewing on upperside bounded by median nervure. 



a.2 Discal orange band on upperside of hindwing broadly coalescing with submarginal 

 band along abdominal maigin. 



355. N. (Rahinda) assamica, Assam. 



b.^ Discal orange band on upperside of hindwing not coalescing with submarginal band, 

 but continued to abdominal margin. 



356. N. (RaJiinda) dindinga, Moulmein, Tenasserim, Malacca. 



5.' Orange streak in cell of forewing on upperside extending well below median nervure. 



357. N. (Rahhida) paraka, Sylhet, Dafla Hills, Chittagong, Wergui, MalaV 



Peaiubula, Borneo. 



