NYMPHALID^. NYMPHALIN/E. NEPTIS. 99 



There are two specimens of this species from Akrain in the Satpuras in my collection ; the 

 specimen also from the Khandesh district, named iV. vannona by Mr. Moore, and referred to 

 under that species, seems to be nearer to N. eurymeite. Major Marshall's collection contains 

 specimens from Mhovv, from the South Concan and from Khandalla. 



The two next species are quite distinct frora either those that precede or those that 

 follow them. The wings are short and broad, colouration of underside chocolate, discoidal 

 streak of forewing broad and well-separated from the spot beyond ; bands and spots of under- 

 side obscurely defined with black. 



386. ITeptiS astOla, Moore. 

 N. astola, Moore, Proc Zool. Soc. Lond., 1872, p. 560 ; id., Butler, id., 1883, p. 146, n. s ; idem, id., Ann, 

 and Mag. of Nat. HisU, fifth series, vol. xvi, p. 305, n. 41 (1885) ; id., Swinhoe, Proc, Zool. Soc. Lond., 1885, p, 

 129. n 37. 



Habitat : Kangra, Simla, Masuri {Moore) ; Belgaum, Assam {Butler) ; Bombay {Swinhoe), 



Expanse : <?, 162; ? , 1*87 inches {Moore) ; rz inches (^Butler), 



Description :" Allied to, but differs from, N. aceris of Europe in having the wings 

 shorter and broader, the markings on the upperside more prominent, and those on the under- 

 side more clearly defined by a black border, by which they are all margined," {Moore, 1. c ) 



" Allied to N, varmona, but the submarginal series of white spots on the forewing five 

 in number towards apex ; the white subbasal band of the hindwing slraighter and of more even 

 width throughout ; the interrupted submarginal pale line whitish towards anal angle, but 

 sometimes wanting. Underside red-brown, redder than in /V. varmona ;\.\\q white subbasal 

 band of the hindwing not distinctly black-edged, the reddish belt following it even and tapering 

 towards the apex ; the macular discal band a little narrower and not distinctly black-bordered ; 

 tlie interrupted white submarginal stripes wider." (^Butler, I. c.) 



In the Indian Museum, Calcutta, there are named specimens by Mr. Moore of N, astola 

 from the Kulu Valley and Simla. It is easily distinguished from A^. kamarupa by the ground- 

 colour being chocolate-red rather than ochreous. Mr. Butler says that the marginal 

 spots are reduced to five in number towards the apex on the upperside of the forewing ; there 

 appear to be always, however, in Western Himalayan specimens two additional spots 

 towards the outer angle. It is the common Neptis of Simla and surrounding hills, and in old 

 lists and collections stood as N. aceris. In Colonel Lang's collection there is a single speci- 

 men from Umballa. He writes of it* under the name of A', aceris as follows: — "Common 

 in woods and gardens in the Himalayas ; also taken in winter in gardens at Umballa. 

 It has a beautiful flight, floating in and out of the sunlight in the shade of trees j occasionally 

 basking on the sun-bathed foliage, or resting, in groups of half-a-dozen or more, on the 

 moist fern-covered rocks in the midst of the stream in some Himalayan glen." Colonel 

 Swinhoe (1. c.) records A', astola from " Matheran, May ; Sattara, November; Poona and 

 Bomoay from September to December. Found in hilly districts." Its occurrence in Bombay 

 is singular, and I have never seen a specimen from that Presidency.t 



387. Neptis emodeS, Moore. 

 N. eiHodes, Moore, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1872, p. 561, pi. xxxii, fig. 2 ; idem, id., in Anderson's Anat. 

 and Zool. Researches, p. 924 (1878), 



Habitat : N.-W. and S.-E. Himalayas (Nepal, Sikkim, Khasia Hills), Yunan. 



Expanse : <J , 2'00 ; ? , 2*37 inches. 



Description : •' Male and female. Upperside blackish fuliginous ; markings disposed 

 as in N. astola, but smaller, narrower, and of a brownish-white colour. Underside bright 

 dark ferruginous-red ; markings very prominent and black-bordered." {Moore, 1. c.) 



In the Indian Museum, Calcutta, there is one Kulu valley, two Sikkim, and one Shillong 

 example of A^. emodes named by Mr. Moore. Judging from these specimens and the description 



* Ent. Month. Mag. vol. i, p. 132 (1864-65). 



t A specimen sent by Colonel Swinhoe as N. astola since this was written turns out to be A^. varmona ; 

 at>d I have now little doubt thac the records of the occurrence of iV. astela la South India are based on a 

 iaisappreheasion> 



