104 NYMPHALID^. NYMPIIALIN/'E. NEPTIS. 



397- Neptis nandina, Moore. 



N. nandina, Moore, Horsfield and Moore, Cat. Lep. Mus. E. I. C, vol. i, p. i68, n. 347, pi. iv«, fig. 7 (1857) ; 

 idem, id., Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1858, p. 9, n. 18. 



Habitat : Himalayas, Eastern and Southern India, Java. 



Expanse : 2*25 to 270 inches. 



Description : " Upperside black ; markings white. Fomving with discoidal streak in 

 two portions ; the curved row of seven spots broadly interrupted ; and submarginal row of 

 small less-defined spots. Hindwing with inner band, and narrow outer row of less-defined 

 square spots ; indistinct marginal line, and line between the bands, brown. Underside deep 

 chocolate-brown, with markings as above, but more defined and of a brighter colour ; those 

 of the hindwing gently carved. Sexes alike." 



" This species may be known from Neptis aceris by the deep chocolate colour of the under- 

 side, by the anterior margin of hindwing being evenly arched to beyond the middle ; all 

 the markings of this wing being nicely curved." {Moore, 1. c. in Cat. Lep. Mus. E. 1. C.) 



This is a distinct and well-marked species. The white bands and spots are often tinged 

 with pale greenish-yellow. On the underside the discal band of the hindwing suddenly 

 widens out at the costa, a feature peculiar to this and the next species. From N. mahendra 

 it may be known by the discoidal streak and the spot beyond being placed much closer 

 together ; the ground-colour of the underside is also of a richer chocolate-brown in N, ma/ieii- 

 dra. In the Indian Museum, Calcutta, there are specimens of N. nandina from the Kulu 

 Valley, Simla, Sikkim, Calcutta, Chenapunji, Upper Burma, and Ootacamund. Major 

 Marshall has specimens from Chini taken in June, Chumba in March, and from Shillong. 



398- Neptis Clinia, Moore. 



N. clinia, Moore, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lend., 1872, p. 563, pi. xx.xii, fig. 5; id., Druce, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 

 1874, p. 105. 



Habitat : Bengal [_Moore) ; Chentaboon and Nahconchaisee, Siam (September). 



Expanse : 2 inches. 



Description : " Male. Upperside black ; markings white. Forewing with a rather 

 broad discoidal and short contiguous streak ; curved discal band of broad closely united 

 spots ; marginal black-bordered lunular line indistinct. Hindwing with a very broad straight 

 inner band and narrow brownish-white outer lunular line. Underside bright ferruginous, 

 markings as in A^. soma, but very prominent." {Moore, 1. c.) 



I have never seen this species, and the locality given by Mr. Moore is very vague ; as, 

 however, Mr. Druce records it from Siam. the species may be confined to that region, and 

 may not occur within our limits at all. From the figure it seems to be allied to N. ma/iendra, 

 but is smaller, the spot beyond the discoidal streak of the forewing much longer and nar- 

 rower, and the marginal white spots obsolete and replaced by brownish marks. On the hindwing 

 the discal band is as wide as in N. mahendra, but the submarginal band of white spots is 

 entirely wanting, there being a pale brownish narrow band in its place. 



399- ITeptis mahendra, Moore. 



N. mahendra, Moore, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lend., 1872, p. 560, pi. xxxii, fig. 3. 



Habitat : N.-W. Himalayas. 



Expanse: <?,2*o; ?, 2-5 inches. 



Description: "Male and female. Upperside black; wings elongated, as in the 

 European A', aceris ; markings white, and disposed as in that species, but more prominent and 

 broader than in any other known allied species of this group, being broader even than in 

 N. nandina. Underside deep brownish ferruginous ; markings white, broad, their borders 

 imperceptibly black-margined, not prominently so as in N. astola or N. varmona : middle 

 band of hindwing narrowing to abdominal margin." {Moore, 1. c.) 



This also is a very distinct species, occurring only in the N.-W. Himalayas. The discal 

 band of the hindwing on the underside is widened out at the costa. All the white 



