NYMPIIALID^, NYMPHALIN.E. ARGYNNIS. 139 



Mr. Ehves writes : "Of this distinct and lovely species I received a considerable number 

 of both sexes, which I take the opportunity of figuring here, as a coloured plate is 

 necessary to give an idea of its beauty. The female differs from the male in having the 

 base and posterior margin of the /orewing grey, and the marginal spots pale outside ; the cilia 

 also are pale-spotted, which is not the case in the male. This species must be very abundant 

 at some localities, probably at a great elevation ; and it is just possible that .4. altissi?>ia is a 

 still more alpine form of it, analogous to il/c"///;*?'? rt«'zV«''^, var, vieiope, though more different 

 itom A. gei/t>nata\.ha.n M. fuerope \s irom M. aurinia." (Skues, I c.) Mr. Elwes' and IVIr. 

 Otto MoUer's native collectors obtained this species in large numbers in Native Sikkim. 



431. Argynnis altissima, Eiwes. 



A. aliissimn, Elwes, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1SS2, p. 403. P'- ^xv, fig. 8, 



Habitat : Native Sikkim or Chumbi. 



Expanse : ri inches (one specimen 1-4 inches). 



Description : " Male. Upperside, markings generally similar in arrangement to those 

 of A. qemmata ; but the row of spots on the e.xterior margin are usually whitish, the ground- 

 colour is paler, and the cilia spotted with white. Underside, the position and arrangement 

 of the markings are very similar to those of A. gemmata ; but all the silvery^ spots are more 

 elongated and less brilliant, and the deep fulvous markings are almost absent." 



" A single specimen is at least a quarter larger in size than the other nine, and has the 

 win<TS broader and less pointed. In fact it has the appearance of a less alpine variety than 

 the others, which, judging from the collector's marks, were taken with (2«m /«;/////« and 

 Pamassitis at a very great elevation. This species has a very distinct and peculiar appearance, 

 quite unlike any other ArgynnisP (Elwes, 1. c.) I have not seen a specimen of this species. 

 432. ArgynniS Sipora, Moore. (Plate XVIII, Fig. 72^$). 



A sipora, Moore, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond.. 1874, P- 568. pl. Ixvi. fig. 11 ; ^. b<tra.lacka, idem, id., 1882. 

 p. 242, pl. xi, figSj I, la. 



Habitat : Kashmir, near Gungabul lake, at foot of Haramook peak ; Zoji-la, Kashmir ; 

 Baralacha Pass, Lahoul. 



Expanse: ^,i'37tor8o; ?, 1-5 to i "8 inches. 



Description : " Allied to A. pales. Upperside pale fulvous in the male, dusky fulvous 

 in the female. Male. Fornuing ^v\th black narrow short streak, two small spots [one above 

 the other] and a recurved streak within the cell, a curved streak at its end, a dentate spot 

 beneath, and an irregular transverse discal series of lunules beyond the cell; a transverse 

 discal row of conical spots, a submarginal row of triangular spots, and a margmal line formed 

 into less-defined spots, one being at the end of each vein. Hinduing with two narrow 

 streaks at end of the cell, a transverse discal series beyond, two outer and a marginal 

 row of spots. Female, black markings broader, the submarginal row of spots on both 

 wings large, and with pale whitish outer marginal border. Cilia white. Underside. Male. 

 Forewing paler, markings indistinct, apex and exterior border yellow, streaked with 

 red. Hindwinq yellow, abdominal margin greenish ; a broad irregular subbasal and discal 

 transverse red band, the basal band enclosing a pearly-white round spot within the cell and 

 an elongated spot beneath it, the band bordered exteriorly by three pearly-white transverse 

 streaks ; within the discal band the upper and lower portions are slightly streaked with 

 pearly-white, and on the middle portion is a series of five blackish spots ; on the outer 

 margin of the wing is a row of quadrate pearly-white spots. Female. Foreivino dark fulvous, 

 markings more prominent, apex and margin greenish. Hindwing with the base and middle 

 portion dark green, the subbasal and discal bands dark chestnut-red ; markings as in male." 

 (Moore., I. c.) 



Mr. Moore has described as a distinct species under the name of A. baralacha some 

 specimens which appear to me to be inseparable from A. sipora. I have taken a large series 

 of A. sipora in June and July in Kashmir and Lahoul, and find that the markings vary 

 slightly, for instance in many examples the spots in the cell of the forewing on the upperside 



