i68 NYMrilALID/E. NYMPHALIN/E. ATIlYiMA. 



455- Athyma asura, Moore, 



A. asura, Moore, Horsfield and Moore, Cat. Lep. Mus. E. I. C, vol. i, p. 171, n. 350, pi. \a, 

 fig. T (1857) ; id., Moore, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1858, p. 17, n. 18, 



Habitat : Western Himalayas, Assam, Cachar, Khasi Hills. 



Expanse : 2'9 to 3-1 inches. 



Description: " Upperside, smoky-brown, markings creamy-white. Forming with a 

 narrow discoidal streak, which is terminated at a short distance by an angular mark ; a band 

 of spots curving outwards from anterior to middle of posterior margin, the first spot commenc- 

 ing as a very narrow line, second and third long and oval, fourth the smallest, fifth some- 

 what larger and rounded, sixth larger still and oval, seventh the largest, square, indented at 

 the sides, eighth narrow and on posterior margin ; a submarginal row of well-defined lunular 

 marks, terminated on the apex of the wing by an inner row of three small spots. Hindiving 

 with a broad inner band ; also a less broad band from abdominal to anterior angle, this 

 being intersected by the nervules, and having a single black spot in the middle between each 

 nervule ; a marginal pale brown line in both zaings ; a narrow bluish-white collar and band 

 across the base of the abdomen. Underside bright ferruginous; markings a=; above, but 

 the /f/rzww^ has the submarginal row of marks broad, and having a black spot in the middle 

 of each ; also a marginal row of small spots ; some black lines bordering the discoidal marks ; 

 also a small black circle near base of wing, and a patch of black on posterior margin near 

 the angle. Hindwing with the inner, and spotted outer band the same as above ; a bluish- 

 green curved line across the base of wing, and a marginal row of lunular spots ; body and 

 upper part of abdominal margin bluish-green. Sexes alike. This species may be distinguished 

 from all others by the outer band on the hindwing having a central spot between each 

 vein." {Moore, 1. c. in Cat. Lep. Mus. E. I. C.) 



A. asura is a somewhat rare species. Mr. A. Graham Young has taken it in Kulu, I found 

 it sparingly in a wooded stream below Kotgarh in the autumn, Colonel Lang has taken it in 

 » Masuri in June and August, Mr. Wood-Mason took it in Cachar during the summer ; it 

 occurs also at Sibsagar in Upper Assam {S. E, Peal), and on the Khasi Hills. The female 

 differs from the male in having the white bands and spots, especially the submarginal 

 band on the upperside of the hindwing, of greater extent. It is a very distinct species, 

 being the only one in which the submarginal white band on the upperside of the hindwing 

 bears a series of round black spots placed one on the middle of each interspace. 



456- Athyaia idita, Moore. 



A. idita, Moore, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1858, p, 16, n. 16, pi. li, fig. 3, male (1858); id., Distant, 

 Rhop. Malay., p 160, n. 3, pi. xvi, fig. 9, male ; 10, female (1883). 



Habitat : Mergui Archipelago, Province Wellesley, Malacca, Java ?, Borneo. 



Expanse: ,?, 2-3 to 2'5 ; $, 28 inches. 



Description: "Male. Upperside blackish-brown ; markings bluish-white, Foretuing 

 with the discoidal streak in two portions, the first narrow, the second somewhat round ; from 

 subcostal nervure curving to middle of posterior margin a series of seven spots, the upper 

 two oval, rather long, the third the smallest, fourth larger, the third and fourth widely 

 separated from second and fifth, fifth largest, nearly round, outwardly oblique, sixth and seventh 

 irregularly shaped ; a submarginal row of narrow indistinct marks, that at the posterior 

 angle being largest. Hindiuing with inner band, and narrow row of six rather square spots 

 curving upwards and outwards from near abdominal angle, the last spot near anterior angle 



surrounded by greyish, and the outer series obsolete till beneath the lower discoidal nervule, but then regular 

 and distinctly greyish—this wing is also ornamented with a number of dark fuscous streaks and spots. Hindwing 

 marked as above, b\it with an additional transverse basal fascia, curved and attenuated towards costal 

 m.Ti-gin, the medial fascia defle.\ed and continued on inner side of submedian nervure, the pale fuscous sub- 

 marRinal fascia above whitish beneath, and the cilin somewhat broadly alternately greyish. Body above 

 dark fuscous ; tliorax with an anterior cream-coloured fascia, and abdomen with two fasciae of the same colour, 

 one basal and_ broad, the second subapical and narrow." (Distant, I.e.) The band across the anterior portion 

 of the thorax in a Perak specimen is beautiful iridescent greenish-bluish, and the band across the abdomen 

 and the abdominal fold of the hindwing are also tinted with this colour but more faintly. 



