172 NYMPIIALID^. NYMPHALIN^. ATHYMA. 



and submarginal row of light brown spots, Hindrmvg with an inner white band, divided 

 by the veins, and an outer or submarginal row of indistinct brownish-white conic- 

 shaped spots ; also a very indistinct marginal row of small light brown spots. Body brown, 

 abdomen with two rows of white spots. Underside paler, tinged with ferruginous about 

 the disc ; markings the same, but all very distinct, and more or less white ; the spots 

 within discoidal cell and base of fomviiiji divided by black marks ; base of costal margin 

 yellowish-white. Ilindwing with space between praecostal and costal nervures yellowish- 

 white ; a curved oval black mavk, whitish within, between the costal nervure and inner 

 band ; a row of black patches between inner and outer band. Body, and broadly on ab- 

 dominal margin, yellowish-grey. Athyvia viahesa may be known from A. raiiga by its 

 larger size and much narrower band." {Moore, 1, c. in Cat. Lep. Mus. E. I. C.) The 

 FEMALE only differs from the male in the ground-colour of the upperside being decidedly 

 paler, and all the white markings larger and more distinct. 



A. inahesa is a common species in Sikkim at low elevations, and occurs eastwards as far as 

 Sibsagar in Upper Assam, and again in South India ; Mr. W. F. Hampson has taken it 

 at Ootacamund and Capt. Macpherson in North Canara. Mr. Butler (1. c.) records "One 

 somewhat melanized male specimen, evidently belonging to this species" from near Assam. 



461. Atliyma ranga, Moore, 



A. ranga, Moore, Horsfield and Moore, Cat. Lep. Mus. E. I. C, vol. i, p. 175, n. 359, pi, \a, fig. 6 (i8S7) t 

 id., Moore, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1858, p. 15, n. 13. 



Habitat : Sikkim {Moore), Dafla Hills, Western Ghats. 



Expanse : 2*2 to 3'o inches. 



Description: "Upperside smoky-black. Forewlng v^'x'Cn. a curved interrupted white 

 band from anterior margin, one-third from the apex, to middle of posterior margin, being 

 composed of eight spots, the first on anterior margin very narrow, second, third and fourth 

 elongate-conical, the fourth being the shortest, fifth triangular and broadly divided from the 

 fourth, sixth broad, largest, and nearly square, seventh narrower and broadly divided from 

 the sixth, eighth long and narrow ; a marginal and submarginal row of rather indistinct whitish 

 spots ; base of wing covered with indistinct white spots, Hmdwing with broad inner band, 

 intersected by the veins ; and outer or submarginal row of broad conic-shaped indistinct white 

 spots ; a marginal row of very indistinct spots ; also indistinct spots at the base of wing ; abdo- 

 minal margin whitish. Body dark brown, abdomen with two rows of small white spots. 

 Underside with the markings the same and very distinct. Body and abdominal margin green- 

 ish white. Sexes alike." (Moore, 1. c. in Cat. Lep. Mus. E. I. C) 



This supposed distinct species appears to be an occasional aberration, or still more probably, 

 seasonal form only, of A, makcsa, with all the white markings (which are somewhat incon- 

 stant in the latter species) very strongly developed. There is a single specimen in the Indian 

 Museum, Calcutta, from the Dafla Hills, and several in my own collection from Sikkim, 

 which appear to giade into A. mahesa. Specimens recently received from North Canara 

 have the white markings still larger and purer white than in those from North-eastern India. 

 All the specimens of A. ranga of which the date of capture is known have been taken in 

 the winter months, November, December and March, and it is not unlikely that it may turn out 

 to be only the winter or dry season form of A. mahesa. 



The next four species, all of which have the discoidal cell of the forewing closed, shew 

 a curious parallelism with the species of the first group in which the cell of the forewing is 

 open. A. opaluia has the underside very similar to that of A. larymna, both having the 

 violet tinting on the outer border of the underside, and the markings, though not identical, 

 are similar in character. A. kresna has the underside almost identical with that of A. pravara 

 except that the discoidal streak is interrupted, while in A. pravara it is entire. A. abiasa is 

 somewhat similar also to ^./raz/a;-«, but the markings in the discoidal cell differ even more 

 widely. A, sulpitia somewhat resembles A. perius on the underside in general characters, 

 but the black dots are more numerous, and the discoidal streak on the forewing is very 

 different in character, 



