432: NYMPHALID.^. NYMPHALIN^. VANESSA. 



(sometimes absent) in the hindwlng ; two fine marginal blue lines, often more or less obsolete. 

 Foreiving with the costa more or less striated with bluish. Underside most beautifully 

 variegated and striated with black, green, ochreous, pale violet and ferruginous, crossed by a more 

 or less prominent discal dark broad band having its inner edge indistinct, but its outer edge 

 sharply defined with a highly irregular black line. Foreiving with a small ochreous spot at the 

 outer lower end of the cell touching the median nervure, usually with two ochreous spots near 

 the apex answering to the terminal whitish spots of the discal band above. Hituhving with the 

 outer end of the cell usually marked with a prominent ochreous spot, the black spots placed 

 on the blue band above more or less present as obscure ocelli. Female, usually larger than 

 the male, markings similar, but the marginal fine blue lines usually obsolete, the angulations 

 of the outer margins broader and larger. 



This very beautiful insect has a swift flight, and in the Simla Hills is often found in the 

 bed of a stream, up and down which it flies within a certain limited distance, often settling 

 on a stone with open wings. It frequents paths in forests, occasionally settling on the ground 

 with open wings ; if disturbed it settles with closed wings on the bark of a tree, where its 

 rich dark colouring completely hides it. It occurs throughout the Himalayas ; Bholahat, Malda 

 (W. H. Irvine), in Assam, and in Burma having been obtained by the Yunan Expedition. The 

 Indian Museum, Calcutta, has a single female from Perak, and it is found in the hills of South 

 India. It occurs also in China and Japan ; in the latter country occurs also a closely allied 

 species, V. glauconia, Motschulsky. 



This species has almost universally been known under Drury's name V. charonia, but the 

 earlier name of Linnaeus must be used, his short description applying very well to this species. 



523. Vanessa liaronica, Moore. 



V. haronica, Moore, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1879, p. 137 ; idem, id., Lep. Cey., vol. i, p. 49, pi. xxv, 

 figs. 2, imago ; 2a, larva Andpupa (1881). 



Habitat : Ceylon. 



Expanse: ^,24 to 2 -9; 9 , 3'o to 3*1 inches. 



Description : Upperside. " Differs from the Indian V. charonia, Drury [= V. canace], 

 in the blue band on the foreiving being continuous and broader. On the hindiving the band 

 crossing the middle, is straight, and has no black spots within it, but has a parallel outer row 

 of small black [blue] spots." {Moore, 1. c. in Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond.) 



♦'Larva light red, spotted with black, the segments divided by black and purple lines, 

 armed with eight longitudinal rows of delicate branched spines, anal segment slightly 

 humped. Feeds on Smilax. Pupa reddish-brown, abdominal segments tubercular, thorax 

 angular, head produced and bifid." {Moore, 1. c. in Lep. Cey.) 



V. haronica appears to be confined to Ceylon, where it is *' found in hilly country from 

 2,000 to 6,000 feet. Very common on pathways or roads bordered by jungle. Occurs all 

 the year round. Larva feeds on wild yam" (^Mackivood). " Taken in the Kottawa forest, 

 Galle ; also at Kandy" ( Wade'), In some specimens the blue band on the upperside of 

 the forewing shows traces of bifurcation, the white costal spots being always present ; but 

 the band being broader on the hindvving, placed further from the margin and not bearing a 

 series of black spots, but with a series of blue spots beyond, will always distinguish it. 



524, Vanessa antiopa, Linnreus. 



Papilio antiopa, Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. x, p. 476, n. 112 (1758) ; idem, id., Faun. Suec, p. 277, n. 1056 

 (1761) ; idem, id., Syst. Nat., ed. xii, vol. i, pt. 2, p. 776, n. 165 (1767) ; id., Esper, Schmett., vol. i, pt. i, 

 pi. xii, fig. 2 (1777) ; pi. xxix, fig. 2 (1778) ; id., Hiibner, Eur. Schmett., vol. i, figs. 79, 80 (1793?); var. fig. 

 993 (1829-1841); Vanessa antiopa, Godart, Enc. Meth., vol. ix, p. 308, n. 28 (1819); id., var., Freyer, Neuere 

 Beitr., vol. ii, pi. cxlv, fig. i (1835); id,, Horsfield and Moore, Cat. Lep. Mus. E I. C, vol. i, p. 136, n. 274 

 (1857); id., Elwes, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., i83i, p. 898; Papilio pompadour, Pollich, Bemerk. Churpf. Ges. 

 ^1779) ; var., Vanessa hygiaa, Heydenreich, Verz. Eur. Schmett. (1846) ; var., V . lintneri. Fitch, Trans. New 

 York Agric. Soc, 1856, p. 485 ; id., Morris, Syn. Lep. North Amer., vol. i, p. 57, 11. 5 (1862). 



Habitat : North and Central America, North Africa, throughout Europe, Central Asia, 

 Amurland, Japan, Eastern Himalayas. 

 Expanse : 23 to 3*3 inches. 



