258 NYMPIIALID/E. NYMPHALIN/E. KALLIMA. 



extends to the middle of the costa ; subcostal nervure with two branches arising before the 

 anterior extremity of the discoidal cell, third branch arising beyond the extremity of the 

 discoidal cell, and extending to the tip of the wing, fourth branch arising at about five-sixths 

 of the length of the wing, and extending to the outer margin below the apex ; upper 

 disco-cellular nervtile very short, almost obsolete, middle disco-cellular short, slightly curved 

 and rather oblique, being directed towards the base of the wing, loioer disco-cellular slender, 

 curved rather obliquely, the curve being towards the base of the wing, and uniting with 

 the median nervure just beyond* the origin of its third branch, which is very much arched ; 

 the anterior extremity of the discoidal cell reaches just one-third of the length of the fore- 

 wing, and its posterior extremity is somewhat shorter. Hindwing, elongate, subtri- 

 nngular ; costal margin much arched at the base, oiiter margin rounded, anal angle 

 gradually produced into a tail, which is traversed by the submedian nervure. 

 Pracostal nervure oblique, curved outwardly at the tip, [bifid] ; costal nervure extend- 

 ing to the outer angle ; siibcostal nervure branching nearer the base than the median 

 nervure ; discoidal cell closed by a curved lower disco-cellular nervule, rather before the 

 middle of the wing. Forelegs, of the male small, pectoral, moderately hairy, but not 

 forming a dense brush, slender ; tarsus about two-thirds of the length of the tibia, simple, 

 exunguiculate ; of the female longer than those of the male (especially the tarsus), slender, 

 scaly ; femur with a row of short hairs on the inside, set on at right angles ; tarsus nearly 

 as long as the tibia, dilated at tip, the inside of which is obliquely rounded off, and armed 

 beneath with four pairs of short spines, indicating the articulations at the extremity, terminal 

 joint very minute and simple. Middle and hindlegs, moderately long, not very robust ; 

 tibicB with two rows of very short spines beneath, tibial spurs short ; tarsi armed beneath 

 with four rows of small spines ; claios slender, very much curved." {Westwood, 1. c.) 



The /Callimas, (sometimes spelt Callima) or " Oak-leaf " Butterflies as they are called 

 popularly, form a beautiful group. As a general rule, they are some shade of blue on the 

 upperside, the apex of the forewing broadly black, below which is a more or less broad band of 

 fulvous, white, or blue ; in most of the species there are one or more small translucent spots 

 on the forewing. But the underside is the most remarkable feature, the wings are usually closed 

 over the back when in repose, not expanded, and each fore and hindwing together form the 

 exact representation of a leaf, of which the point at the apex of the forewing forms the tip, and 

 a long tail at the anal angle of the hindwing represents the stalk ; the latter when the butterfly 

 is in repose frequently rests against the stem on which the butterfly has settled, and produces the 

 impression that the leaf is actually growing out of it : from the tail to the apex a more or 

 less prominent rib-like mark extends, answering to the mid-rib of a leaf, and on either side 

 branching veins extend more or less distinctly marked. A selection of specimens of any 

 one species would show a wonderful series of autumnal tints in these leaf-like representations, 

 and marks are often irregularly scattered here and there over the surface increasing still 

 more the resemblance to a decaying or decayed leaf. The sexes are usually easily discrimi- 

 nated, the apex of the forewing being usually produced into a very much longer process 

 in the female than in the male ; the markings are similar in both sexes in all the Indian species. 



They are not as a rule found at any great elevation, and seem confined to the lower valleys 

 in the different mountain and hill ranges ; they frequent rocky nullahs where there is shade, and 

 are strong on the wing and rapid in their movements. When at rest they are extremely difficult 

 to detect owing to the peculiarity noticed above ; and the first indication of rheir presence is 

 generally the flash of brilliant blue and yellow as they rise with a rapid dart, startled by 

 any movement near their resting place, and exposing the brightly-coloured upper surface of the 

 wings. They do not as a rule fly far, but the rapidity with which they alight again and the con- 

 cealment with which their colours provide them when settled, render them rather difficult 

 to capture, though few Indian collections are without specimens. In Sikkim they are extremely 

 common butterflies, often settling on the banks of streams to suck up the moisture, also on 

 the trunks of certain trees, which, I presume, furnish them with a juice of which they are fond. 



* The point of junction of the lower disco-cellular nervule with the median nervure is somewhat variable, in 

 some specimens it is just before, sometimes just after, sometimes at the origin of the second mcdiau nervule. 



