(. 269,;) 
XI. A catalogue of the Lepidoptera of Sikkim, by H. J. 
Exwes, F.L.S., F.Z.8., &¢.; with additions, cor- 
rections, and notes on seasonal and local distribution, 
by Orro MOLLER. 
Part I. RHOPALOCERA. 
[Read February 1st, 1888. | 
Puares VIII., FX., X., & XT. 
THouau the following catalogue is the result of many 
years’ collecting in Sikkim by Mr. Méller, myself, and 
others, and though it includes a far larger number of 
species than have ever been recorded from any district 
in the Old World, yet I am afraid it will be still far from 
complete, at least so far as the Heterocera are concerned ; 
but, though every year brings to light many new species 
from this wonderfully rich country, and our knowledge 
of many of those already known is very imperfect, yet 
I think the time has come when it may be of great use 
to lepidopterists both in India and elsewhere. 
The greater part of what has been written on 
Indian Lepidoptera previous to Mr. de Nicéville’s book 
is the work of those who have no local knowledge of 
the species they describe ; and has been confined almost 
entirely to bare descriptions made without reference 
to the numerous allied forms which exist in other parts 
of the Indian region, and with much more narrow 
ideas of the variation of species than are characteristic 
of the best modern workers in all branches of natural 
history. It will be seen in the course of my list how 
numerous are the names which I have been obliged 
to consider as synonyms; and, though I have gone 
farther in this direction than any one who has 
previously worked at Oriental Lepidoptera, I honestly 
believe that in many cases I have hardly gone as far as 
facts would justify, though I have endeavoured to recog- 
nise as specific the most minute distinctions, when they 
appear to be constant or structural. Ina local catalogue 
of this kind, however, which is rather a contribution to 
TRANS»ENT. SOC. LOND. 1888.—Ppartr II. (OCT.) U 
