Lepidoptera of Sikkim. 305 
22. Mycalesis sanatana. 
Mycalesis sanatana, Moore, Cat. Lep. E.I.C., p. 231 
(1857) ; Butt. Ind., p. 108. 
? Gen. ii. M. gopa, Feld., Reise Nov., iii., p. 501 (1867) ; 
Butt. Ind., p. 107. 
In placing M. gopa as probably the second or rainy 
season brood of M. sanatana I rely on the opinion of 
Messrs. de Nicéville, Méller, and Knyvett, and, though 
occasional specimens of the one may be found during 
part of the season of the other, all these gentlemen, 
who know the species well in life, agree that sanatana is 
the prevailing, if not the only, form during the months 
of March, April, and May, and that gopa prevails during 
the months of June to October. The observations of 
Mr. de Nicéville on the seasonal forms of Mycalesis and 
other genera of Satyrine in Calcutta all tend to strengthen 
the belief that most of the species of Mycalesis, Yphthima, 
and Melanitis have two forms differing principally in the 
ocelli and markings of the under side, and he concurs 
with Mr. Méller in the propriety of the arrangement 
which I have adopted in this catalogue. It is quite 
possible that in some cases we may be mistaken, and 
that different seasonal and climatic influences may in 
other localities produce different effects; but those who 
disbelieve in the seasonal variation, which is well known 
to exist in some European and American butterflies, 
must allow that the causes which produce them are 
experienced to a much greater degree in the climate of 
India, which is marked by an even greater difference 
between the wet and dry seasons of the year than is 
found between the climate of spring and summer in 
temperate countries. Both these forms occur not un- 
commonly in the valleys of Sikkim up to about 8000 ft. 
M. gopa has not been found except in Sikkim, according 
to de Nicéville, but it is very nearly allied to, and perhaps 
hardly distinct from, M. perdiccas, Hew., from Japan. 
Moller has several specimens of M. sanatana with 
partially-developed ocelli intermediate between it and 
gopd. 
