Lepidoptera of Sikkim. 421 
PAPILIONIN@. 
392. Teinopalpus imperialis. 
Teinopalpus imperialis, Hope, Trans. Linn. Soe., 1843, 
p- 131, t. i1., figs. 1,2; Westw., Are. Ent., ii., 
t. 59 (1843). 
This splendid insect is peculiar to Sikkim,* and is 
found only in the forest region from about 6000 to 
10,000 ft. elevation. Unless its habits are known, it is 
most difficult to capture, on account of its remarkably 
strong, rapid, and darting flight, and its habit of resting 
on high trees, from which it flies only during a few 
hours of the morning, during the rare intervals of 
sunshine which prevail in these cloudy, damp, and 
rainy forests. The female, which seldom or never flies 
in the same places as the male, is so extremely rare that, 
though for many years high rewards have been offered 
for it to the natives who make a business of catching 
insects, only six or seven in all are known to have been 
taken, and these mostly by chance in places outside the 
forest. 
In order to take the male, one must go early in the 
morning in the months of June, July, or August, to one 
of the few spots in the neighbourhood of Darjeeling, 
where a little cleared space is found on the summit of a 
mountain-top. Birch Hill, Sinchul, and Tonglo are all 
suitable places; but the top of Sinchul, called Tiger 
Hill, which is over 8000 ft. elevation, is the best, as it is 
surrounded by a large tract of virgin forest. If the 
morning is bright and sunny, about 8 o’clock one may 
expect to see T'einopalpus flying round the tops of the 
trees, and occasionally settling, but usually out of reach. 
The natives lay baits of some evil-smelling nature to 
attract the insect, as is done in Kurope to attract Apatura 
[ris,and with patience and the skilful use of a long-handled 
net sometimes succeed in taking two or three in a 
morning in this manner. The insects are so strong and 
active in the net, however, that they are difficult to get 
in a perfect state, and always command a high price, 
even at Darjeeling. The flight is usually over by 11 a.m., 
even if the morning continues fine, which is very rarely 
* I have just seen a specimen of 7’. imperialis from Ichang, in 
Central China, received by Mr. Leech. 
