536 Rev. K. St. Aubyn Rollers' Bionomic Notes on 



Levxcroiiia argia, Fabr., ^ : dry f. See Plate XXIX, 

 fig. 7, for under surface. 



All tlie specimeus were in good condition except the 

 M>/lothris, which was sliglitly worn. ThesQ species are 

 all fairly common at Rabai and are found frequenting the 

 same stations. M. agathina is, perhaps, more distinctively 

 addicted to the open country, but all are found in wood- 

 lands, and M. cKjatJiina and B. thysa may frequently be 

 seen flying together. 



In tliis district tlie commonest species is B. thysa, 

 though the association is probably grouped round M. 

 agathina, which has the slow leisurely flight of a protected 

 species. 



B. thysa has a much more rapid flight when disturbed, 

 but, like most of the members of its genus, it is frequently 

 seen settled on flowers, and it is comparatively rare to 

 find specimens which show evidence of the attacks of 

 birds. 



L. argia is more of a forest insect, and the flight of the 

 males is high and strong. The female usually flies much 

 lower and much less strongly than the male, so that it 

 approaches the other two members of the combination in 

 habits as well as in colouring. 



[The mimetic resemblance, which is developed upon 

 the under surface of the wings, is represented on Plate 

 XXIX, figs. 5-7. The orange flush at the base of the 

 fore-wings which is the distinctive feature of the male 

 Mylothris and the females of the other two species, is 

 distinctly shown in the plate. The mimetic likeness 

 attained by the female Lcuceroma. (Fig. 7) is seen to be 

 very rough as compared with that of the Belenois (Fig. 6). 

 Furthermore, the orange flush of the Lcuccronia resembles 

 that of the Belenois^ and more closely that of the Mylothris, 

 — probably due to secondary mimicry ; but many speci- 

 mens must be compared before this suggestion can be 

 accepted. It is of much interest to note that the primary 

 model resembled by these two females is a male, the 

 orange flush of the female Mylothris agathina being 

 obscured by the general brownish-orange colour of the 

 wings. E. B. P.] 



