LIMNAS. 1 7 



Var. a. Limnas alcippus. 

 Papilioaldppus, Cram., Pap.Exot, ii., pi. 127, figs. E., F. (1777). 



Var. /3. Limnas dorippus. 



Euplcca dorippus ; Klug, Symbolae Physicse, pi. 48, figs. 1-4 

 (1845)- 



This is a reddish-coloured Butterfly, having the wings black, 

 bordered and spotted with white. The apex of the fore-wings 

 is broadly black, crossed by a white bar of confluent spots, 

 near which are several smaller ones. The discoidal cells of the 

 hind-wings are surrounded by three black spots (or four, in the 

 male, the sexual mark resembling an additional spot). 



This Butterfly is common all over Africa and Southern Asia, 

 and is likewise found in Greece. Many years ago it appeared 

 near Naples, having apparently been introduced, but it failed 

 to establish itself permanently. 



The larva is bluish-grey, with yellow dorsal and lateral 

 stripes, and transverse black lines. As in many allied species, 

 the filaments are black, with the base red. The pupa is green 

 or pink, with golden spots. 



Several constant forms allied to this Butterfly, with more or 

 less white hind-wings, are met with (e.g., Z. alcippus^ Cramer, 

 &c.) most commonly in Africa. Another allied form is Z. 

 dorippus (Klug), in which the reddish-tawny ground-colour ob- 

 literates the black and white markings towards the apex of the 

 fore-wings. Other forms have been named L. aldppoides, 

 Moore, Z. khigii, Butler, &c. Until these forms have been 

 carefully bred from the same batch of eggs we cannot posi- 

 tively affirm that they are distinct species, or the opposite. A 

 smaller insect, Z. petilia (Stoll), closely allied to Z. chrysippus^ 

 is found in Australia. 



There is probably no insect which has so many mimics as Z. 

 thrysippus. Among the mimics are the females of Hypolimnas 



