40 THE DENIZENS OF THE FOREST 



wing, there are four species, of which one is Euro- 

 pean. Some have semi-transparent wings of a lace- 

 like pattern, with long slender tails to the hind- 

 wings, and are of a very elegant shape. 



A most gorgeously-coloured butterfly is the 

 Thaumantis diores, black with large spots (which 

 cover a great part of both fore and hind wings) of a 

 brilliant metallic, changeable blue. It measures 

 4f inches across the outspread wings. It avoids the 

 direct sunlight and dodges about among the scrub 

 growing under the deep shade of tall trees in the 

 hottest and moistest valleys. 



One of the most lovely butterflies in the world 

 is the Stichophthalma camadeva, which is one of the 

 largest of the Sikkim butterflies, being from 5 to 6j 

 inches in expanse. It is more soberly coloured on 

 the upper side than the last-named, being chiefly 

 white and brown, but the underside is more beauti- 

 ful, having a row of five red ocelli with black irides 

 on each wing and other pretty markings. 



The lycoenides, or " blues," are represented by 

 no less than 154 species, several of them of sur- 

 passing beauty. Many are marked with changeable 

 metallic hues on the upper side of the fore-wing : 

 some violet, some with green, and some with golden 

 bronze. The most lovely of all is the Ilerea brahma, 

 of which the colouring of the upper side of the male 

 is unique. 



Then there is the curious leaf -butterfly, which 

 has a marvellous resemblance to a dead leaf with its 

 wings folded over the back and showing the under- 

 side only, the leaf -stalk veins being excellently 

 mimicked. But when flying about its upper side, 



