132 BUTTERFLIES. 



Subfamily Nymphalin^. 



110. Ergolis merione, Cramer. 



A common species at low elevations. The larva feeds on the 

 castor-oil plant, Iticinus commtmis, Linn. 



111. Ergolis ariadne, Linnjseus. 



Rarer than E. merione, but occurs like that species from March to 

 November. The larva feeds on Tragia involucrata, Linn., a hairy, 

 stinging, climbing plant. 



112. EuRiPUS coNSiMiLis, Wcstwood. 



One of the rarest of the butterflies of Sikhim; a few specimens 

 have been taken in the low outer valleys, in the Terai, and as far south 

 as Jal^iaiguri. The male is always rarer than Ihe female. 



113. EuRiPUS HALiTHERSES, Doubleday and Hewitson. 



The males . are common, the females rarer. It occurs in the 

 low valleys from March to November. The female, wherever the 

 species is found, is a persistent mimic of the species of Euploea (which 

 are greatly protected butterflies) occurring with it. In Sikhim the 

 first form of the female, which has been named E. isa by Moore, 

 is a beautiful mimic of E. diocletianiis, Fabricius {=ramsayi, Moore); 

 while the second form of the female, which has been named E. nyctelius 

 by Doubleday [=cinnamomeus, Wood-Mason) is a perfect mimic of a 

 blue Euploea, such as E. linncei, Moore (^?uidamus, Linnaeus, auctonim). 



1 14. CupHA ERYMANTHis, Drury, 



Never common in Sikhim, but appears to occur at low elevations 

 throughout the warmer months. I once captured a few specimens at 

 Kalimpong in October. In Baling it is local at 3,000 feet. 



115. Melit.ea orientalis, Elwes. 



Mr. H. J. Elwes and Otto Moller have obtained this species at 

 high elevations on the Sikhim-Chumbi frontier. It is a local race of 

 M. sindura, Moore, 



116. Atella sinha, Kollar. 



Not very common ; found from 2,000 to 3,000 feet from May to 

 October. 1 have never seen a female of this species, though hundreds 

 of males have passed through my hands. Mr. Dudgeon reports it as 

 occurring more commonly east of the Tista river at the same eleva- 

 tions. He has observed the female in June laying eggs at 2,500 feet. 



1 17. Atella phalantha, Drury, 



Much more common than the preceding, though by no means a 

 common species in the hills. It is found tliroughout the warm months 

 from the level of the Terai to about 5,000 feet. In Sikhim the pupa is 



