444 MR. H. J. ELWES ON NEW [May 3, 



4, Description of some new Lepidoptera from Sikkim. 

 By H. J. Elwes, F.Z.S. 



[Eeceived May 3, 18S7.] 



The species described in tins short pnper are from a large collection 

 made by myself iii the rainy season of 1886, whilst waiting at 

 Darjiling for the departure of the Tibet Mission. They will be 

 included in a Catalogue of the Le])idoptera of Sikkim, of which I 

 have nearly completed the first part containing the Rhopalocera, 

 and, taken in connection with those now described by Mr. De NiceviUe, 

 prove that, notwithstanding the great activity which has been shown 

 by Messrs. O. Moller, De NiceviUe, and Knyvett in that country, 

 its very long list of Butterflies is not yet complete. 



I hope to be able to give figures of the new species in my Cata- 

 logue of the Lepidoptera of iSikkim. 



Lethe tristigmata, n. sp. 



This very distinct insect, of which the male sex only is known, had 

 been already distinguished by Moller in 1885 as a new species, and 

 was described by Mr. De NiceviUe in MS. ; but as I found it in 

 1886 myself and was about to publish it under the present name, 

 Mr. De NiceviUe has kindly allowed me to transfer the description 

 (which I give below) to my own paper. I took it on Tonglo, from 

 about 8500 to 9500 feet, in July, when most of the specimens were 

 no longer fresli ; but its time of appearance is in June. It frequents 

 open spots in the bamboo-jungle and low dripping forest, and settles 

 on the path Hke other species of Lethe. Though I searched 

 carefuUv I never saw a female : this sex probably remains concealed 

 in the thick foliage, in these forests often too dense to allow one to 

 go off the })ath ; and I found here, as elsewhere, that a good open 

 path is even more essential to success in collecting forest Butterflies 

 than it is for plants or birds. 



Male. Upperside: both wings brown, with a golden gloss in 

 certain positions. Fore wing with the bar towards the end of the 

 cell and the dorsal band of the underside showing through by 

 transparency ; a submarginal series of five small round ochreous spots 

 or dots from the costa to the second median interspace ; a diffused 

 and indistinct marginal dark band, its outer edge somewhat sharply 

 defined. Hind wing with a dark bar defining the discocellular 

 nervules, and an obscure discal irregular band ; a submarginal series 

 of round, equal-sized, somewhat small, black spots, those towards 

 the anal angle sometimes absent ; two fine dark marginal lines 

 enclosing an obscure ochreous line, the inner dark line defined 

 inwardly by a pale line. 



Underside : both wings paler, being ochreous brown without 

 any gloss. Fore wing with two darker bars crossing the cell beyond 



