517 



THE COMMON BUTTERFLIES OF THE PLAINS 

 OF INDIA 



(INCLUDING THOSE MET WITH IN THE HILL STATIONS 

 OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY). 



BY 



T. R. Bell, i.f.s. 



Fart X. 

 With Plates D2, D3, and D4. 



(Goiitinued froin paye 1136 of Volume- XX.) 



YAMi-hY—VKPYLlO^IDM' -{continued.) 



Only one genus . . . . . . . . . PAPILIO. 



81. Papilio helenus, L., Race daksha, Hampson. (PI. D3, figs. 26 S , 26« 5 .) 

 Male and female upperside: brownish-black to rich velvety black. Fore- 

 wing with four slender lines in cell from base to near end of cell and outer 

 internervular hairy streaks of varying width from median area to near 

 termen, yellow-brown ; these latter giving in many specimens a golden- 

 brown appearance in certain lights to the terminal half of wing. Hind- 

 wing with a more or less quadrate white spot in interspace 7, one more 

 elongate similar spot in each of the two interspaces below, the three 

 forming a very conspicuous discal white patch with the outer margin 

 zigzag ; this is followed by a series of intermarginal more or less imperfect 

 claret-red rings in interspaces 1 to o that enclose large, intense black, 

 oval spots ; these rings may be obsolescent in the male or even entirely 

 wanting in specimens from the damper regions. The number of the rings is 

 variable also, the tornal one being always present. Cilia black alternated 

 with white. Underside : duller opaque black, the fore wing generally some- 

 what less black than the hindwing. Forewing similar to the upperside 

 but the cellular and internervular streaks formed of scales, not hairs 

 greyish white in colour and much more clearly deihied, the latter anteriorly 

 do not reach the terminal margin but form a postmedial band, the upper 

 streaks in some few specimens reaching the apex of the cell. Very occa- 

 sionally, in the damper regions, the streaked postmedial band is somewhat 

 prominently white at base of interspace 7 (between veins 7 and 8) and there 

 is a corresponding white blurred spot on the upperside of wing. Hindwino-: 

 markings similar to those on the upperside but the upper spot of the discal 

 white patch crescentic in shape, the whole patch generally narrower and the 



