.553 

 A LIST OF INDIAN BUTTEKPLIES. 



BY 



Capt. W. H. Evans, r.e. 



During the last few years a good deal has been written on the 

 butterflies of India including several works of great importance ; 

 unfortunately the views of the various authorities are at variance 

 on many points and in order to arrive at a correct conclusion it is 

 often necessary to search through numerous publications in different 

 languages. 



Nothing original is claimed for the list here produced ; it is the 

 result of many days spent at the British Museum, some thirteen 

 years of assiduous collecting in nearly every part of India and a 

 careful studj^ of all that has been published during the last 20 years 

 on the butterflies of India and neighbouring countries. A 

 Grovernment servant cannot of course devote as much time to a 

 subject of this nature as the man of leisure or the professional 

 naturalist is able to, but I think it only fair to claim that one who 

 has watched insects in their natural state can often produce 

 evidence regarding them that is out of reach of the man who only 

 sees the same insects in a cabinet. 



I have no doubt that this list is far from perfect and I hope that 

 Indian collectors will point out any errors as well as communicate 

 the results of their experience in the Society's Journal. A good 

 collection at Bombay would be of great assistance to collectors ; the 

 Society requires specimens, with dates and localities, of practically 

 every form from every part of India. Separately printed lists with 

 the remarks and synonyms omitted can be obtained from the 

 Honorary Secretary ; the list ought to prove of assistance in label- 

 ling collections, making exchange lists, etc. 



The more important sources of information on Indian butterflies 

 are as follows : — 



(i) De Niceville's " Butterflies of India, Burmah and Ceylon " 

 published from 1884-1890, and completed to the end of the 

 Lyc8enid93. This was for some time the standard work and 

 even now its wealth of detail renders it of the greatest use to 



