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NOTES ON INDIAN BUTTERFLIES. 



By 



Captain W. H. Evans. 



In the following notes, which will appear in the Journal from time to 

 time it is proposed to give brief notices of any information published re- 

 garding Indian butterflies, also the results of my own observations and 

 those communicated to me by other Collectors. 



1. Occurrence of Una usta, Dist. in Burma. Mr, E.V. Ellis obtained three 

 males of this insect in November 1912 at Maymyo. Una usta was descri- 

 bed from Malacca, vide De Niceville's Butterflies of India, Vol. Ill, footnote, 

 page 51. Col. Tytler has recorded it from the Naga Hills. 



2. Azanus ubaldus, Cr*. and uranus. But. Bingham thought that these two 

 butterflies would prove to be seasonal forms of the same species. Major H. 

 F. Thuillier at Ahmednagar in November 1912 and Major H. D. Peile at 

 Peshawar in December 1912 found the two forms flying together commonly. 

 There is, I think, no doubt that the two forms are perfectly distinct. 



.3. Pai'hestina jermyni. Druce, Trans, Ent. Soc. 1911, page 187. This new 

 butterfly is described from two examples caught by Col. T. Jermyn during 

 June 1906 in the Tons Valley near Mussoorie at 4,000 and 7,000 feet eleva- 

 tion. The butterfly is a striking mimic of Apo}-ia ar/athon phryxe, Bdv. 

 It is greenish white with black veins ; the black colouring over the veins 

 increases in width towards the termen amalgamating to a row of elongate 

 subterminal spots between veins 4 to 7 on the forewing. The hindwing is 

 angled at vein 4 and cut square to the dorsum. The butterfly is probably 

 a form of mena, Moore, if it is not the same insect : the habitat of menu 

 is unknown. The Chinese vii%dis, Leech is no doubt conspecific with viena, 

 but certainly represents a distinct race. Nicevillei, Moore is also conspecific 

 with me)ia and difi'ers chiefly in the far greater extent of the black colour- 

 ing on the hindwing ; it ha,s only been recorded from Dalhousie. It seems 

 probable that we have to deal with a very variable insect, wherein it resem- 

 bles its prototype agathon, and that the Indian forms will eventually stand 

 under the name mena with two races, viridis and nigrivena, Leech from 

 China. 



4. A revision of the genus Lyceenopsis (late Cyaniris), based on an exa- 

 mination of the male genitalia. Dr. T.A. Chapman, P.Z.S., 1909, Vol. I, 

 page 419. As the type of Cyanins is Lytscyia semiargus, Hott. the name 

 must be abandoned and Felder's Lyccenopds, type haraldus, Fab., adop- 

 ted. Moore gives the type of Cyaniris as argiolus ; it seems a pity to 

 abandon the well established name of Cyaniris on the grounds given. It 

 is remarked that though the facias above of the various species affords no 

 reliable indication of identity, yet the spotting below, when not obsolete, 

 differs constantly in the various species. Attention is drawn to the remark- 

 able mimetic variation in limbata and argiolus. 



Three Indian species are separated from Lycanopsis under the name 

 Xotarthrinus, type vardhana, M. as the male organs possess the movable 

 hook present in most Lyccenidce but absent in Lyceenopsis. Besides vard- 

 hana this new genus comprises musina, Snell and binghami, Chap. The 

 Indian form of the Javan miisina has been separated by Swinhoe as musi- 

 noides ; it has been found commonly by Col. Tytler at Manipur. Binghami 

 has been described from Assam ; it closely resembles the wet season form 

 of jynteana, but the dark border at the apex of the forewing is about as 

 Avide as in puspa and continues at the same width throughout the outer 

 margin of both wings. Col. Tytler obtained a specimen, of what I identify 

 as binghami, in the Naga Hills. 



