COMMON BUTTERFLIES OF THE PLAINS OF INDIA. 329 



Underside : similar to that in I. marianne female. Antennte, head, thorax 

 and abdon en as in that form. 



Expanse 50-55 mm. 



The insect has not been bred and it is very doubtful whether it is really 

 a good species ; or whether it is not a mere variety of Lvias marianne. It 

 has only been recorded from Mahableshwar, a high peak of 3,500' to 4,500' 

 of the Western Ghats in the Satara District of the Bombay Presidency. 

 As Colonel Bingham remarks a local observer is wanted who will devote 

 his attention to the breeding of this form, and to that of J. marianne, 

 which probably occurs with it. 



Genus Appias. 



As already once remarked, this genns is in a state of considerable 

 confusion and no two authors are quite agreed even as to the num- 

 ber of species that really exist within the limits of British India. 



The group AiJinas has been divided 

 into several sub-groups or sub-genera 

 known as Tachyris, A2:>2jias, Catoijliaga, 

 liijposcritia and Lade, based upon 

 general faceis or appearance, coloura- 

 tion, &c., and each type is very easily 

 recognizable at sight or by the relative 

 length of the discocellular veinlets. In 

 British India Lade contains a single 

 species (lalassis) from Burma, Malay, 

 &c., differing from all other members 

 of the group by the falcate apex to the 

 fore wing. Tachyris is sufficiently 

 Appias hippo, venation. distinguished by being coloured from 



Vermillion to deep crimson-red in both sexes, the only species is nero 

 which is found in Sikhim and Assam and eastwards through Burma to 

 the Philippines. The typical Appias (consisting of the two species, 

 lii[ipo and lihythea and their local races and varieties) are characterized 

 by the black outer margin not being produced inwardlj^ in interspace 

 3 on the upperside of the fore wing. These three groups present no 

 difficulty even though the amount and intensity of the black mark- 

 ing may vary greatlj" according to season : the general pattern of a 

 species always remains the same. The Hyposcritia species indra 

 and lalage with their races or varieties (indra with shiva, statilia 

 and varendra and lalage with durvasa, argyridina and lagela) can 

 seemingly be separated from all others by the relative lengths of the 

 discocellular veinlets and by the fact that thej have either a minute 

 black dot on the discocellular veinlets of the fore wing on the upper- 

 side (iiulra) or a large black spot in the lower apex of the cell on 

 the same wing (lalage). These last two species are rather like the 

 Gatophaga lot to look at and it is this Gaiophaga group or sub-genus 

 in which the confusion exists. Colonel Bingham, in the Fauna of 

 British India, gives five species of Gatophaga : paulina, galathsa, 



