810 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HLST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXII. 



As the words " all the year round " above, might by some be misunder- 

 stood to apply generally throughout India, rather than to the Plains of 

 India and Hill Stations of the Bombay Presidency to which more especially 

 Mr. Bell's paper refers, the following few notes may be of interest : — 



Having made observations and notes as opportunity occurred, both in 

 the hills and in the plains, during the past 5 years, it has struck me that 

 the facts disagree with this statement, as regards the North- West of India 

 at least. Of over 100 forms observed by me in the field the majority have 

 their special season, or seasons ; and in a few cases it was remarkable how 

 nearly to date the earliest observed examples appeared in the different 

 years. 



Taking a few examples from Mussoorie : — 



Aporia soracte. 1910. Specimens in fresh condition taken on May 10. 



1912. The earliest example was observed by me on 



May 6. 



1913. do. do. do. May 4. 

 Euaspa milionea, was on the wing from 22nd May for about six weeks. 



A six weeks total period of flight for a brood seems to be common for many 



different forms which do not hibernate as butterflies. 



Aulocera padma, " May" to June 26. 



„ brahminus, " July " (not met with by me in the field). 



„ mrasioati, August 27th to October 10th, or later. 



„ sivaha, September 5th to October 10th, or later. 



From notes of captures in freshly emerged state, and the accompanying 



seasonal chart, one can draw conclusions as follow regarding the broods of 



these forms for the district of Mussoorie : 



Callerebia annada, 1i_.it iii. jj 

 -L r. -J r both double brooded. 

 „ hybrida J 



Lethe dyrta {rohria Pabr.) Three broods. 



„ confusa, probably the same, 2 broods at least. 



„ insana, ~j 



„ verma, > all double brooded. 



„ vaivarta, ) 



Neope yama, one brood. 



„ pulaha, two broods. 



In the South of India where the difference between the seasons is less 



marked, the tendency for forms to breed all the year round may be marked ; 



but I think that such observations as the above for the Mussoorie district 



show that this is not applicable throughout India. 



Incidentally the chart and captures of specimens in freshly emerged 



condition would seem to prove that C. annada and C. hybrida are 



distinct and not merely seasonal varieties of one form as given in most 



works on the subject, for they fly together, and I have not taken any 



examples truly intermediate between them. 



H. D. PEILE. 



22«(? January 1914. 



(For Chart, see next page.) 



