COMMON BUTTERFLIES OF THE PLAINS OF INDIA. 323 



broad band with dorsum in same plane as head vertex. Segment 3 same 

 breadth as segment 2 in front, broader about middle because of the 

 prominent shoulders ; the dorsal line of segment rises at nearly a 

 right angle to plane of segment 2, then rounds off suddenly to become 

 nearly parallel to longitudinal axis of pupa, rising only slightly to the apex 

 which is nearly over the posterior margin. Segment 4 forms part of the 

 hinder slope of the thorax, so that segment 5 is the lowest point of the 

 dorsum after which the transverse section of abdomen is a slightly increas- 

 ing circle up to segment 8, afterwards decreasing continually to anal end 

 which is bluntly rounded, the last two segments forming a nearly perfect 

 hemisphere bearing a short stout cremaster. The surface of the pupa is 

 dull, very slightly wrinked and set with minute erect hairs. The colour is 

 white with a pink and yellow shade in it ; segments 2 — 5 have a subdorsal 

 broad interrupted black line coalescing at the hinder margin of the last 

 segment, the extremities in front being joined by a straight line on the 

 vertex of head ; the dorsal space between these lines on segments 3 and 4 

 is reddish yellow ; the abdomen has a broad subdorsal line, a similar 

 spiracular line and a central ventral one : all black ; each of these lines or 

 bands enclose a reddish yellow circular spot near front margins of segments, 

 these spots being the scars left by the larval spines (except the ventral 

 spots) ; last segment and cremaster are black ; tips of head points, sides of 

 head, shoulders, antennae and greater part of proboscis also black ; wings 

 margined black with a central bifurcated black mark to each and a short 

 subapical line ; all the black markings are dull, not shiny. L : 17 mm. 

 B : 6 mm. at broadest part. 



Habits. — The eggs are laid in a batch, up to 15 or so in number, 

 on a young shoot or tendril ; the larvse are gregarious at first but 

 separate in the third stage ; they are extremely lively and moth- 

 like in their movements and grow very fast ; they generally sit on 

 the underside of a leaf though by no means always, pupate 

 generally on or near the food-plant, the pupa hanging perpendi- 

 cularly down by the tail like all nymphaline pupae, freely, though 

 firmly, attached. The larva, pupa and imago have a disagreeable 

 odour. In Bombay the butterfly is to be found at all seasons, in 

 the mountains and plains, forests and open country, even in the 

 region of least rainfall — Sind. The flight is that given for the 

 sub-family. The food-plant is Modecca palmata, Lam., in the 

 clamper parts, the wild Passionflower, but the larva will also 

 teed on cultivated kinds, perhaps even on certain Cucurbitacece, 

 these being near allies of the Passionflowers. The butterfly is 



