COMMON BUTTERFLIES OF THE PLAINS OF INDIA. 329 



apex slightly the highest part of pupa ; the wings are slightly expanded 

 behind shoulders in a semi-cylindrical fold. Constriction is slight dorsally, 

 laterally it is nil. Abdomen dorsally gently convex from thorax to anal 

 end ; belly flattish. Spiracle of segment 2 indicated by a small, circular, 

 flush, white space ; other spiracles oval, light in colour, on the very dorso- 

 ventral line. Surface of body covered densely with colourless, short- 

 pedicelled, star-topped hairs, the pedicels being longer on the anal seg- 

 ment ; a fringe of sparse, long, light hairs round dorso-ventral margin, 

 denser on head and segment 2 ; ventrum and wings glabrous. Colour of 

 pupa grass green, spotted finely with darker green in squares, a whitish 

 dorsal line, four small black spots on front margin of thorax, the two outer 

 ones the most distinct ; a lateral row of distinct black spots and a subdorsal 

 row of obsolescent ones on abdomen ; belly whitish. L: 16 mm. B: 6*5 mm. 

 at middle ; H: 4 # o mm. at apex of thorax. 



Habits. — The egg is laid anywhere on stalks, leaves, &c., of any- 

 surrounding small plant, on the food-plant itself, very often on a 

 blade of grass ; and nearly always in the evenings in dark, cool 

 places in the hills or heavy jungle country where the imago is 

 found. The larva lives on the underside of the leaves but is found 

 sometimes on the upperside, stalks, &c. It wanders to pupate but 

 not far ; consequently the pupa is not often to be found on its 

 own plant and is formed on the underside of a leaf, attached by the 

 tail and a tight body-band and is generally on a bed of white 

 powder. Very often the larva slightly draws the part of the leaf, 

 where it rests together by silks and the pupa may be formed in 

 such a half cell. The imago is a shade-loving butterfly, somewhat 

 lyceenid in appearance and in its ways ; it, however, never quite 

 closes its wings over its back and has the habit of resting on a leaf 

 at no great height from the ground where it first turns this way, 

 then that, rarely remaining quite quiet, taking a short, rapid, jerky 

 and dodging flight every now and then to return to the same 

 place ; it is most active in the late afternoons. It is never seen 

 at flowers. The distribution of this insect is in the Himalayas 

 from Chumba to Kumaon, Nepal and Bhutan, in Umballa, Fyza- 

 bad, Malda, Calcutta, Ganjam ; in Bombay south of Poona and 

 Bombay ; Ceylon, Burma, Tenasserim and China. 



(To be continued.) 



