COMMON BUTTERFLIES OF THE PLAINS OF INDIA. 741 



Larva. — " Somewhat limaciform ; anterior segments convexly scutellated ;; 

 furnished with a pair of short, fleshy tubercles on anterior and two on anal 

 segments." {Moore.) ''Coloiir bluish-green." {Dr. K. Jordan.) 



Fu2)a. — "Curved backward anteriorly; head broad in front; green." 

 {Moore.) From these descriptions of the larva and pupa may be gathered 

 that they are very similar to those of P. buddha. 



Ilahits. — There does not seem to be any record of the habits of 

 the larva, but it is not probable that it differs as regards its ways 

 from that of P. buddha. The imago is also not likely to differ from 

 that species as to choice of the style of country it inhabits though 

 it does not seem to be found below 2,000 feet above sea level. It 

 has a peculiar distribution but it is difficult to say to what this may 

 be due. It exists in Lower Bengal, in the Central Provinces, vSoutli 

 India and Ceylon. It has not been found anywhere in the Bom- 

 bay Presidency up to date but occurs in the Nilgiris. It is said to 

 be " rather common in the Plains, especially in the Spring, in 

 Ceylon, but also occurs in the mountains up to about 6,000'. 

 The flight is very swift." (Dr. K. Jordan.^ The foodplant is given 

 as " Chloroxylon " by Dr. Jordan. It is fairly cei-tain to be 

 C'hloroxylon Sicietenia, DC, a member of the famihr of the Meliacece 

 to which the Neem belongs ; it is known as the Indian Satin wood 

 tree and grows to a large size in Ceylon which is probably the 

 place Dr. Jordan's information was obtained. This foodplant 

 gives an indication of the sort of habitat the insect affects. The 

 tree is found in dry, hot parts of the Bombay Presidency such as 

 Bijapur, Dharwar and the east of Belgaum though the butterfly 

 has never been, as stated above, yet noticed in any of these places. 

 In Ceylon also it is limited to the dry regions. Its distribution 

 is said to be the deciduous forests of the Western Peninsula as far 

 as the northern edge of the Satpura mountains running between 

 the Narbaddha and the Tapti rivers ; but it is more than probable 

 that it occurs further north-east, extending through Chutia 

 Nagpur into the Behar Hills and, possibly, still further north up 

 to the Ganges, on the Bajmehal Hills ; and this simply because 

 Papilio crino is found in Lower Bengal ; that is the occurrence of 

 the butterfly there is certain to indicate the existence of the food- 

 plant of its larva. This is not the only interesting botanical 

 inference which may be drawn from the entomological fact. 



