COMMON BUTTERFLIES OF THE PLAINS OF INDIA. 75T 



of piipa/ancl having its dorsal edgeln continuation'with dorsal line of pupa; 

 this process is straight, rounded at extremity, keeled on four sides dorsally,. 

 ventrally and laterally ; these keels continued down dorsum of pupa as 

 far as hinder margin of thorax, to meet the lines of wings continuing the 

 tornal half of the terminal wing-margin on segment 5 ; and, anteriorly, on 

 to the vertex of head ; the broadest part of pupa is at segment 8 ; thence- 

 it decreases to anal end gradually, the cremaster being strong, continuous- 

 with body, 4-sided, with ventral, beaded extensor-ridges ; wings slightly 

 expanded at segment 7. Surface minutely indented ; on thorax above- 

 wing margin, is a small tubercle or rising. Spiracle of segment 2 indicat- 

 ed by a narrow, oval, yellowish slit bordered in front by a coarse ledge ;. 

 other spiracles are narrowly oval, yellowish, not large. Colour olive- 

 green, margins of segments and keels whitish yellow as well as the two 

 lateral lines on abdomen, one to each side. L : 30mm. along dorsal line to 

 end of process ; 29mm. along ventral line to front of head ; B : 10mm. at 

 segment 7 ; H : 10mm. at the same point ; L of thoracic process : 4'5mm. 

 by l"5mm. 



A diagrammatic representation of the spines of the egg-caterpillar is- 

 given below. 



Habits. — The egg is laid in the same manner as that of P. nomiiis 

 which it resembles in every way. The little larva has exactly the 

 same habits and the grown caterpillar behaves in the same way 

 exactly except when it comes to pupation. P. doson larva strings 

 itself lip to a twig, branch, underside of a leaf on its foodplant or 

 some adjacent tree or shrub by the tail and a short bodj^-string. 

 The pupa does not as a rule lie dormant like that of P. nomius for 

 any time but, when kept in captivity towards the cold weather, 

 without a chance of dew or moisture of any sort, it will lie over 

 for months like man}' others. The colour of the pupa varies of 

 course with the colour of the surroundings it is formed in, also like 

 most others. The butterfly is one of the most powerful fliers of th& 

 whole genus and is fond of sunshine and flowers though it merely 

 sips at these in a perfunctory way, wasting no time at any one blos- 

 som ; it always seems to be in a great hurry and can only be seen 

 at rest when sipping the moisture on roads and in the beds of nallas 

 in compan}^ with others of the genus and the stronger winged 

 Pieridce ; even then it is easily disturbed and flies straight Siway as 

 a very general rule. It is extremely plentiful in Kanara in the hot 

 months and rains, may be found at any time of the year, but seems 

 to be confined to the hills and jungles from the sea upwards ; it 



