568 • 



THE BUTTERFLIES OF THE NORTH CANARA DISTRICT 



OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY. 



By J. Davidson, T. R. Bell,, and E. H. Aitken. 



Part III. 



{With Plate VI.) 



{Continued from page 393.) 



Family PAPILIONIDiE. 



Sub-Family Pierin^. 



The " Whites " are fond of open country, and the sub-family, as 



might be anticipated, is not very well represented in our district. 



Several species which are among the commonest butterflies in other 



parts of the Presidency are wanting or rare here. On the other hand, 



we have one or two peculiarly forest forms. 



A word of explanation or apology is necessary about the specific 

 names which we have adopted. No group of butterflies has received 

 less mercy from the species-makers than this, and it would not be 

 difficult to double the length of our list out of the material in our 

 collections ; our aim has not been to publish a long drawn-out list, but 

 to give such real information as we can about those kinds of butter- 

 flies which, after six years of collecting and breeding, we believe to 

 inhabit the district. Now a difficulty arises. Given a very variable 

 butterfly, the seasonal and casual varieties of which appear to us to 

 have been described under a dozen different names, how shall we 

 indicate it ? One way would be to head the description with a list of 

 the names which have been given to it and let each reader take his 

 choice. Another way is to select the name that seems to have 

 priority. But we have neither the ability nor the inclination for the 

 kind of research that is necessary to carry out either of these methods, 

 and, besides this, we have not access to the necessary books and collec- 

 tions. To attempt it with the resources which are at our disposal 

 would only add to the existing confusion. We have decided, therefore, 

 to disclaim all pretence that our name in any case is the name under 

 which the species ought finally to stand, and to be satisfied if we can 

 indicate clearly in each case the butterfly that we mean. If anybody 

 believes that we are indicating not one but several totally distinct 

 species, no harm is done ; he will find our account of the habits and 

 metamorphoses equally applicable to them all ! 



