THE COMMON BUTTERFLIES OF THE PLAINS OF INDIA. 3] 



under the edge of the weh — the edge that has been left unfastened 

 by the larva for that piu-pose — and runs ont to find a place from 

 which to hang and develop its wings. Ants are hardly ever found 

 with the larvae and the few that were observed had probably other 

 things in view than to visit them — the sugarj^, fermented juices of 

 the inside of the frait for example. The fruits the larvee have been 

 found in are various : — Bandia dumetorum (Buhiacece) : JErio- 

 botria japonica {B.osaceoe') ; Psidium guava (Myrtacece) ; Tamarin- 

 dus indica (Legtmiinosece) ; Strijchnos nnx-vomica (Loganiacece) ; 

 Gardenia latifolia (Biobiacece) . It is evident, from this list, that 

 they feed upon any species handy. The pupa is so attached 

 inside the fruit that its head is directed towards the opening. 

 It is stated by Downes that "we may notice an interesting fact, 

 namely that the insect has the precautionary instinct, which acts 

 as a second inducement, to make the aperture in the fruit in that 

 stage of its existence in which it is furnished with organs best 

 adapted for that purpose ; for, had the larva omitted taking this 

 step, the consequences would have been that the insect, when come 

 to the butterfl)'* state, would have been a prisoner totally unable to 

 escape, being unprovided with any instrument suited to the 

 purpose." But it does not ; it makes the aperture and enlarges 

 it as found necessary all through its existence for egress and 

 ingress so as to be able to come out and fix the stalk : after a time 

 that is, after it has passed through, say, the first two stages. The 

 larvae in confinement will leave any fruit to which there is want 

 of access of air because of the fermentation and consequent smell 

 which must be exceptional!}^ bad. Also, in confinement, they ma}* 

 not be able to shovel out the dirt owing, perhaps, to the hole not 

 being uppermost and free — no wonder the}^ then quit. Ants 

 take away the droppings for some purpose or other but the larva 

 does the cleaning itself, independently of their help. The shovel 

 is very often used to block up the opening — to prevent enemies 

 from gaining ingress verj- probably ; though this device is not 

 always resorted to. 



The butterfly itself is a strong, powerful flier and takes quite 

 long flights on occasion as when in pursuit of another one — a 

 practice it is much prone to when basking on the tops of trees in 

 the sun. It sits there expectant of sport — and gets it. It is one 

 of the " basking butterflies " that is always to be found on the tops 

 of the trees on the summit of the 2,000' high hill near the coast at 

 Karwar in Kanara; and it appears at about 2 p.m. in the monsoon 

 months — all butterflies have their particular time of day for putting 

 in an appearance. Once known, their sequence is as good as a 

 watch up there. The females are never seen on the hills-tops and 

 do not bask. They may be fonud ovipositing however round the 

 food plants. The insects are very diflicult to catch in a net because 



