226 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXIII. 



Mycalesis lepcha kohimensis n. sp. 



The form of lepcha occurring in the Naga Hills and Manipur is suffi- 

 ciently distinct from the typical form to be worth separating, and I propose 

 the above name for it. The iv. s. f. differs in the following respects ; the 

 d. s.f. is almost identical : ~ 



(1) Uppeiside : white band more distinct, intermediate between typical 



lepcha and M. malsara. 



(2) Underside : ground colour pure brown with no tinge of red. 



(3) Ocelli on underside of forewing in a line with the exception of the 



apical one which is bent inwards ; in lepcha the ocelli in inter- 

 spaces 3 and 4 are bent inivards. 



(4) Discal band on underside broader, especially near the costa of the 



forewing, whereas in typical lepcha it is very narrow. 



(5) Cilia (/rey or lohitish ; conspicuously so in males. In typical lepcha 



they are brown. 



It is worthy of note that in the d.^s.f. the cilia are brown. 



Fairly common in Manipur and the Naga Hills at 4,500 feet and upwards 

 during the rains. In the spring the d. s. f. flies at about 2,000 feet. 



There has been some confusion about the three closely allied forms — M. 

 malsara, Moore, M. lepcha, Moore, and M. tcatsoni, Evans. M. malsara and 

 M. lepcha have been considered by some authors as representing different 

 species and by others as races of one another. M. watsoni has only recently 

 been separated and was placed by Evans as a race of M. lepcha. Watson 

 probably took all three forms in the Ohin Hills but could find no constant 

 character by which to separate M. malsara from M. lepcha and recorded 

 both forms under the name of M. malsara (J. B. N. H. Soc, vol. x.» 

 p. 642). All three forms occur in Manipur and in the Naga Hills. In the 

 rains M. lepcha kohimensis flies at 4,500 — 7,000 feet, but descends in the dry 

 weather to 2,000 feet ; M. malsara and M. watsoni fly from the foot of the 

 hills up to about 3,000 feet. 



I have no doubt whatever that all three forms are perfectly distinct and 

 good species. 



In closely allied forms, where the facies are somewhat similar, the safest 

 guide is an examination of the genitalia. Fortunately the genitalia of 

 these three forms are all very distinct from one another. 



M. malsara has the apical half of the clasp rather stout and the apex 

 square and coarsely serrated. Hooks short and stout. 



M, loatsoni has the apical half of the clasp also rather stout, but the 

 apex is conspicuously hollowed out in the middle forming two rounded 

 projections on either side, and finely serrated. Hooks longer and thinner. 



M. lepcha kohimensis has the ax^ical half of the clasp longer and much 

 narrower ; the apex rounded and very finely serrated. Hooks long and 

 thin as in M. ivatsoni. The tegumen in all three forms also varies in shapt 

 slightly. 



In the few specimens of typical M. lepcha from the N. W. Himalayas 

 that I have examined the apex of the clasp appears slightly squarer, but 

 otherwise there is no difference in the genitalia and there is no doubt that 

 the form kohimensis is a race of lepcha. 



Mycalesis mnasicles pekna, Fruhst. 



A male and three females taken near Sebong, Manipur, in November and 

 April. I believe this species has previously been only recorded from S. 

 Burma and Tenasserim and from the Salwin River, Upper Burma. 



