lU LEPIDOPTEEA INDICA. 



it makes a husky squeaking noise, produced apparently by friction of the abdominal 

 rings" (Davidson and Aitken, I.e.). 



Egg. — " Reddish colour, and under a strong lens looks very like a rough I'ed 

 orange " (D. and A. I.e. 361). 



Habitat. — South India. 



Distribution and Habits. — " This butterfly is very common in the N. Kanara 

 District of Bombay, during the latter half of the Monsoon. By the end of the year 

 it has become scarce, at least on the Coast, and many are not seen after that until 

 the beginning of June, when the first rain brings them out in some numbers. It 

 flies slowly, but often to a good height, and hovering much over flowers. They rest 

 with the wings expanded. The larva3 are found in July, becoming increasingly 

 common till October, and are always conspicuous by their colour, resting on the 

 stems and under the leaves of the food-plant, Aristolochia inclica, a creeper with 

 bitter leaves. The larvis are protected by an offensive smell, and doubtless taste 

 similarly also both in the larval and perfect states. The egg, which we have often 

 found, is of a reddish colour, and under a strong lens looks very like a rough red 

 orange ; it is hatched on the eighth day. The larva is a cannibal, and if not well 

 supplied with fresh food will devour pupas of its own kind. The pupce state lasts 

 nearly four weeks" (J. Davidson and E. H. Aitken, /.c. 1890, 361; 1896, 576-7). 

 The late S.N. Ward, in his MS. Notes, writes: " This butterfly is found all over 

 Malabar from the summit of the highest hills to the sea level. The larva is 

 cj'lindrical, with a subdorsal row of obtuse nearly cylindrical pi'ocesses, two rows of 

 somewhat smaller processes occupying the middle, second, third, and fourth 

 segments, a triple row at the bottom of each segment, and a black horny plate 

 behind the neck beneath which the nuchal tentacles lie concealed. Colour dai-k 

 purple, clouded and mottled with darker shades of the same, the tips of the processes 

 being pale red, and with a flesh-coloured irregular-shaped band on each side 

 extending diagonally backwards from the bottom of the sixth to the top of the 

 seventh segment, the pink colour including the processes which rise from it. Pupa 

 very light pinkish brown, minutely streaked all over with thin dark lines, the saddle 

 golden yellow. Mr. E. L. Arnold says it is " found in the neighbourhood of Koonoor. 

 It is a high flyer, and the moment has to be watched for when it comes sailing down 

 in easy circles and alights upon some low-growing shrub, especially Clematis 

 Wighticrna, on which perhaps its larva feeds, though I have never succeeded in 

 finding it here" (But. Mo. Mag. 1880, 137). Dr. F. Day found it in Cochin, 

 appearing during October, and is seen from the early morning to the evening, as late 

 ns February or March " (MS. Notes). Capt. E. Y. Watson took " a single female at 

 Kathlekan, Llysore, in November" (J. Bombay N. II. S. 1890, 8). Mr. H. S. 

 Ferguson says it is " fairly common in the low country of Travancore, and up to 



