12 LEPIDOFTERA INDICA. 



there is certainly nothing which can be called articulation in our American species, 

 though they are freely movable. The larvae are rapid eaters and feed, the Old World 

 type or Limnaidi (to which the North American species belongs), on Asclepiadacese, 

 the New World type, or Ithomyidi, on Solanacese. 



" They are on the wing throughovit the year in the warmer parts of America, 

 and pass through several successive broods, wintering farther north in the wing 

 state. 



" The chrysalids are always suspended by the hinder extremity, and are usually 

 green or yellow and mai'ked with golden spots or streaks. (Scudder, I. c. p. 703.) 



Genekal Habits. — Mr. De Niceville (Butt. Ind. i. 22) writes: " These are butterflies 

 of slovv flapping flight when undisturbed, and of fearless demeanour. They include 

 some of the very commonest of Indian butterflies, and the commoner species are 

 not only widespread, but they occur in most parts in very great numbers. Their 

 fearlessness is evidently the result of the freedom that they enjoy from the attacks 

 of insectivorous birds and reptiles, which they owe to the presence of a pungent 

 semi-aromatic odour pervading the juices of their bodies ; these juices, when exuded 

 by pressure, stain the skin yellow and leave a distinct odour ; their bodies are more- 

 over very tough and leathery, and they have great tenacity of life, so that any 

 individual which might be accidentally seized and afterwards dropped by a bird, has a 

 good chance of escaping with immunity when moi'e delicately framed insects would 

 be killed or hopelessly maimed. The males often bear curious sexual marks on the 

 wings, and have besides, the power of extruding and expanding two long brushes 

 of yellow hairs from their anal extremity, which have been thought to disseminate 

 the odour with which the insects are furnished. In connection with the immunity 

 from persecution which these insects enjoy, it is worthy of note that many species 

 belonging to widely different genera, such as Elijmnias, Hijpollmnas, some of the 

 Pierinm, Papillonince, &c., which altogether lack this (odorous) kind of protection, 

 are found to closely resemble in outward appearance and style of coloration certain 

 species of Euploeinge which frequent the same localities at the same periods ; such 

 genera are termed ' mimetic,' with reference to this habit of mimicry." 



Eegarding the gregai'ious habits of these insects. Dr. Thwaites (Lep. Ceylon, 

 i. p. 1) writes from Ceylon: " The number of Cejdonese species in this subfamily is 

 not very considerable, though some of them, especially of the Euploeas, are extremely 

 numerous in individuals. These are, moreover, strikingly interesting on account of 

 their mode of flight and gregarious habits. On a fine sunny day, when calm or 

 nearly so, amazing numbers of one or more species of Euploea may often be observed 

 wending their way in one direction, as if floating upon the air a few feet from the 

 ground, with an apparently sluggish movement of their wings, though really making 

 I'apid progress. Resembling an army in scattered open column, they move on 



