1897.] L. de Niceville — Description of .JNeptis praslini. 533 



two cockroaches, but did not note when they were eaten, nor did I make 

 any more experiments with this frog. 



These experiments are hardly sufficient to form any conclusion as 

 to the tastes of this Amphibian ; but it would appear, if anything, to 

 object to Danais chrysippus more than to Delias eucharis, and not very 

 seriously to either. But sufficient opportunity for choice was not given. 



A toad (Bufo melanostictus) which was also being fed on cockroaches, 

 and had one in its cage at the time, did not touch a D. chrysippus put 

 in on November 4th. But one such experiment is practically useless.* 



A tree-frog did not eat some Skippers put in, but then as far as 

 I saw it did not feed at all while I observed it. 



* I note on August 24th, 1895, offering a large " glow-worm " to a small toad 

 at Dehra Dun. The insect was followed about but left ; and another small toad 

 behaved in the same way. In this case the insect was probably too big : but subse- 

 quently a smaller one offered to a toad was not noticed. The toads were at liberty. 



Description of Neptis praslini, Boisduval, and some species allied to 



it— By Lionel de Niceville, F.E.S., C.M.Z.S., &c. 



[Received May 11th;— Read June 2nd, 1897.] 



Neptis praslini, Boisduval, and its allies form a very interesting 

 little group of the large genus Neptis. They appear to be confined to 

 the Moluccas, the Papuan group of islands, the Bismarck Archipelago, 

 and Northern Australia. So long ago as 1832, Dr. Boisduval noted the 

 very strong superficial resemblance of Neptis (Limenitis) brebissonii, 

 Boisduval, from New Guinea, which is one of the species referred to 

 in this note, to the butterflies of the genus Tellervo,f Kirby (Hamadryas, 

 Boisduval, nee Hamadryas, Hiibner, the type of the latter being Papilio 

 (Vanessa) io, Linnaeus). The mimicry in this case by the brittle-winged 

 edible Neptis of the leathery- winged unpalatable Tellervo is one of the most 

 remarkable and complete in the entire range of the Bhopalocera. The 

 sexes probably in all the species of the group here dealt with are well 

 marked, the male having the inner margin of the forewing on the under- 

 side and the costal margin of the hindwing on the upperside broadly 

 furnished with closely-packed shining grey scales which are wanting in 

 the female. Both wings of the female also are somewhat broader and 

 more rounded than in the male. Several authors have placed 

 " Limenitis " praslini and its allies in the genus Athyma, which is cer- 

 tainly incorrect ; they are all true Neptes, 



t Tellervo, Kirby, Allen's Naturalist's Library, New Edition, Lepidoptera, part i. 

 Butterflies, vol. i, p. 28 (1894). 



