Order LEPIDOPTERA. 



Suborder PAPILIONINA. 

 Family NYMPHALIDjE. 



Imago. Yore wing : submedian, or vein 1, simple, in one sub- 

 family forked near base ; median vein witb three branches, veins 

 2, 3 and 4; veins 5 and 6 arising from the points of junction of 

 the discocellulars ; subcostal vein and its continuation beyond 

 apex of cell, vein 7, with never more than four branches, veins 

 8-11 ; 8 and 9 always arising from vein 7, 10 and also 11 some- 

 times from vein 7 but more often free, i, e. given off by the sub- 

 costal vein before apex of cell. Hind wing : internal (1 a) and 

 precostal veins present. Cell in both wings closed or open, often 

 closed in the fore, open in the hind wing. Dorsal margin of hind 

 wing channelled to receive the abdomen in many of the forms. 

 Antennae always with two grooves on the underside ; club variable 

 in shape. Throughout the family the front pair of legs in the <S , 

 and with three exceptions * in the $ also, is reduced in size and 

 functionally impotent ; in some the atrophy of the fore legs is 

 considerable, e. g. Danaince and Satyrince. In many of the forms 

 of these subfamilies the fore legs are kept pressed against the 

 underside of the thorax, and are in the male often very incon- 

 spicuous. 



The Indian forms belonging to the Nymphalidce can conveniently 

 be arranged under six subfamilies, a key to which is given below. 



Key to the Indian Subfamilies of the Nymphalidae. 



A. Discoidal cell in both fore and hind wing 

 closed. 

 a. Vein 1 in fore wing forked at base Danaince. 



* Libythea, Pseuderyolis, and Calinaga. 

 VOL. I. B 



