158 NYMPHALIDiE. 



wet season produces an ocellated form, the wings covered with 

 numerous short transverse striae ; the dry season a form in w^hich 

 the striae are not so prominent and the ocelli are often reduced to 

 mere specks ; but the ocellated and non-ocellated varieties are 

 often captured together. It is impossible within any reasonable 

 limits to give a detailed description of the variations in the colour 

 of the underside of the wings, especially in the dry-weather 

 forms of this genus. Every shade and gradation of ochraceous 

 brown, yellow, grey-black and ochraceous red occur aud are 

 arranged in spots, blotches, lines and striae in an endless variety 

 of patterns, but in all specimens closely approximating in shade 

 and markings to the dead and dying leaves among which they are 

 found. 



Key to the forms of Melanitis. 



a. Upperside of fore wing without, or with 



comparatively small narrow markings of 

 ferruginous or ochraceous near apex. 

 a'. The markings bordering a large subapical 

 black spot inwardly and above, but not 



extending to costa M. ismene, p. 158. 



b'. The markings extending to costa in a 



short oblique bar M. bela and races, p. 159. 



b. Upperside of fore wing with a large patch of 



orange-yellow near apex. 

 a . Subapical black spots on upperside of 



fore wing large, confluent, extending 



inwards and joining black patch beyond 



apex of cell M. zitenius, p. 161. 



b'. Subapical black spots on upperside of 



fore wing small, in rare cases wanting, 



never extended inwards, surrounded by 



orange patch M. bethami, p. 162. 



191. Melanitis ismene, Cramer (Papilio), Pap. Exot. i, 1775, pi. 26, 

 figs. A, B ; Moore, Lep. Ceyl. i, 1880, p. 14, pi. 10, tigs. 2, 2 a, 2 b, 

 c5 2 ; M. $ de N. Butt. Ind. i, 1883, p. 256, pi. 12, fig. 28 6 ; 

 Moore, Lep. Ind. ii, 1893-96, p. 118, pis. 122, 123, figs. 1 a-l e, 



Papilio leda, Drury (nee Linn.*), Exot. Ins. i, 1773, pi. 15, figs. 5 

 & 6 ; Moore (Melanitis), Cat. Lep. Mus. E. I. C. i, 1857, p. 222 ; 

 id. (Melanitis) Lep. Ceyl. i, 1880, p. 15, pi. 10, figs. 1, la,, lb, 

 <S $ ; MT8r de. N. (Melanitis) Butt. Ind. i, 1883, p. 252. 



Wet-season form. — S $ • Fore wing : apex subacute ; termen 

 slightly angulated just below apex, or straight. Upperside brown. 

 Eore w 7 ing with two large subapical black spots, each with a smaller 

 spot outwardly of pure white inwardly bordered by a ferruginous 

 interrupted lunule ; costal margin narrowly pale. Hind wing with 

 a dark, white-centred, fulvous-ringed ocellus subterminally in inter- 

 space 2, and the apical ocellus, sometimes also others of the ocelli, 



* The true leda, Linn., is the Amboina form of which the Indian form 

 " ismene" Cramer, is only a race. Drury's figures represent this dark Indian 

 race, for which, following Moore, I have retained Cramer's name. 



