160 nymphalidjE. 



Melanitis gokaJa, Moore. Cat. Lep. Mus. E. I. C. i, 1857, p. 224 ; 



M . $ de N. Butt. Ind. i, 1883, p. 256 ; Moore, Lep. Ind. ii, 



1893-96, p. 133, pi. 129, figs. 1, la-le, <$ 2 . 

 Melanitis aculeata, Hampson, J. A. S. B. 1888, p. 351. 

 Melanitis ampa, iSivinhoe, A. 31. JY. H. (6) v, 1890, p. 353. 



Race tarn bra. 



Melanitis tambra, Moore, Lep. Ceyl. i, 1880, p. 15, pi. 9, figs. 2, 

 2 a-2 c, 6 2 j larva & P u P a 5 M. ty de N. Butt. Ind. i, 1883, 

 p. 255; Moore, Lep. Ind. ii, 1893-96, p. 125, pi. 124, fig. 1, larva 

 & pupa, 1 a-lf, $ § • 



Wet-season form. — <$ 2 . Costa more strongly arched; apex and 

 termen of fore wing as in M. ismene. Upperside closely resembles 

 M. ismene, but the ferruginous markings near apex of fore wing 

 are entirely wantiug, the black subapical spots smaller and very 

 obscure, the smaller white spot absent. Hind wing uniform, 

 without ocelli ; in a few specimens the mere trace of a subterminal 

 ocellus in interspace 2. Underside similar to the underside in 

 M. ismene, but the ground-colour darker and the transverse striae 

 not so clear and well-defined, the transverse brown lines also more 

 obscure. 



Dry -season form. — tf 2 . Costa of fore wing very strongly arched, 

 apex more falcate than in M. ismene. Upperside : ground-colour as 

 in M. ismene but often pale purplish towards the terminal margins ; 

 markings near apex ferruginous, very often ochraceous or merely 

 pale, much less definite and more limited in extent than in 

 M. ismene, when present confined to the area inwards from and 

 above the black subapical spots, not extended beyond towards the 

 termen, but generally prolonged to the costa as an oblique short 

 broad stripe. Underside as in M. ismene. Antennae, head, thorax 

 and abdomen brown ; the antennae annulated and tipped with 

 ochraceous. 



Exp. 6 2 72-86 mm. (2-83-3-38"). 



Hah. The Himalayas from Kashmir to Sikhim ; Assam, Naga, 

 and Khasi Hills ; Burma, and Tenasserim. 



Bace varaha, Moore. — This, the southern form of M. bela, 

 differs in being smaller and much darker, with the ferruginous or 

 ochraceous markings on the upperside near the apex of the fore 

 wing still more obsolete than they are in typical M. bela. In the 

 wet-season form the subapical large black spots on the upperside of 

 fore wing are very obscure and want the smaller white spots. In 

 the dry-season form the terminal margins on the upperside of fore 

 and hind wings are always purplish, and in the females the ochra- 

 ceous markings are similar to the markings in M. bela and tolerably 

 distinct, the ground-colour being much paler than in the male. 



Exp. S 2 68-70 mm. (2-68-2'75 // ). 



Hob. Southern India. 



Var. gokala, Moore, is a form intermediate between typical 

 M . bela and typical M. varaha. $ 2 • Upperside umber-brown, 

 the black subapical spots diffuse and generally in both wet-season 



