462 KTMPHALIDiE. 



Larva. " Cylindrical, slender ; two dorsal rows of sharp spines 

 with three or four fine branch spines springing from a point in 

 the middle of each ; two rows of similar but shorter spines on 

 each side ; one pair of long, strong and straight spines on the 

 head, irregularly set with small spines which cluster at the end ; 

 colour variable, sometimes green with longitudinal dark brown 

 lines, or dark brown with an interrupted broad dorsal stripe of 

 pure white, not extending to either end." {Davidson Sf AitJcen.) 



Pupa. " Slender, wing-cases somewhat dilated, a dorsal pro- 

 tuberance and two small cephalic points ; colour variable : rigidly 

 attached by the tail, so that if the surface is vertical, the pupa 

 stands out horizontally." (Davidson fy Aithen.) 



Food-plants : Tragia cannabina anx! T. involucrata. 



449. Ergolis merione, Cramer (Papilio), Pap. Bxot. ii. 1777, p. 76, 

 pi. 144, tigs. G, H ; de N. Butt. hid. ii, 1886. p. 8; Moore, Lep. 

 Ind, v, 1901-1903, p. 20, pi. 383, figs. 1, 1 a-\f, rf $ . 

 Ergolis tapestrina, Moore, J. A. S. B. 1884, p. 19. 



Bace taprobana. 



Ergolis taprobana, Weshvood, in Dblday., Westw. § Hew. Gen. Di. 

 Lep. ii, 1851, p. 410, pi. 68, fig. 4; Moore, Lep. Ceijl. i, 1881, 

 p. 44, pi. 23, figs. 1, 1 a, 1 b, S 2 5 de N - Butt - lnd - ii> 1-886, p. 9 ; 

 Moore, Lep. Ind. v, 1901-1903, p. 22, pi. 384, figs. 1, 1 a-\f,<$ $ . 



Wet-season form. — J. Upper side brownish ochraceous. Fore 

 and hind wings crossed by slender, somewhat obscure, very sinuous 

 or zigzag dark basal, two subbasal and two discal lines disposed in 

 pairs, followed by a single, sometimes double, postdiscal and a 

 single subterminal slender line. All these lines more or less 

 interrupted anteriorly on the hind wing, which has a smooth 

 unmarked uniform appearance from costa to subcostal vein and 

 vein 5. On the fore wing there is in addition a series of obscure 

 spots between the postdiscal and subterminal markings, and a 

 small white subcostal spot before the apex. Underside much as in 

 E. ariadne, but the transverse chestnut bands broader, more 

 diffuse. Antennae, head, thorax and abdomen brownish ochraceous. 

 Sex-mark on the underside of the fore wing as in E. ariadne ; 

 no sex-mark on upperside of hind wing. — $ . Similar ; but 

 on the upperside the transverse lines broader, more diffuse, with 

 a greater tendency to form bands ; the postdiscal line always 

 double, forming a band traversed by a series of dark ochraceous 

 spots in the interspaces ; these lines and bands continuous, not 

 interrupted anteriorly on the hind wing as they are in the tf . 

 Underside, except for the sex-mark, as in the $ . 



Dry-season form. — <$ $ . Upperside : ground-colour much paler, 

 the transverse lines more distinctly in pairs, forming bands, the 

 ground-colour between each pair more dusky brown. Underside 

 similar to that in the wet-season form, but the ground-colour 

 paler, the bands more diffuse. 



Exp. 6 $52-62 mm. (2-05-2-43"). 



