BUMICIA PHLAEAS. 



351 



outer margins broad ; the copper, therefore, runs as a longitudinal 

 band through the discal area to outer marginal band, extending beyond 

 the discal cell downwards between the submarginal row of spots and 

 outer band. The hind wings have a characteristic red marginal band, 

 with a row of four bright blue spots and long tails. The underside of 

 the forewings orange-red, with the black spots surrounded by white; 

 of the hindwings deep grey-brown, with a wide red-brown marginal 

 band and a fine red antemarginal line, the spots practically nil, a fine 

 transverse line between the middle of wing and the marginal band. 

 Niceville observes (Butts, of India, hi., pp. 315-6) that Cramer 

 described this form from Smyrna, in Asia Minor ; that there are 

 numerous specimens of it from Persia in the Indian Museum, 

 Calcutta, and that it occurs from Kashmir to Naini Tal, at any rate at 

 suitable elevations on the outer ranges of the Himalayas. He describes 

 it as follows : "<?,?, l*3ins.-l-7ins. $ , larger than the typical form ; 

 upperside of forewing very much darker, the coppery colour almost 

 entirely overlaid with blackish ; the black spots larger ; otherwise as 

 in the typical form. $ , larger ; upperside of forewing with the lower 

 basal area thickly overlaid with blackish scales, haviDg the apical and 

 outer portions alone of the coppery ground colour quite clear. Hind- 

 wing with the discal blue spots often very large and prominent, other- 

 wise as in the typical form." He also says that Colonel Lang notes 

 that "this species has a wide distribution in the northwest Himalayas; 

 common in the outward ranges, Kasauli, etc., appearing here and 

 there up to Upper Kunawar, in very various climates. It, however, 

 disappears in certain gaps, as it were, which are occupied by C. pavana." 

 Butler notes that Major Yerbury found it common at Murree, and 

 along the hills in Thundiani in August and September, and adds that 

 " timeus appears to be a tolerably constant form, resembling, on the 

 upperside, stygianus from Kandahar, but from this, the darker colour 

 and red band on the underside of the hind wing at once separate it." 

 Butler records also timeus from Kandahar; Lang reports it as common 

 at Naini Tal at 5500ft. to 7000ft., and Doherty remarks of Kumaon 

 specimens that, "comparing the prehensores of my specimens of timeus 

 with those figured by Dr. White, I should suppose the species distinct 

 from the European phlaeas ; " he also met with it at Naini Tal at 

 between 6000ft. and 7000ft. above Garbyan, and at Kalapani, northeast 

 Kumaon, from 11000ft.-15000ft. 



[3. var. stygianus, Butl., " Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond.," p. 408, pi. xxxix., fig. 5 

 (1880); "Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist.," 5th ser., ix., p. 208 (1882); Nicev.,_ " Butts, 

 of India," iii., p. 316 (1890). — d" , smoky-brown; the primaries in certain lights 

 shot with fiery copper ; spotted with black as in C. timeus {? eleus, Fabr.) ; two 

 small orange spots beyond the interrupted black discal series ; the hindwings with 

 a slender, undulated, deep, reddish-orange band on a black ground near the outer 

 margin ; above it a series of four or five pale blue hastate spots, and above these again, 

 beyond the end of the cell, two black dots ; a black dash at the end of the cell ; fringes 

 greyish-white ; body blackish. Wings below, very like C. timeus, but considerably 

 paler, the submarginal black spots of primaries less distinctly white-bordered ; the 

 apex and outer margin of primaries, and the ground colour of the secondaries, very 

 pale grey. Expanse of wings lin. 41 in. The ? larger than the c? ; the primaries, 

 with the outer third of the cell, and the subapical area, bright orange ; the black 

 spots larger, otherwise similar ; below slightly yellower in tint all over, so that the 

 ground colour of the secondaries has a pale brownish, rather than greyish, hue ; 

 exiDanse of wings, lin. 51in. Common in April and May, abundant in June. This 

 insect is considerably larger than C. phlaeas, and has the costal margin of the 

 primaries longer (Butler). 



