260 
NYMPHALID^. 
this fact would seem to separate it from V. urticce. Probably, however, 
ladaJcensis may be only an isolated mountain form, and the exposed positions 
in which it occurs may have caused the larva to seek protection by con- 
structing the leafy retreat referred to above. Although both Jcaschmirensis 
and rizana occasionally occur at the same altitudes as ladaJcensis, the 
breeding-ground of the two first-named is at a very much lower elevation, and 
their presence in the perfect state on the higher ranges is due to the insect's 
well-known love of roaming. 
Grum-Grshimailo describes V. urticce, var. nixa*, from the Pamir, and 
states that he received a Thibetan example of the same form from M. Oberthiir. 
V. Krticce occurs throughout the whole of Europe and Northern and Eastern 
Asia. 
Staudinger (Rom. sur Lep. vi. p. 179) states that it is common in Amur- 
land, and that the specimens approach the form polaris. Stand. 
Vanessa xanthomelas. 
Fapilio xanthomelas, E^i^cr, Sdimett. i. pt. 2, pi. Ixiii. fig. 4- (1780?); Hiibner, Eur. 
Schmett. i. figs. 85, 86 (1793 ?). 
Vanessa xanthomelas, Godart, Euc. Meth. ix. p. 820 (1813) ; Horsfield & Moore, Cat. 
Lcp. Mus. E. I. C. i. p. 137 (1857) ; Lang, Butt. Eur. p. 172, pi. xl. fig. 1 (1884) ; 
de Niceville, Butt. Ind. ii. p. 235, pi. xviii. fig. 73, 6 (1886) ; Pryer, Rliop. Nihon. 
p. 26, pi. vi. fig. 10 (1888). 
" Male and Female. Upperside : both wings rich fulvous, the outer margin broadly black, bearing 
two indistinct diffused ochroous marginal lines, which are broken by bluish spots at the ends 
of the nervules. Fore wings with two black spots in the middle of the cell, often more or 
loss joined, sometimes forming a single quadrate spot, a large quadrate black patch at the 
end of the cell bounded above by the costa and below by the third median ncrvule, beyond 
which is a pale yellow diffused patch on the costa, another black patch beyond decreasing in 
width from the costa to the lower discaidal nervulc ; with a pale yellowisli more or less 
macular streak beyond from the costa to the upper discoidal interspace ; two more or less 
rounded black spots on the disc, the lower the larger, divided by the second median norvule ; 
two other larger similar spots in the subinedian intors])aco, the outer one the smaller, less 
distinct and diffused; the costa more or loss striated with ochreous and black. Hind wing 
with a largo somewhat rouiuhsd ))lack spot from tlie middle of the costa to 1-he discoidal 
* Var niza) Gr.-Gr. (Rom. sur Lcp. iv. p. 426). " Ello so distingue du typo : 1) par I'absonco 
prosque complete de taches blouos dans la bando margiualo des ailes antdriouros ; 2) ])ar nne 
scini-ombre noiratro assez largo limitant du c6to interieur la bando marginale des ailcs 
I)Osterieures, cL 'i) par la coloration nnio iioir-roux du dessous des ailes anterieures. 
"Cette formo vole au Darvaz dans le defile de Khobou-rabat, sur lea pontes meridionalos des monts 
Dnrvaz, ii une altitude de !)0()0 p. Tuin." 
