NEPTIS. By H. Fruhstorfer. 
595 
other Nymphalidae by the fact that the valve is distally bifurcate and dorsally provided near the apex with a 
spine resembling the fang of a snake or the tusk of a boar. Valve proper ventrally and dorsally curved, thinly 
covered with fine hair and in a few species ventrally provided with a membranous or chitinous appendage, 
in shape not unlike a Phrygian cap; but this latter is in many species absent. Uncus as a rule quite delicate, 
not unusually short, but rather long and slender, either straight or slightly curved. Many species of Neptidi 
display on the upper surface of the hindwings some sexual distinction in the shape of highly specialized frictio¬ 
nal surfaces, which are entirely lacking in the Limenitis Group. But whereas sexual Dimorphism is very 
common in the Genus Athyma, the Neptidi display it but in a few exceptional cases ( Phaedyma , Neptis vikasi 
and praslini). Neither are they easily influenced by climatic conditions, horodimorphic forms being only met 
with in several continental and very few insular species; in these, hoAvever, onlythe colouring is subject to slight 
modifications, but we never notice a change in the shape of the wings or otherwise in their appearence. To the 
influences of locality the Neptidi offer but a slight resistance, inclining to a much higher degree 
than even the Limenitidi toward the development of geographical forms. Still we notice among all the 
Neptidi a certain monotony in their external features, not one single species displaying particularly brillant or 
beautiful colours, although in the Philippines there occur 2—3 moderately gay-coloured species. 
We find representatives of this Genus in the warmer regions of the entire Old World and beyond, even in 
Australia. But their chief home is the mountainous portion of China south of the Yangtsekiang, and the 
Indian Region. Northward we find a few species advancing as far as the Amur and Yesso, two species having 
even entered Europe through Siberia and Southern Russia, being found in Roumania, the Austrian Monarchy 
and as far as southern Switzerland. Inthelndo-Malayan Region we find this Genus everywhere from the Anda¬ 
mans as far as the Solomon Archipelago and Tropical Australia. 
d Altogether we are at the present time acquainted with about 30 African species, whereas in China 
there occur about 20, in India proper about 24, in Sikkim 15, Assam 14 species; from the Macromalayan 
Islands we know about 16, from the Micromalayan Islands 8'—9 species; Celebes harbours about 5, the Philip¬ 
pines 15, the Moluccas 7, the Papuan Region about 12 species. 
Surprisingly small appears the number of species in Celebes; among its 5 species two may be considered 
to be endemic, namely Neptis neriphus Hew. and antara Moore, whereas two others ( vikasi Horsf. and hylas L.) 
may have immigrated from Java over the chain of islands, and its Phaedyma species may, judging from its 
close relationship to the Philippine forms, have immigrated from Mindanao. 
Only few species are known to have a wide range of distribution, although the larvae are supposed to 
be polyphagous; some species are strictly local, others insular. 
Most wonderful appears the great number of species found in the relatively small Philippine island of 
Palawan, whence 13 species are known, three of which are endemic ( tricolor , bella, illigerella), whereas neither 
Borneo nor Java with 13 species each, nor Sumatra with 15 species have any endemic forms, and Celebes has 
among 5 known species 2, Mindanao among 10 species only one which are endemic. 
Regarding their habits the Neptidi offer but little which is of interest to the observer, and the greater 
number of species count among the most common butterflies in the tropical and subtropical regions. Only 
a few species are found in the forests, the majority frequent open sunny places and are met with even in close 
proximity to human habitations. Among all Nymphalids the Neptidi are the first ones one meets in the 
early morning, and they neither mind heavy dews nor are they kept away by dull weather; notwithstanding 
their love for sunshine one finds them flying about even during heavy showers; this I often had occasion to 
observe in Tonkin, and I was assured by Mr. Max Korb that the same holds good in the case of the species 
of the Amur Region. 
The species of the Genus Rahinda are solely confined to the plains; likewise the majority of Phaedyma 
which appear to prefer the sea-shore, although several forms of columella are found to ascend to an altitude 
of about 3000 ft. The Chinese species, especially the larger ones, are known to inhabit elevations of from 
5—10 000 ft., Neptis hylas L. and N. mahendra Moore were observed in the western Himalayas at an altitude 
of 9000 ft., and De Niceville has shown beyond doubt that nyctens is not at all uncommon in Native 
Sikkim at the enormous height of 12 000 ft. 
The more common species frequent the blossoms of the most various plants, especially of the Trifo- 
liaceae, and Rahinda hordonia was taken by Hagen in Sumatra (Iris 1896, p. 170) together with Chersonesia 
rahria from the blossoms of a species of Sambucus. 
About the early stages very little is known nothwithstanding the great abundance of most species. 
We only know ovum, larva and pupa of the two European species hylas sappho Pall, and lucilla Schiff., as well 
as larva and pupa of Neptis hylas matuta Hb., hylas hylas L., jurnbah jurnbah Moore, jumbah nalanda Fruhst., 
nandina kallaura Moore, viraja Moore, and Rahinda hordonia. Stoll and consimilis Bsd. 
According to Ruhl the eggs are thimble-shaped, marked with regular hexagonal figures the outlines 
of which are covered with dense bristles; in each hexagon one remarks a spot of great brillanc-y, noticeable 
even with the naked eye. The eggs are fastened singly upon the under surface of Spiraea leaves, those of sappho 
near the apex of the leaf. Hagen observed a $ of hylas papaja Moore depositing its eggs upon a species of 
