608 
NEPTIS. By H. Frtjhstoreer. 
fine, but distinct, white antemarginal line on the hindwing, which reminds us of the much smaller palibothra 
Fruhst. from Palawan. Beneath it resembles the North Indian soma Moore, although evincing its insular charac¬ 
ter in the narrower white bands. Rather scarce; I obtained only 4 d'c? which were collected in April. 
N. mindorana is not found outside of the Philippines; it seems to incline toward insular variation; 
but as there are only 4 subspecies known so far, a considerable number of new forms remains to be discovered. 
mindorana comes closest to N. nandina Moore, from which it is easily distinguished by the delicate distal border 
accompanying the submarginal spots on the forewing in which it resembles N. duryodana Moore. Beneath it 
approaches N. nandina jucundiora Fruhst. from Lombok in the vivid red-brown colouring, and N. soma fa. 
adipala Moore in the conspicuous white spotting of the anteterminal area on both wings. The most northern 
ilocana. form is ilocana Fldr. (126 g) with the purest white and largest bands and, uniformly pale reel-brown under surface. 
nivescens. ■ —- nivescens Fruhst. refers to an extreme dry-season form found in Luzon during April and figured by Semper 
(PI. 29, fig. 4 of his Work on Philippine Rhopalocera), in which the white median band on hindwing is enlarged 
into a broad patch. Presumably we should refer to ilocana also the specimens mentioned by Semper as being 
mindorana. taken in the Babuyanes and Polillo. —- In mindorana Fldr. we notice on the forewing, besides the submarginal 
band distinguishing ilocana, two distinct delicate lines running parallel with it; but the median bands are consi- 
derably narrower than in the Luzon form, and the colouring of the under surface on the whole darker. Mindoro 
negrosiani. and Ylin, not very abundant. - negrosiana Fruhst., closely allied to ilocana, but with somewhat narrower bands 
and the subapical spots on forewing more elongate and pointed than in either of the two preceding forms, between 
which it stands intermediate as to colouring and markings, especially of the under surface. Island of Negros 
nosba. and, without varying much, also in Cebu, Guimarao. — nosba subsp. nov. is another intermediate form connect¬ 
ing negrosiana with the form from Palawan, with narrower white bands than in negrosiana, but considerably 
larger in size than from the southernmost Philippines. Type came from the Camotes, contained in Semper’s 
collection in the Senckenberg Museum at Frankfort. I subordinate to this form also the specimens from Leyte 
harpasa. and Samar mentioned by Semper. —- harpasa subsp. nov., not scarce in Palawan during January, shows among 
all forms the plainest markings, resembling mindorana in the arrangement of the white bands, but with longitu¬ 
dinal lines traversing the anteterminal area very faint, and subapical as well as discal spots smaller; under 
surface darker brown than in the northern forms. Semper reports it also from Cuyo and Domoran. 
mahendra. N. mahendra has been described in Vol. I, p. 176. Its Indian representative, mahendra Moore is limited 
to the north-western Himalayas, occurring from Cashmere to Simla at elevations of from 2000—9000 ft, between 
April and August. It is somewhat subject to seasonal Dimorphism, specimens of the dry-season being smaller, 
less deep black than the summer form, with narrower bands, mahendra is easily recognized by the three large 
confluent subapical patches on forewing and the white subbasal band on hindwing considerably widening costally. 
extensa. —- extensa Leech (Vol. I, pi. 53 f) was erroneously united with N. yerburyi by Stichel, but is undoubtedly a form 
of mahendra, differing from specimens from the North-West Province only in the somewhat narrower white 
submarginal band on the hindwing. Found in West China, particularly on Omishan, at altitudes of up to 9000 ft. 
reducta. —- reducta Fruhst., a highly specialized, melanotic insular form which might almost be treated as a distinct 
species, differs from mahendra and extensa in having all the white markings greatly reduced; the submarginal 
band on hindwing is often nearly completely obsolete, and the costal subapical spot as a rule absent. The under 
surface is deeper brown than in Continental specimens, but in the increased white markings it comes closer 
to extensa than one should expect from the upper surface. Found as a great rarity during July in the mountain- 
nisaea. ous parts of Formosa, at altitudes of about 3800 ft. — nisaea Nicev. described from specimens discovered 
by me in Java, has the wings more rounded than mahendra, the ground-colour more fuscous brown, the sub¬ 
marginal spots reduced and all spots rather roundish than square; the under surface is deep chocolate-brown 
and approaches mahendra in the more conspicuous spotting. West Java, on the Vulcano Gede, only above 
elevations of 3800 ft., very scarce. 
N. yerburyi (Vol. I, p. 176, pi. 53 e), distinguished by the more elongate forewings which are at the 
apex drawn out to a distinct point. The spot at the apex of the cell is always elongate and on the under surface 
of the forewing either completely fused together with the basal streak or only separated from it by a feeble in- 
yerburyi. cision. Median band on hindwing wider than in mahendra, especially near costa. -— yerburyi Btlr. (I, 53 e) 
ranges, without undergoing any perceptible change, from Afghanistan to Tenasserim where I encountered it 
ominicola. in May at 3800 ft. of altitude. — ominicola Fruhst. (Vol. I, p. 177, pi. 54 a, erroneously named tibetana) found in 
western China. The specimens before me are from Omishan and are larger than from India, having the white 
spots on upper surface reduced in size and laved with dull yellow, which fact misled Leech to mistake omi¬ 
nicola for soma Moore; however, its relationship with yerburyi is proved by the subcostal band widening out 
clinioides. costally on hindwing. Not very scarce in western China during June and July up to 9000 ft. • — clitlioides 
Nicev., a small-sized form, has also above the cellular spots on forewing united, differing moreover from its 
Indian ally in the jet-black ground-colour and the reduced white submarginal bands on hindwing. Beneath 
