HILGIBIS 
99 
necessary consequence of my complete ignorance of the Indian fauna 
was that I did not know what was most worth catching. These 
white butterflies are, as a rule, by no means easy to catch, and were 
often in bad condition, but in each locality I used to endeavour to 
secure one or two good samples. Doubtless the Hiposcritia passed 
for a very fine Taekyris . 
Amongst herbage Mecyna polygonalis , Hiibn. (a rarity in Britain), 
was often kicked up, having much the habits and appearance of my 
old Bermuda and Mortehoe friend Nomophila noctuella, Schiff. 
(Stenopteryx hybridalis, Hiibn.), which too was fairly common in 
exposed situations at about 8000 ft.; at a similar elevation a single 
example of the Danaine Badacara nilgiriensis, Moore, was taken. 
Above the Botanic Garden on the road to Dodabetta, at about 
8000 ft., I several times saw, but missed, Vanessa canace, Johanss. 
(haronica, Moore), a butterfly that looks dingy in the cabinet, but on 
the wing looks much brighter and bluer than would be expected. It 
is sometimes called the Blue Admiral (completing the trio), though 
in truth it is much more like a Tortoise-shell. Argynnis hyperbius was 
common at the higher elevations, and in exposed situations up to 
8500 ft., reminding me of A. aglaia. It flew up and down the roads, 
returning again and again to the same spot. 
The commonest and most characteristic butterfly of Utakamand 
was the pretty little Golias nilgiriensis, Feld., which was seen coursing 
over the grassy downs from 7300 to 8600 ft. Its flight is moderately 
fast, but quite close to the ground. It was somewhat startling, but 
in a way refreshing, to come across this Arctic survival so far within 
the tropics, associated, moreover, with species characteristic of Ceylon. 
The late Col. Bingham considered nilgiriensis to be a local race of 
hyale, auct. As it was especially abundant in the hotel garden I 
took the opportunity of examining five males for scent; in two of them 
I suspected the existence of a slight scent, but in the remaining three 
the result was negative. 
From tJtakamand I moved to KonBr, which stands on the 
southern edge of the plateau, overlooking the plain. It is at about 
6500 ft. above sea-level, or 1000 feet lower than Utakamand. At 
this elevation Golias nilgiriensis was not nearly so common as at the 
higher levels. 
Worn Pyrameis indica, a few Neptis eurynome and Precis iphita 
turned up here and there. Of a pair of Terias hecabe taken in copula , 
the male proved to be of “intermediate dry, 53 the female of “pro¬ 
nounced dry 55 type. Opportunities of noting the pairing of the 
several forms occurred very rarely. Here I secured one specimen of 
