NYMPHALIN^E. 
41 
Vanessa (Grapta) canace, Linn. 
Also known as charonia , Drury. A fairly common butterfly here, with the rapid 
flight and usual habits and characteristics of all the Vanessce , including the “ click ” of the wings, 
which can often be distinctly heard. When the wings are closed its jagged outline reminds one 
somewhat of the “ Comma ” butterfly at home. It may be found at Lantana flowers but chiefly 
feeds on the overripe berries and other half-rotten fruits. It is addicted to settling on the ground, 
sometimes fanning its wings, sometimes keeping them fully expanded or even with the tips below 
horizontal : and often rests on walls, rocks and tree-trunks warmed by the sun, generally head 
downwards. Usually a very wary, easily scared insect, it is occasionally seized with unaccountable 
fits of boldness, and I have more than once seen it settle again and again on a moving jinricksha in 
a crowded street. It is on the wing throughout the year, though most numerous in autumn. The 
sexes are similar, but the white sub-apical marking on the upperside of the forewing is larger in 
the $ than in the 
Fig. 2, PI. V is from a $ taken in November. 
Egg, sub-conical, multi-angled longitudinally, the angles whitish, the rest green. Laid 
singly on the upperside of leaves of Smilax China , Linn., a very prickly climber with scarlet 
berries, native to China, Cochin China and Japan, Nat. Ord. Liliacece. 
Larva, very young, head black, general colour shiny yellow-brown, base of spines light 
yellow. Later, general colour grayish maculated with dark brown, the yellow of the base of the 
spines suffused and almost forming a broad yellow ring on each seg. Branches of spines nearly 
black. Fullgrown, each seg. narrowly banded transversely with black and pale yellow, these latter 
bands narrower than the black. Each seg. also broadly banded transversely with orange spotted 
with black, the spines being set in these bands. Seven longitudinal rows of stout pale yellow 
spines or processes, spined laterally at the top with black and up the stems with pale yellow 
spinelets, the tips black. Head black, bristly with black hairs, with the suture narrowly marked 
in orange. The first spine of the central dorsal row is on the fifth seg., the last spine on the 
twelfth or penultimate segment. The two last segs. irregularly marked with black and orange, 
with a large sub-circular black spot above the anus. Prolegs black, ringed at the base with orange. 
Underside chiefly black, but banded narrowly with whitish something like the upper surface. After 
the later moults, when nearing pupation, the stems of the spines become white, and the pale yellow 
transverse bands on the body also are nearly white. 
Pupa, angular, two rows of sharp processes down the back of the abdomen, and other 
very small processes on the dorsal surface. Head deeply cleft, the two parts sharply pointed and 
curved inwards. General colour deep purple-brown, variously marked with reddish; a silver 
marking each side of the back of the thorax, each marking divided into two by a transverse brown 
line. After some days the four lowest processes (just above the silver spots) become dark 
red-gold. Attached by the tip only, without a band. 
