44 
NYMPHALIN/E. 
Precis group, like Danais, are so numerous, fond of flowers, and absorbed in feeding that they 
haunt the same patches of flowers day after day and add immensely to the interest and beauty of a 
garden. Nor do the larvae of butterflies here work any material damage in gardens, as there are 
exceedingly few cultivated flowers on which they feed, though the case is otherwise with moth 
larvae, some of which are very destructive. Walker found this butterfly at Hangchau, Haining 
and Shanghai, the specimens being larger and finer than those from Hongkong and other tropical 
parts ; but some of the d. s. forms here attain a large size. 
The sexes are alike. Fig. 9, PL VI is from a $ taken in November or d. s. f.; Fig. 10 
from a g of June or w. s. f. 
Egg, globular, green ; laid singly and usually on the upperside of leaves of the foodplant, 
Puellia repens , Linn., Nat. Ord. Acanthacece , a native of Burmah and Malaya. 
The larva is figured on PI. 3a, Fig. 7, pupa Fig. 8. The larva may be distinguished from 
other Precis larvae by the second, third and fourth segs. having a deep black dorsal patch, 
sufficiently differentiated from the purple-black body-colour. 
Precis lemonias, Linn. 
Not so abundant as the two former sp., and seems to range more widely, not very often 
frequenting a locality for any length of time. The d. s. f. sometimes exhibits very pretty shades 
of pink on the underside, instead of the usual ochreous colour which replaces the ocelli and most 
of the markings of the w. s. f. It is a most erratic butterfly in the manner of laying its eggs, and 
will deposit them on almost any small plant, grass-blades or even clods of earth. It varies much 
in size at any season, but d. s. forms are usually the larger. 
The sexes are similar, the d. s. females being sometimes very large. Fig. 12, PI. VI is 
from a $ taken in July. 
Egg, globular, green ; laid singly as above stated, but the foodplant is Ruellia repens . 
Larva, just hatched, yellowish-brown, sparsely clothed with long dark hairs, as are the 
other Precis larvae when newly hatched. Fuilgrown it is hardly distinguishable from the lame of 
the two following species, having no distinct dorsal line nor any special markings. 
Precis atlites, Linn. 
Also named laomedia ) Linn. This insect seems to be sporadic in its appearance here, 
though generally very common round Macao, very scarce at Hongkong. For the last five years 
it has been one of the commonest butterflies at Macao ; this year—1905—I have not seen a single 
specimen, and P. lemonias has also been exceedingly scarce. It perhaps migrates locally in S. 
China, when its foodplant is abundant or scarce as the case may be in any particular district. 
When the plant is scarce it appears to be monopolised by larvae of P. almana and P. orithyia. 
P. atlites has the usual habits of the genus, often frequenting the same flowers and locality for 
