PIERIDJE. 
417 
allied Legummosce, on Capparis and Capparidacece, on Brassica and 
Crucifer cb , and on Loranthus. 
Pupation takes place after the larva has attached the anal prolegs 
to the pad of silk and fastened the thoracic girdle, the pupa being hori¬ 
zontal or upright. The pupse are green, cryptic in form and colour. The 
butterflies are day-flying and very noticeable, some being strong fliers 
which visit flowers, others fluttering in low vegetation and grass. They 
appear to hibernate as imagines and where the foodplant is available, 
lay eggs early in the year at the onset of the hot weather. The number 
of broods is at least two and in some cases as much as six or more. 
A great deal has yet to be learnt of the occurrence of some species during 
the year, and the matter is by no means a simple one. We may mention 
Pieris brassicce, Linn., as an instance, there being reason to believe that 
this butterfly migrates from the hills for the cold weather and early hot 
weather, spending this period in the submontane districts of the Himala¬ 
yas for instance, breeding on cultivated Cruciferce and returning to the 
hills for the summer there. This is by no means definitely ascertained, 
but it is in strong contrast, for instance, with such a species as Terias 
hecabe, Linn., which is a constant breeder in the plains, wherever 
food is available, and so long as the weather is warm enough. Only 
one species is in any degree destructive, Pieris brassicce , Linn., being a 
pest to cabbages and other garden Cruciferse, in sub-Himalayan tracts. 
The larvae are the hosts of parasitic Hymenoptera and a very large 
proportion are destroyed in some seasons. 
Bingham has recently revised the Indian forms in the Fauna of 
India, with the help of de Niceville’s manuscript of his proposed 
volume in the butterflies of India. Only 91 species are recorded in all, 
and this is probably a smaller number than any other author would 
allow. The tendency to split species and indefinitely multiply them 
is deplorable, and it is to be hoped that Bingham’s commonsense 
views will be accepted as final. 
Leptosia xiphia, Fabr., is common in the plains, a small white but¬ 
terfly, with rounded wings, the apex of the forewing and a large sub-apical 
blotch black. It is a graceful butterfly of delicate build, found in the 
jungle ; the larva is recorded on Capparis . 
IIL 
27 
