102 THE BUTTERFLIES OF CEYLON 
They usually fly among thorny bushs in the low-country, 
and are not easy to catch. They are often seen at Haldum- 
mulla when ‘‘ flighting,’’ but are seldom caught, as they go 
fast and straight and seldom settle. The mimicry of the 
females also prevents recognition until too fate. 
Var. ceylonica is very common in the low-country of Uva 
and at Anuradhapura, but becomes scarcer further north. 1 
have seen single specimens at Galle and Nuwara Fliya. It is 
not rare at Ohiya during the flights. Var. spiculifera is much 
rarer, and I have only seen it above 4,000 feet. 
Papilionine 
i74. TROIDES PARSIUS. Ornithoptera darsius, M., E., 
Peculiar to Ceylon. 
It differs from allied Indian species in having the vellow 
area on the lower wing more restricted. It varies to a certain 
extent in this respect* but the apex of the cell is yellow in 
nearly every case. [| have seen about halt a dozen specimens 
in which the whole cell was black but this variety is very 
rare. Ina few cases the male has black spots in the yellow 
interspaces. One of mine has four of these.spots, one each 
in interspaces 2, 3, 5, and 6, and the yellow in 7 is excep- 
tionally small, the reduction being apparently caused by a 
spot coalescing with the basal black area. I have two others 
with a spot in interspace 2, and the Colombo Museum has 
one with spots in 2 and 3. This variety has been named 
cambyses ; 1t is far from common. 
It flies all the year round at Haldummulla, and is appareut- 
ly common everywhere up to 6,000 feet elevation at least, 
except in the Northern Province; the furthest north that I 
have taken it being at Puliyankulam resthouse. It usually 
flies very high, but frequently visits flowers, and is then 
easy to catch. 
175. Papitio (MENELAIDES) HEcCToR. Also found in 
India. 
Tt is very plentiful all over the lov-country, but especially 
so in the drier districts. Single specimens visit the hills all 
the year round, but their flight is usually fast and straight, 
