OCR Text |
Show 1883.] MR. A. G. BUTLER ON INDIAN LEPIDOPTERA. 151 preceding, he says a few were taken in September only ; the of which he sends four examples, he regards as representing the T. hecabeoides of Menetries, of which he says he has never seen a male ; he suggests therefore that T. hecabe is the male. Both sexes of the two species, however, can readily be distinguished by a comparison of the under surface : in T. hecabe and T. hecabeoides the irregular transverse brown subapical marking on the primaries is invariably absent and the ordinary markings are somewhat badly defined, whereas in T. asiope, excavata, purreea, and their allies the reverse is the case. 22. TERIAS EXCAVATA. Terias excavata, Moore, P. Z. S. 1882, p. 252. 8 2- Assirghur, Suttara, Mhow, September to December 1881. " That these are males and females of one species I have not the least doubt; they are plentiful here ; and I have carefully observed them and have also examined over two hundred specimens." " Very common here in latter part of October and all November."-C. S. 23. TERIAS PURREEA. Terias purreea, Moore, P. Z. S. 1882, p. 252. 8 2 • Mhow, November and December 1881, January 18S2. " Also males and females of one and the same species ; I have examined 182 specimens ; they commence appearing here the latter part of November, are very common all December, and a few occasionally up to date."-C. S. The above notes upon two nearly allied species of the hecabe group are very significant, proving the utter worthlessness of the guesses which have been made of late regarding the variability of species in this group. As is the case with many allied but admittedly distincts pecies (as for instance Brenthis selene and B. euphrosyne), Terias excavata and T. purreea evidently emerge from the pupa at a distance of about a month from one another; this interval of time will not admit of the supposition that they may be seasonal forms of the same species. 24. TERIAS ASPHODELUS, sp. n. (Plate XXIV. fig. 13.) Similar to T. irregularis (P. Z. S. 1882, pi. xii. fig. 3), but constantly considerably smaller ; the margin of the secondaries dotted with black : below very similar to T. fimbriata, the spots at the extremities of the discoidal cells large, reddish with greyish centres ; primaries with a well-developed transverse subapical red-brown irregular streak. Expanse of wings, 8 34 mm., $ 40 mm. Mhow and Depalpur, December 1881 to February 1882. Var. narcissus. Smaller than the type ; the border of primaries forming a regular decreasing arched band to the external angle, without a trace of the bisinuation on the median interspaces. Expanse of wings 32 mm. Mhow, February 1882. PROC. ZOOL. Soc-1883, No. XI. 11 |