the wings; the markings as on the upperside, but the fasciae on the forewings and hindwings broader, more diffuse; the black subterminal spots in interspaces 1, 5 and 6 of the hindwing smaller. Antennae, head, thorax and abdomen as in the male but paler. Dry-season form Male: Upperside the maroon brown not glossed with purple; the transverse fasciae on the forewing and the black markings on the hindwing much as in the wet-season form, but the former more obscure, more diffuse, the latter smaller. Underside as in the wet-season form but paler. Female: Upper and under sides similar to those of the wet-season, form but conspicuously paler, the contrast between the dark basal and pale terminal halves in fore prominent, the discal band on the underside of the forewing very broad, diffuse and pale, often nearly white. Antenna, head, thorax and abdomen in both sexes as in the wet-season form but paler. Wingspan: 41–52 mm. Races Variety angulata Moore, and variety abnormis Moore, have been described from Burma and Tenasserim. Typically, these differ slightly from A. echerius as follows: Upperside with no purple gloss; the discal and postdiscal transverse bands more clearly defined, the former sometimes white anteriorly on the upperside, generally white or whitish on the underside and extending across both forewings and hindwings; underside of hindwing with an extra, subterminal black spot. The white markings and the extra black spot are variable characters, and specimens intermediate between typical A. echerius and typical angulata or abnormis are not uncommon. Race bifasciata (Moore) is found in the Andaman Islands. Male upperside is not as dark as in the wet-season form of echerius. The transverse pale bands on both wings are broad and diffuse. Distribution This species lives in the Himalayas, Chumba to Kumaon, Nepal and Bhutan; Ambala; Fyzabad; Malda; Calcutta; Gunjam; southern India from below Pune and Mumbai; Sri Lanka; Myanmar (Tenasserim); China. Life history The eggs of the butterfly are laid on host plants belonging to the family Primulaceae, including Ardisia species, Maesa indica and Embelia laeta. Larva Flat, very broad in the middle, tapering to both ends, clothed sparsely with short hairs; head small, not enclosed in the 2nd segment; colour light green. (Davidson & Aitken) Pupa Also clothed with hairs, and altogether so like the larva that it is difficult to note exactly when the change takes place. It is closely attached to a leaf by the