black. Var. phryxe, Boisduval. This is the palest of the series of the varieties of A. agathon. The intercellular and interspacial greenish-white streaks and spots, which, in var. caphusa, are considerably longer and broader and, so far as the markings in the interspaces are concerned, show a tendency to coalesce, in phryxe become very broad and white, so that the discal series of short streaks on both wings extend to and coalesce completely with the much broadened spots of the subterminal series. In fact, the insect may be described as white both on the upper and under sides, the veins broadly bordered with black, and with black terminal margins formed by the expansion and coalescence of the black at the apices of the veins; discoidal cell of the forewing with a large patch of black at the apex. The black along the veins of both forewing and hindwing suddenly broadened on the discal area; on the underside of the hindwing they almost form a connected discal, transverse black band; the chrome-yellow spot on the precostal area as in A. agathon. Antennae black, head and thorax dusky grey, abdomen white; beneath: head and thorax blackish, abdomen white. It has a wingspan of 84–98 mm. Distribution It is found in the sub-Himalayan region from Assam, Sikkim, Bhutan, Nepal to Mussoorie, and Kumaon in the west. Life history Larva. "The larvae of A. caphusa are gregarious, and to pupate burrow under the dry leaves at the foot of their food-plant, the pupae being also gregarious. The larvae spin a joint web, and lie together in communities of ten or more. They feed at night only. Colour when full-grown dirty brown, head black, each segment with a dorsal longitudinal dark brown stripe; the larva is thinly covered with weak white hairs. Just before pupation the colour turns to a light green, with the head and stripes as before." (Mackinnon quoted in Bingham) The pupa is "very similar in shape to that of Aporia soracte is greenish-yellow with black markings." (Mackinnon quoted in Bingham) A food plant of the larva is Berberis nepalensis. See also Pieridae List of butterflies of India (Pieridae) References agathon Butterflies of Indochina Butterflies described in 1832 Taxa named by John Edward Gray