BUTTERFLIES OF THE CENTRAL PROVINCES. 177 



Hie colour of the male is a purplish-blue with a blackish border 

 to the wings ; the underside is silvery-grey, with various splashes 

 and dote. The female is brownish. This butterfly has two forms, 

 the one which is procurable in the dry-season having a large dark 

 blotch on the underside of the hindwing, partially covering it and 

 obscuring the markings. The larva looks like a little green grub, 

 especially (as is generally the case when disturbed) if the head is 

 not seen. This latter is black, and can be completely hidden beneath 

 the second segment of the body. When feeding the little black 

 head is protruded. On the eleventh segment is placed an organ 

 from which exudes a clear liquid of which the attendant ants 

 are very fond. The larva feeds on the leaves of the lime or on 

 the pomolo tree, and is always attended by one or more ants which 

 run over its body and keep on touching it with their antennae. 

 The ant which I found attending it appears to be the common 

 one, which curls its body up over its back when disturbed, and lives 

 in trees building paper nests. 



5 '4. Ch 'Hades trochilm, Freyer (673). This is a very tiny little but- 

 terfly, the smallest (except perhaps Zizera gaika) in India. Both sexes 

 are very much alike, brown above and a little lighter underneath. 

 It is marked below with dots and splashes ; but the distinguishing 

 feature is a row of brilliant metallic spots or eyes bordered with 

 yellow on the hindwing. These spots can be seen faintly on the 

 upperside. It is common everywhere and affects the ground, 

 fluttering low about the grass and weeds. 



55. Ofdniria puspa, Horsfield (681). I have taken this at 

 Pachmarhi and in the Sambalpur District. The distinguishing 

 feature is the white centre or disc of the forewing, which is bordered 

 with brownish in the female and blue in the male, the hindwing 

 having also a dash of white. It does not seem to be very common 

 about the Central Provinces. 



56. Zizbra vmha^ Kollar (694). This is a common little "blue. " 

 It has a silvery or greyish sheen upon the wings which have a black 

 border. The female is of a brownish-purple colour. I never came 

 across it in Chhattisgarh, though at Pachmarhi and Jabalpur it is 

 very common. A.11 the butterflies of this genus fly low. 



57. Zizrra gaika, Trimen (~02). This shares with 0. trochilus, 

 23 



