AMBLTPODIA GROUP OF THE LYCEXIDJE. - / 



nervule, that in the grey pale submedian area being continued up to the base ; 

 transverse catenulated band composed of five spots from the third subcostal to the 

 lower median nervule, the second of which is shifted inwards, the third well outwards, 

 the fourth and fifth confluent well inwards, but with an outward inclination; sub- 

 marginal row obscure ; around the uppermost spot of the transverse band, the interior 

 costal spot touching it, is a considerable greyish-white suffusion. Secondaries with a 

 spot on the costal base, followed by two more touching each other ; below the third are 

 three smaller basal spots, the lowest shifted on to the internal margin, then come three 

 larger spots below each other ; cell closed by a largish irregular spot, below which is 

 a smaller triangular one ; transverse band composed of eight spots, the upper two 

 being round and separated from the others by a pale suffusion, the lower of these two 

 is the smaller and shifted outwards ; the fourth spot is shifted outwards, the fifth 

 inwards, sixth outwards, seventh angular spot touching the eighth long one and 

 shifted inwards ; submarginal row obscure ; a black spot at anal angle and between the 

 second and lower median nervulcs, the space between and over which is filled with 

 bronzy-greenish metallic scales, edged above by a dark suffusion. In the secondaries 

 the spots near the costa are all very dark rich brown, the others quite pale; there is 

 also more or less of a lilac suffusion in the basal half of both wings. 



2 . Upperside : both wings violet, with very broad brown costal and posterior 

 margins to primaries and less broad borders to the secondaries. Underside as in male. 

 These descriptions appear to be of the commonest form of this species. Hewitson 

 described his male (from Borneo) as brilliant morpho-blue, but his labelled type is 

 violet-blue. I have specimens similar to this from Palawan, Mindoro, and Mindanao, 

 and in all these the ground-colour beneath is darker, but the markings are the same. 

 I have one female which might well answer to this male, as it is brilliant azure with 

 very broad blackish borders. I have also three females in very good condition which 

 are entirely brown, with no trace of blue whatever above. I am inclined to think that 

 the species is dimorphic, as I have both forms from various islands of the Philippines 

 (both forms from the same island), and I have also the violet-blue form from South-east 

 and North-west Borneo now lying before me. Tins shows that both the morpho-blue 

 and the violet-blue forms co-exist ; it would therefore be most interesting to investigate 

 the life-history of the species. The underside in both forms is precisely the same, 

 except that the more brilliant of the two is darker on the underside. It is fortunately 

 a well-marked species, so that there is no difficulty in recognising it. The figure given 

 by Distant (Rhop. Malay. I.e.) as A. anthelus is without doubt anunda, and his text 

 evidently partially refers to this species, he having, I imagine, not differentiated the two 

 species. Dr. Staudinger has also described (vide Iris, I. c.) var. saturatior as a variety 

 of anthelus; it is, however, a very bright and pale blue form of this species. The 

 genitalia are somewhat similar to alee Hew., though the clasps differ, and the hooks 

 are straight, whilst the penis is long, bent, and large at the orifice. 



