AMBLTPODIA GROUP OF THE LYC.EXID.E. 29 



This is a very interesting form indeed, for it is an insect that I should say was in a 

 transitional state, either adapting itself to new conditions, or, finding itself hard pushe 1 

 for existence, seizing on certain advantages of colour; for far from being- of the very 

 constant form of the parent species, individuals of this variety differ inter se on the 

 underside in the pattern very considerably. They are in size rather smaller than 

 hercules. Staudinger described his variety from Waigeoe, but we have since received 

 examples from Halmaheira, from which island I have one without any transverse band 

 on the primaries. 



Mr. Druce regards the entirely brown females as belonging, possibly, to a distinct 

 species; I have some now before me, but they are without doubt of the same species. 

 It is no more than a case of reversion. 



Var. tyranncs Felder. 



6 . Just like hercules Hew., except that the underside is brown with no trace 

 whatever of green, and the pattern is merely of a darker shade. 



2. Upper surface entirely dark brown. Under surface like the male. I have one 

 specimen from Ati Ati, on the west coast of New Guinea, which forms a transition 

 from herculina to tyrannus. 



This species is apparently confined to the Malay Archipelago, where it is evidently 

 dominant, setting up local forms in various islands. I have examined a very large 

 number of specimens and find small divergencies arising in many cases, and have 

 no doubt that the varieties described are local forms of Hewitson's species. 



Ariiopala ate (Hewitson). 

 Amblypodia ate Hewitson, 111. Diurn. Lep., Lye. p. 8. n. 32, pi. i. fig. 4 (1869). 



Hab. Amboina. 



Expanse -17-49 mm. 



6 . Upperside : both wings purplish blue, very slightly lustrous in certain lights, 

 shaded with a brownish lustre. Primaries with costa and posterior margin narrowly 

 brown, but slightly increasing at the anal angle. Lobe fairly developed ; tail brown, 

 white-tipped, and rather long, a tooth-like projection at the end of the second median 

 nervure. Underside brown, slightly lustrous, with darker spots and fascia palely 

 margined. Primaries with a small dot in the cell beyond the middle ; cell closed by a 

 rather small elongated spot, below the cell is an obscure darker spot ; transverse band 

 almost continuous, slightly oblique outwardly, rather narrow and tapering rapidly to 

 the lower median nervule where it ends ; submarginal row obscure, submedian area 

 paler. Secondaries rather darker than primaries, with three minute basal spots, the 

 upper one the darkest, followed by three more very small spots below each other ; cell 

 closed by a very narrow, elongated, curved spot; transverse band continuous, almost 

 straight, moderately broad to the spot between the lower and submedian nervures, 



