XXIV 



distinctly in the same direction, that it cannot possibly be considered as accidental. 



We have mentioned above, how the fading process of colour-evolution 

 from red through orange and yellow to white, also governs the Lycaenidae, 

 but at the same time we remarked, that this was not now easy to perceive 

 in many of them. I shall now draw attention to various species in which it 

 is very clearly shown. Red is still found on the upperside of the cT of 

 CuRETis species; in the $ of C. Insularis Horsf. (PI. XXIV, 120b) it has 

 already faded to orange, which clearly shows the working of the evolutionary 

 fading process ; the underside has completely faded to white. In Deudorix 

 species, such as Jarbas F. (PI. XXV, 133a) and Xenophon F. (PI. XXV, 135a) 

 the cf are still red on the upperside, while the colour of the $ is already 

 faded. In Ilerda Epicles Gdt. (PI. XXV, 122), there are distinct relics of 

 red on both sides ; here and there, in various Lycaenidae also small relics 

 remain in the form of small persistent plots, as I call them, upon the underside. 



Orange occurs upon the underside of many species, sometimes very distinct, 

 as in the cf of Neocherita Hypoleuca Hew. (PI. XXVI, 155) and the 9 of 

 SiTHON Nedymond Cram. (PI. XXVI, 142(5); in others, asHYPOLYCAENATHECLoioES 

 Felder (PI. XXVI, 159) it is pale and strongly tending to white in both sexes. 

 It is also often found, like red, as relic colour in spots upon the underside, 

 and in Lycaena Parrhasius Felder (PI. XXII, 67) upon both sides. Yellow, 

 which plays such an important part in the colour-evolution in the Pieridae, 

 has remained very seldom as a colour-stage in the Lycaenidae. Here the 

 orange seems usually to change directly into white. On the underside of 

 Ilerda Epicles Gdt. (PI. XXV, 122) and of the 9 of Deudorix BARXHEmA Dist. 

 (PI. XXV, 134(5) however, yellow is found. 



White is extremely general ; this furthest advanced stage of colour-evolution 

 has been reached by very many Lycaenidae. 



It must be owned that the colours are seemingly in great confusion in 

 the Lycaenidae, which is partly accounted for by the fact already mentioned, 

 that the colour process frequently goes on independently upon each of the 

 wing-surfaces, the upper and the under, accompanied by the more or less 

 marked evolutionary increase or decrease of the darker pigment, and the 

 presence of structural colours. Moreover the difference between species, and 

 between the sexes of the same species causes great irregularity of colour; 

 although this does not play a very important part here. 



It will not be superfluous to add one or two things here, which will at 

 the same time serve to illustrate the apparent confusion above referred to. 

 In Yasoda Pita Horsf (PI. XXVII, i-]-]a.b.) there is little difference in colour 

 between the cf and the 9, but on the upperside of the secondaries of the cf 



