46 



32. Malaya Horsf. (PI. XXI, a, b, c). 



HoRSFiELD, Cat. Lcp. E. I. C, p. 70, N'o. 4 (1828). . Lycaena Malaya. 



Felder, Siiz. Ber. d. Wien. Akad., XL, 5. 459, N'o. 43 (i 860) „ Strongyle. 



Novara, Lep., S. 278, Tab. 34- /'A''- ?>^^ 2)2^ (1867) 



Moore, Lep. of Ceylon, I, /. 71, //. 34, //V. 3, za, Tyb (1881) Megisba Thwaitesi. 

 Distant, Rhop. Mai., p. 457, pi. 44, //>. 4 (1882 — 86) 



Elwes, Trans. Ent. Soc. of London, 1888,/. 2>1 S^ pf i ^^f'S- ^ " Malaya. 



Bingham, Fauna of Brit. Lndia, Btdt. II, /. 313 (1907) „ „ 



SwiNHOE,Z^/./«fl'.,VII,/!'. 228,//. 627,y>V. I — 10^(1905 — 10) „ „ 



Moore separated this species as a special genus Megisba, in which he 

 has been followed by later writers. Snellen, however, rightly considers that 

 there is not sufficient ground for this, as it differs only in colour, while it 

 corresponds completely to other Lycaenae in other respects. According to 

 de Niceville in different districts there exist tailed and tailless specimens; in 

 Java only the former. This is true, although the tails are very short, and in 

 most of my specimens they have been lost. There is considerable difference 

 in size amongst individuals. 



W. J. Batavia (3 — 14); Depok (95); Buitenzorg (265); Tjampea (160). 



C. J. Touban on the north coast; Bodjonegoro (258). 



E. J. Kedyry (64). 



The small butterfly greatly resembles L. Hylax F. in colour, but can easily 

 be distinguished from it. Those with a weakness for mimicry theories have a 

 good opportunity for applying it here, and exercising their imagination upon it ; 

 for others it form.s a remarkable illustration of how in the course of the process 

 of colour evolution the same road is sometimes traversed by different species. 

 When these species have reached about the same stage in the evolutionary 

 change of form, there will naturally be a great similarity in colour and markings 

 between them. The peculiar black spots on the underside of the secondaries 

 are here obviously of the same kind, and therefore of the same origin ; they 

 indicate thus very clearly a similar progress in the evolution of both species. 



Larva and pupa are illustrated by Moore for Ceylon. The former is said 

 to live on Sapindaceae. I found the larva upon a plant wich is called toelaiig 

 ajam in Batavia, and at Buitenzorg famboutang, and which was determined 

 for me as Schmidelia fulvinervis var Montana, a plant which also belongs 

 to the Sapindaceae. It is of the ordinary Lycaenid shape, light green much 

 mixed with white, with a faint darker dorsal line, and yellow-brown head. It 

 changes into a small alm.ost colourless Lycaena pupa. 



