RHOPALOCERA MA L. I ) . 1 AM . 



Genus TAGIADES. 



387 



Tniiiiides, Hiibner, Verz. bek. Schmett. p. lOH (1810); Moore, Lep. Ceyl. vol. i. p. 175 (1881). 

 Pteri/ijospidea , Walleugr. Khop. Caft'r. p. 53 (18;"i7|. 



Anterior wings moderately short, the costal und outer margins slightly convex. Costal nervure 

 moderately swollen ; disco-cellular nervules suberect and almost subequal in length ; base of the second 

 median nervule about three times as far apart from that of the lower as from that of the upper median 

 nervule. Posterior wings subovate. First and second median nervules emitted somewhat close together. 

 Body short ; palpi broad and flattened, the terminal joint short and slender ; legs not prominently pilose ; 

 antennas somewhat short, the club not prominently thickened, its apex recurved, but not strongly hooked. 



This genus is both Ethiopiau and Oriental in distribution, and the species appears to be 

 subject to considerable variation. 



1. Tagiades atticus vai\ calligana. (Tab. XXXIV., fig. G.) 



Uisjiiria Atticus, Fabricius, Eut. Syst. iii. 1, p. 389, u. 288 (171)3). 



Tdijiaih's calliijdini, Butler, Traus. Liiui. See. ser. 2, Zool. vol. i. p. 55G, u. 3, t. Ixix. f. 11 (1877). 



Var. a. Anterior wings dark fuscous, with a subapical series of nine small pale ochraceous spots 

 arranged in semicircular series; posterior wings greyish-white, with about basal half and apex dark 

 fuscous, and three submarginal black spots, the uppermost more or less fused with apical coloration, and 

 lowermost situate on second median nervule. Anterior wings beneath as above, but slightly paler ; posterior 

 wings beneath greyish-white, the costal and apical margins broadly fuscous, and with a submarginal series 

 of darker spots, which become marginal and more or less fused on posterior margin ; the basal dark 

 coloration above appearing as pale obscure bluish beneath. Body above dark fuscous, beneath more 

 or less greyish. 



Exp. wings, 35 milim. 



Hab. — Malay Peninsula; Peuang (Biggs — coll. Dist.) ; Malacca (Wallace — coll. Godm. .t Salv. ; 

 Pinwill— Brit. Mus. ; Biggs— coll. Dist.). 



This is the variety tigured, and wliich appears to differ from typical T. attirus in wanting 

 a lower marginal spot to the upper surface of the posterior wings. 



T. atticus in its typical form is found both in Continental India and Ceylon. 



Var. h. Differing from var. a in having the basal fuscous coloration to the upper sui-face of the 

 posterior wings larger, and extending more than half way across the wing ; and with four dark marginal 

 spots as in typical T. atticus. 



Hab. — Malay Peninsula ; Malacca (coll. Staudinger). 



There can be little doubt that T. attlcas is a most variable species, and little good can 

 accrue to our knowledge by raising these varieties to specific rank. It is difficult to understand 

 the position of those entomologists who, professing to believe in the doctrine of natural 

 selection, yet tacitly deny variation on which that very doctrine is sustained, by naming and 

 describing each varietal form as a distinct species. If variation exists, why is it excluded from 

 so many cabinet drawers ? Surely this is making evolutionary brick without natural straw. 



