PubL 15. II. 1909. ILEEDA. By Dr. A. Seitz. 277 



About a dozen small species, whose $$ are very similar to each other. Characterized by the underside being 

 uniformly yellow, with an usually bright red band at the outer margin. The ^^ are always metallic above, the 

 disc having often a brilliant gloss; the $$ dark brown above, with abbreviated red discal band and before 

 the outer margin of the hindwing a row of red lunules. The wings do not show any such peculiarities as 

 vaCuretis; they have the ordinary shape of Thecla, the hindwing bearing a thin tail. It is quite probable 

 that the number of distinct species will be much reduced, when the forms are more closely studied. The 

 genus already approaches Chrysophayius in every respect, the larvae and pupae also being similar. The 

 butterflies are mostly rare, being met with singly on bushes, where they rest with the wings half open. In 

 spite of the delicate body the flight is fairly strong, though not sustained. 



Our knowledge of these insects is not advanced enough to enable us to separate the forms cor- 

 rectly and give a final classification. No doubt, some of these so-called species intergrade, and only a 

 monograph based on a very large material can clear up the doubtful points. We are far from maintaining 

 that the usual classification, which we adopt here, is correct. 



I. moorei Hew. (= saphir Blanch.) (75 f). cj above of a brilliant metallic blue with the margins moorei. 

 black, the hindwing with thin bright red submarginal lunules which are united to form an undulate band. 

 Beneath only the hindwing with a red distal border. In the $ the red patch of the forewing extends to 

 the costal margin. Tibet, West and Central China, and North India. — marica Leech (75 f) has the marica. 

 discal spot of the $ narrower, the submarginal band on the hindwing of both sexes being considerably 

 thinner. Leech considers it possible that marica, which flies in the same countries as moorei, is a seasonal 

 form of it. In China marica is the prevalent form. 



I. tamu Koll. {= oda Hew.) (75 g). Similar to marica, but the ^ with the forewing more pointed lamu. 

 and the submarginal band of the hindwing quite obsolescent. In the $ this band is also narrower than in 

 marica and the fringes are much more distinctly spotted. The blue colour on the upperside of the ^ is 

 somewhat darker than in marica, being more ultramarine, and therefore does not contrast so strongly with 

 the black margin, especially on the hindwing, as is the case in our figure, in which the blue gloss is ex- 

 cessive; the distal band of the hindwing beneath is less pale red, having a brownish tint. — Staudinger 

 considers ab. androcles Dhl. <& Heiv. (= langii Moore) a variety of tamu. As it is not possible for us to androcles. 

 ascertain if the specimen figured by Staudinger was true androcles, we bring (75 g) an exact copy of his 

 figure in ,,Exotische Tagfalter"; this figure, however, agrees best with coruscans Moore, the true androcles coruscans. 

 according to Herr Courvoisier being a distinct species, which is identical with langii Moore ') and is green 

 in the ^ instead of blue. — viridipunctata Nicev. (== tamu Hew. nee Koll.) (75 g) has a darker (J than the ^J'^^Jf^i^, 

 preceding forms, the metallic discal area being smaller and more green than blue; a red oblique band on 

 the forewing of the $. Certainly only a dark form of androcles, with which it agrees on the underside. In 

 West China and the northern Himalayas. In Palaearctic ^^ the metallic patch is sometimes reduced to a 

 few scales. — Not uncommon (Leech). 



I. brahma Moore (75 g). o '^^'ith ^ coppery golden gloss, not so dark as in our figure, the met- brahma. 

 allic area strongly varying in extent individually. $ very similar to that of viridifunctata, but smaller. — 

 West China, also widely distributed in the Himalayas, where it is locally not rare, flying together with 

 other Ilerdas and occurring throughout the year according to De Niceville: on forest-paths in sunny places (Elwes). 



I. epicles Godt. (75 g). The metallic area of the same size as in the two preceding subspecies, blue, epicles. 

 with a purpUsh sheen in certain lights. The red distal band of the hindwing beneath very broad, con- 

 tinued on to the forewing in many specimens, somewhat variable in width and intensity. The discal band 

 on the upperside of the forewing of the $ also varies in size and intensity. — In some localities in 

 Western China the commonest species of the genus in June and July ; in India everywhere in the mount- 

 ains, extending southward to Java, locally plentiful. 



I. sena Koll. (= cadma DM.). The commonest species in Kashmir. Smaller than the previous sena. 

 forms, the ^ with a violet glitter on the upperside. Easily recognized by the underside bearing a narrow 

 white band which is dentate on both sides and situated proximally to the broad red distal band, both 

 being continued over the fore- and hindwing. — Larva adult woodlouse-shaped, broader than high, dirty 

 pale green, irrorated with red-brown, the narrow dorsal line likewise red-brown, the surface minutely dotted 

 with white and clothed with small brownish bristles, which are longer on the sides; head greenish, re- 

 tracted into the thorax; on Eumex hastatus. Pupa rounded at both ends, somewhat constricted behind the 

 thorax, rough, pale green, irrorated with blackish. The butterfly in drier and more open localities than the 

 other species. 



') Staudinger himself, in his corrections (p. 333, Exot. Tagfalter), admits his error as regards the specimen 

 figured as androcles, but states it to be tamu Koll., which is likewise erroneous. 



I 35 



