38 LYCZNID#, PORITIA. 
inner margin to the median nérvure near the base of the wing, and on the hindwing on the 
upperside another patch of scales of the same shape from the subcostal nervure-to the costa. 
In the hindwing the costal nervure is strongly arched near its base and very short, the upper 
disco-cellular nervule is straight, outwardly oblique, and considerably shorter than the lower 
disco-cellular ; the second median nervule given off immediately before the end of the cell. The 
males possess on the upperside of the hindwing a second tuft or pencil of long black hairs 
which have hitherto been overlooked, springing from near the base of the submedian nervure, 
and lying along the abdominal margin, the basal area of which margin from the submedian 
nervure to the margin is furnished with a patch of scales similar to those on the costa 
of the hindwing and inner margin of the forewing. 
Six species of this very beautiful genus occur within Indian limits, the males of all 
of which have the upperside of both wings black, with patches varying in size and shade 
of rich blue or green. The female of one species, P. hewitsoni, Moore, has a few blue 
and ferruginous spots on the upperside of both wings; another, P. phraatica, Hewitson, 
has ferruginous patches only; a third, P. pleurata, Hewitson, is nearly as blue as the 
male, but the shade of colour is much lighter, and does not usually change with 
the incidence of the light, and there are two series of black lunules near the outer margin 
of the hindwing. The underside of both sexes of these three species is pale brownish, 
with very numerous closely-arranged bands of black or ferruginous-outlined spots. The 
other group, which also contains three species, has the markings of the underside in both 
sexes quite different ; the ground-colour is more or less ferruginous, and the markings, 
instead of being closely-arranged annular bands, consist of narrow dark linear bands in two 
species; the third species has a broad white band. The female of P. 4artertii, Doherty, is 
unknown, as also is that of the allied P. pza/ena, Hewitson, from Singapore ; the female of Pe 
potina, Hewitson, is bright orange, the apex and outer margin of the forewing on the upperside 
broadly black, the hindwing more or less marked with black ; the female of P. pediada is, if 
possible, even more aberrant than that of P. potina, being entirely fuliginous on the upper- 
side. Mr. Distant has proposed a new genus and a new species for the female of P. Zotina, calling 
it Simiskina fulgens, and placed the species in the subfamily Memeodiine next after the genus 
Abisara, Felder.* As far as I know every butterfly of the family Nymphalide has a pre- 
costal nervure to the hindwing, while every species of the family Lycenide lacks this vein ; 
by this one character I believe the two families to be invariably separable. This vein is 
wanting in Simiskina. Mr. Doherty ignores Mr. Distant’s most inadequately-described genus 
Simiskina, and proposes a new genus Aassaga for P. kartertit, P. potina, and P. pediada ; his 
description will be found below in a foot note.t 
SS OOOO 
* Genus Simiskina, Distant, Entomologist, vol. xix, p. 12 (1886); idem, id., Rhop. Malay., p. 450, 
(1886). ‘* This genus differs from Aédrsara, Felder, in having the lower disco-cellular nervule of the HINDWING 
much longer than the upper. thus resembling Stiboges, Butler ; but from that genus it is easily distinguished 
by the subcostal nervules of the hindwing, which bifurcate before the upper end of the cell. In shape of wings 
and general superficial features Simiskina resembles Abisara.” (Distant, |. c. in Rhop. Malay.) Dr. Staudinger 
agrees with Distant in considering this genus to belong to the Vemeobiine. (Ex. Schmett., p. 275 (1888). 
¢ Genus Massaga, Doherty, Journ. A. S. B., vol. lviii, pt. 2, p | (1889) ‘‘ ForEwING, upfer discor- 
dal nervule originates a little beyond the cell, so that there is no trace of an upper disco-cellular nervule [in the 
Lycenid@, according to my views, there is never any upper disco-cellular nervule]; the szdd/e disco-cellular 
nervunle is rather stout and oblique ; the /ower disco-cellular distinct, sinuous. HinpDwING, discoidal cell longer 
than in Porttia, Moore ; upper disco-cellular nervule short, very oblique ; Zower disco-cellular long ; second 
median nervule originates considerably before the lower end of the cell. On the underside the ring-markings of 
Poritia are replaced by simple transverse lines. The apex of the forewing is more pointed and is usually 
slightly falcate in both sexes, the upper part of the outer margin being slightly excised. The tuft of the male 
is inconspicuous in itself, but is placed on a_ conspicuous ochreous patch. The hindwing of the female is 
conspicuously angled. The sexes are exceedingly unlike. The genus is close to Deramas, Distant, and 
Zarona, de Nicéville, which it greatly resembles, but differs in having one subcostal nervule the less in 
the forewing.’ (Doherty, |. c.) 
Mr. Doherty first described this genus ina paper sent to Calcutta for publication in 1886 ; this paper, however, 
never appeared. As the genus Simiskina has been described so inadequately, and is, moreover, placed in a wrong 
family and the type species based on a synonym, Mr. Doherty considers that the laws of priority in this case 
should be ignored, and that his name Massaga should stand. This is his description of the genus in that 
paper: ‘‘Allied to Deramas, Distant, but having three subcostal nervules to the forewing only. FOREWING, 
first subcostal nervule anastomosed with the costal nervure just as in Deramas ; third subcostal given off fromthe 
subcostal nervure three-fifths from the cell to the apex; upper discoidal nervule given off from the subcostal 
nervure some distance beyond the apex of the cell ; »¢ddle disco-celludar nervule very short, dower disco-cellular. 
