LYCANID/. MEGISBA. 63 
series of specimens from various localities, To do this I have been guided by the extent of 
white coloration on the upperside of the wings only. A study of these localities will, I think, 
tend to bring conviction to the mind that all these so-called species are but various forms of a 
very variable species, and are not even geographical varieties ; much of this variation being due 
also to seasonal causes. I should add that Mr. Moore considers the true P, malaya to be confin- 
ed to Java; that Mr. Doherty records it from Ranibagh, Bagheswar, Kapkot, Jhulaghat, Dhar- 
chula, 15,000 feet, allin Kumaon ; and that Colonel A. M. Lang, R.E., notes that he has “ only 
seen two or three specimens of this species in October at Ranibagh, 1,000 feet, in Kumaon.” 
The figure shows both sides of a male specimen of the tailed wet-season orm from Sikkim, 
in the Indian Museum, Calcutta. This specimen is the type of Mr. Moore’s Aegisba sikkima. 
We now come to the true ‘‘ Blues,” to the typical genera of the Zycena group. The 
first genus MVeolycena, mihi, I know very little about; it is unique in the group in possessing 
but two subcostal nervules to the forewing, and in being fuscous on the upperside in the male 
instead of blue or purple. The markings of the underside are very obscure. The next genus, 
Lycena, Fabricius, contains the ‘* Blues” far excellence, and is, I believe, strictly confined to 
the Palearctic region. In Europe it is particularly well represented, Dr. Lang in his 
“ Butterflies of Europe” enumerating over forty tailless species as belonging to it, but this 
number includes several species which should strictly be placed in the genera Chilades, Moore, 
Cyaniris, Dalman, and Zizera, Moore ; besides several tailed species, which belong to the 
genera Zveres, Hiibner, Zavucus, Moore, and Polyommatus, Latreille. The true ZLycene are 
meadow-frequenting butterflies, no single species I believe frequenting woods or forests (except 
wide pathways or glades through them), or ever settling on trees. The next genus, Chilades, 
Moore, hardly differs structurally from Zycena, and up to the present has had but two 
SSS ee ee a 
Megisba sikkima, Moore, Journ. A. S.B., vol. lili, pt. 2, p. 21 (1884), Hasitar : Sikkim (Moore) ; 
Bholahat, Cachar, Nilgiris, and the Nicobar Isles (de Nicéville). ExpANSE: Vale,‘o inch. Description ¢ 
*“ MALE. UPPERSIDE, doth wings differ from M. thwaztes?, Moore, in being of a darker violet-brown, Forewing 
differs in the absence of the short oblique posterior white band. UNpgRsIDE, doth wings similarly marked to 
M. thwattesi, except that on the forewing the black spot in the middle of the cell is very minute, and there is a 
spot below the end of the cell between the second and first median nervules in addition to the two dots, which 
are here placed beneath the first median nervule, whereas in JZ. thwaztesi the two latter dots, when 
present, are situated between the second and first median nervules. H7xdwing with the three transverse subbasal 
black spots comparatively larger, the upper one with two contiguous black dots in front ; the cell-spot 
is prolonged upwards to the costal nervure, and also has some black dots below it, the apical black spot is of an 
elongated form, and the discal macular band is composed of broader quadrate spots.’ (doore, |. c.) 
The minute description of the spots of the underside is in my opinion useless, as from my long series of speci- 
mens not only do I find them when present exceedingly variable, but they are often more or less wanting in speci= 
mens which occur in the middle of the dry-season. My examples from the Nicobars are also very sparsely marked 
on the underside. 
Pathalia albidisca, Moore, Journ, A, S. B., vol. liii, pt. 2, p. 21 (1884). Hapirat: N,-W. Himalayas; 
Chittagong; Khurda, Orissa (M/oo0ve); Bombay Presidency (Aztkenx); Sikkim, Bholahat (de Nicéville). 
Expanse: Male, ‘9; female, 11 inches, Description: ‘* MALE and FEMALE, UPPERSIDE, doth wings dark 
violet-brown. Forewing with a broad medial conical white patch, which extends obliquely from the middle of 
the disc to the posterior margin. Hindwzing with abroad white band crossing from the costal edge to near the 
middle of the abdominal margin, an indistinct marginal row of pale-bordered brown spots, UNDERSIDE, doth 
wings greyish-white. /orewing with some black spots along the costal edge, a brown, streak at the end of the 
cell, a discal transverse row of short, oblique, slender, interrupted lunules, a submarginal sinuous line enclosing 
a marginal row of indistinct spots. A/zzdwzmg with a similar brown cell-streak, a discal zigzag series of broader 
lunules. a sinuous submarginal line enclosing the marginal row of spots, of which the penultimate is large and 
black ; three equidistant subbasal black spots, a black spot on the abdominal margin above the lower subbasal, 
and a larger black spot at the apex. TZaz/ in both sexes black, tipped with white. C7lia edged with white, 
Body above black. Axtenne@ black, annulated with white, Padsz white, tip black. Zegs white with black 
bands.” (Moore, |. c.) J 
Mr. Aitken records afew specimens of this species from different parts of the Bombay Presidency. 
(Journ. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., vol. 1, p. 218, n. 67 (1886.) : 
Mr. Moore has made a specimen from the Chittagong district, and now in the Indian Museum, Calcutta, 
the type. It was taken on the 18th February, 1883, and represents the normal dry-season form of the species. 
This specimen has tails as it should have, being of the genus Pathalia, At the same time he named a tailless 
Orissa specimen P, albidisca, 
Megisba gunga, Swinhoe, Proc, Zool. Soc. Lond. 1885, p. 133, n. 66, pl. ix, fige 7. Habirat: Poona, 
March. Expanse: x‘rinches. Descriprion: “ UppErsibe, doth wings black. Cilia white. Forewing with 
a white patch in the middle, extending from below the cell to the hinder margin. Hixdwing with an apical and 
anal underneath-spot showing through, otherwise unmarked. UNDERSIDE, doth wings milk-white, a streak at 
the end of each cell, marginal lines, a row of submarginal marks, then another line and a row of discal streaks, 
Forewing with a few marks on the costa. Aindwing with a black subcostal spot, a spot on the middle of the 
anal margin, a spot between these spots, one near the apex, and another near the anal angle.” (Swnhoe, |. c.) 
This description is utterky unsatisfactory and useless ; the figure shews the upperside only, the rounded fore- 
wing suggesting that it is a female, the white patch indistinguishable from Ceylon specimens of M, thwaitesi, 
The sex of the specimens described is not stated, nor is any comparative description given, 
