yo LYCANIDZ. LYCAINA. 
The above description is that given by Mr. Moore in 1865 of a series of specimens taken in 
Kunawar by Colonel A. M. Lang, R.E., and described as a new species under the name of P. 
nazira, As, however, the Kunawar insects differ in no respect from the European Z. medon, and 
from others of the same species occurring elsewhere in the Himalayas and neighbouring moun- 
tains, the name of waziva cannot be retained, and medon will include all the insects of this 
type within our limits. 
** LarVA, pale green, witha brownish-purple medio-dorsal stripe and faint pale lateral 
stripes; each segment has two small wart-like eminences with projecting white bristles. 
The ventral surface is pale green, with whitish bristles. The claspers are semi-transparent 
and pale yellow in colour; the legs are spotted with black. The larva when full grown is 
about half an inch in length, and has the usual Zycena shape. Its food-plant is the 
stork-bill (Zrodium cicutarium). Pupa, has the usual Zycena form, pale yellow in colour, 
with a green tinge, with a dorsal stripe of reddish-purple. It is spun up among the dry leaves 
of Erodium and Artemisia.” (Lang, \.c.) An interesting account by the late Professor P. C. 
Zeller of the transformations of this species will be found in the Ent. Month. Mag., vol. iv, 
p. 73 (1867) ; also still fuller details by the late William Buckler in “ The Larvee of the British 
Butterflies and Moths,” vol. i, pp. 116, 121, pl. xvi, figs. 1, 1a—g (1886). Mr. Buckler fed the 
larvee on Helianthemum vulgare. 
This species is almost always referred to by modern writers under its synonymic name 
astrarche, Bergstrasser, but I follow Mr. Kirby in so far as to give medon the preference, 
though in his ‘* Synonymic Catalogue’’ he gives alexis, variety 1 of Scopoli (1763), as the 
oldest name of this species. As, however, a/exis, Scopoli, is by some authors used as the name 
for the ** Common Blue” of England, and as zcavus, Rottenburg, which Mr. Kirby says is the 
older name for the latter species, is not universally adopted for that species, I prefer to take the 
second oldest name for it; especially as ‘var. 1 of a/exis’ and not actually ‘alexis’ is 
the name as strictly applied to our mzedon by Scopoli in 1763. 
L. medon is unique amongst the Indian species of the genus in being similarly marked in 
both sexes, and having no trace of blue coloration on the upperside. The female differs from 
the male only in having the marginal series of red spots usually larger and more prominent, 
the apex of the forewing more rounded, and the wings rather broader. The ground-colour of 
he underside in the female appears to be much darker than in the male. It may be known from 
the females of the aviana group, which usually have no blue above, by its smaller size. As 
regards its variations, I have taken in Simla specimens with no red spots whatever on the 
upperside, this variety being the a//ous of Hiibner, which Dr. Lang (I. c.) says occurs ‘‘as a 
varietal form of the summer brood [ of Z. medon] in Central and Southern Europe and 
North Africa.” Alphéraky also records this aberration from Kouldja and the Tian-Chian, in 
Western China. I have also taken specimens in Simla with a few red spots only on the 
hindwing, none on the forewing, and others with a complete series on the hindwing and three, 
four, five, and the full number of six on the forewing. Another variety, sa/macis, Stephens, 
which occurs only in the British Isles, has no orange band on the forewing in the male above, 
the black spots of the underside very small, anda white discoidal spot on the upperside of 
the forewing inthe female. Still another variety, avfaxerxes, Fabricius, occurs only in Scotland, 
and often has no orange bands above in the male, anda white discoidal spot on the upperside of 
the forewing in both sexes. In India, C. medon occurs in the Western Himalayas on both the 
outer and inner ranges, and in Kashmir and Ladak, also as far east as Kumaon, which is perhaps 
its eastern limit, where Colonel Lang states that it is not common in Naini Tal ; occurring from 
5,600 feet to the top of Cheena, 8,600 feet.’”’ Mr. Doherty also records it from Naini Tal 
and Dhankuri, Kumaon, 6,000 to 10,000 feet. 
The second group has the males more or less blue on the upperside, the females brown, 
sometimes with irrorated blue scales at the base of the wings. The underside of both sexes 
in all the species is greyish-brown or greyish, with black spots surrounded with white ; in 
a few species there isa prominent white discal streak on the hindwing. The first species, 
