LYCENIDA. CYANIRIS. 93 
nervule arises much nearer to the apex of the wing than in Zycena, Although the structural 
characters of the two genera differ so slightly, there is considerable difference in the facies, 
and also I think in habits, and something in distribution :—in Zycena the spots of the under- 
side usually assume the form of blind ocelli, zz, are composed of a dark centre and outer 
pale portion ; they are mostly low-flying grass-loving butterflies ; and the genus is almost 
purely a Palearctic one : while in Cyaniris the markings are hardly ever ocellular ; the butter- 
flies chiefly affect trees and bushes, though the males may often be found in immense quantities 
sucking up the moisture on damp spots ; and the genus is both Palearctic and Tropical. 
Most writers use the name Zycena for all the butterflies which belong to this genus, 
so lam quite unable to give either its distribution (though it certainly occurs throughout the 
Nearctic, Palearctic and Oriental regions), nor the number of species it contains, but they are 
certainly very numerous. In India it is found almost everywhere except in the desert regions 
of Sind, and occurs at considerable elevations in the Himalayas ; Mr. W. Doherty records 
C. nucgelii, Moore, in Kumaon from 3,500 to 12,000 feet ; and I have met with some species 
even at a greater elevation, Inthe outer Himalayas one species or another is more plentiful in 
individuals than any other of the Zycenide. In Sikkim not only do many species actually 
swarm, but the number of distinct species occurring there is very great. In the plains of India 
proper C. puspais the only species commonly met with, but wherever hills occur there will 
several species be found. ‘The males of most of the different species can with a little study be 
made out satisfactorily, but in the case of three common species occurring in Sikkim, C. 
marginata, de Niceville, C. placida, de Nicéville, and C@, dilectus, Moore, though literally 
hundreds of females have passed through my hands, I have quite failed to pair them with their 
respective males. Messrs, Moore and Doherty have described the female of C. marginata, but 
from these descriptions I am unable to distinguish that sex from the female of C. puspa, 
Horsfield. 
In North America Mr. W. H. Edwards has proved by careful breeding that one species, 
Lycena (= Cyanirts) pseudargiolus, Boisduval and Leconte, exhibits seasonal dimorphism 
to a wonderful extent, and in his “ Butterflies of North America” has devoted several 
plates to these different forms and to the transformations of the species. It was in the larva 
of this species that he first noticed the peculiar organs affected by ants, and he has given very 
beautiful drawings of their various parts. In India, although it has not been proved by breed- 
ing as it has been in North America, seasonal dimorphism almost certainly occurs to a consider- 
able extent. ‘hisis especially marked in C. marginata and C. transpectus, less so in 
C. puspa, C. jynteana, C, placida and C. dilectus. The dimorphism takes the usual form of 
darkening the coloration and markings in the rains, lightening the coloration and reducing the 
size and distinctness of the markings in the dry-season. All these species occur in the Eastern 
Himalayas. Whether or not this dimorphism occurs in the species ofthe Western Himalayas 
I cannot say, but it certainly would not be of so marked a nature, as the rainy season is 
shorter and not so severe there as it is to the eastward. 
The transformations of only one Indian species are known. Dr. Lang in his “ Butterflies of 
Europe,” p. 128, describes the larva of the type species of the genus (C. argiolus, Linnzus) 
as “dark greenish-grey, with a dark green dorsal line. Feeds on the flowers of lex, 
Hedera and Rhamnusin June, and again in the autumn.” I should expect to find the larvee 
of C. Auegelii and C. celestina feeding on the Barberry in the Western Himalayas, as the 
imagines seem always to affect those bushes, 
Eey to the Indian species of Cyaniris. 
A. Male, upperside, both wings white, with base black, irrorated with metallic blue; female with no blue 
on upperside whatever, - 
ec 674. C. AKASA, South India, Ceylon, Java, Sambawa. 
B. Male, upperside, both wings blue, sometimes with white patches ; female (except C. ¢vansfectus) with 
more or less iridescent blue on the disc and base. 
a. Of large size ; both sexes with outer third of forewing on upperside black, a prominent 
disco-cellular spot ; underside with markings few in number, extremely prominent on 
forewing. 
675. C. VARDHANA, Western Himalayas. 
