LYCAENID®. ILERDA. 325 
has noted that it ‘frequents drier and more open ground than the other species ” of the 
genus. In Simla it used to frequent my verandah amongst the pots of flowers, and could 
easily be caught with the fingers. It is an aberrant species in shape and markings, and 
apparently more constant in the latter respect than the other species. 
884. Tlerda epicles, Godart. 
Polyommatus epficles, Godart, Enc. Méth., vol. ix, p. 646, n. 109 (1823); Thecla eficles, Horsfield, Cat. 
Lep. E. 1. C., p. 92, n. 25, pl. i, fig. 3, female (1829); Merda eficles, Hewitson, Ill. Diurn. Lep., p. 58, n. 4 
(1855); Heliophorus belenus, Hiibner, Zutr. Ex. Schmett., figs. 785, 785, female (1832). 
HasitTar: Kumaon, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, Assam, Arracan Hills, Upper Burma, Java, 
Hainan (China). 
ExpaNnse: &, 2, 1°20 to 1°55 inches. 
DESCRIPTION : ‘* MALE. UPPERSIDE, both wes blackish-brown, with a violet reflexion, 
which is of a deeper shade towards the base. Forewing bearing a large irregularly-rounded 
rufous-orange spot on the medial areola, which is smaller than in the female, consisting of a 
transverse cloud. Azndwing marked with a posterior border of the same colour, narrowed 
and undulated at the inner edge, being composed of confluent lunules ; a narrow undulated 
black streak passes along the posterior margin. Cz/ia white interrupted with black at the 
veins, and in the forewing evanescent towards the outer apical angle. UNDERSIDE, doth wings 
bright sulphureous-yellow, with a sanguineous posterior border, which in the forewing is narrow 
and uniform, until it approaches the inner apical [=anal] angle, where it is terminated by a 
short black streak edged on both sides with white ; in the hindwing it is broader and ornamented 
internally by a series of white arcs delicately edged on both sides with black ; a series of sinall 
wedge-shaped black spots, bedded in an oblong submarginal cloud of white irrorations, is 
arranged parallel with the black marginal thread, which is confined by the extreme fringe; a 
minute black dot stands between the disc and base, and two more obscure ones are distantly 
arranged along the inner margin. Forewing has besides a very faint [discal] series of brown 
liture. Hindwing [has a discal series of] interrupted white streaks parallel with the post- 
marginal border ; the anal appendage is terminated by a black spot, and the ¢az/ has a white 
tip. Body brown above and hoary underneath ; /egs alternately white and black ; antenne 
black with delicate white bands to the commencement of the club. FEMALE. UPPERSIDE, 
forewing has a short transverse black stigma before the disc. AMindwing has, near the middle, 
a faint orange dash.” (Hors/ield, |. c.) 
““MaLe. UPPERSIDE, Jock wings dark brown. Forewing with the basal half glossed 
with violet-blue. Aindwing with a broad submarginal band of conical scarlet spots.” 
“ There is a variety of this species from Northern India in which the males are without 
the orange submarginal band of the forewing on the upperside, and the females, instead of 
the large medial orange spot of the forewing, have an oblique band of the same colour.” 
( Hewitson, 1. c.) 
1. epicles is certainly the commonest and probably the most variable species of the 
genus, it has likewise the widest range, being the only species which occurs beyond the 
Himalayas. In the male on the upperside of the forewing there is sometimes a faint orange 
irroration on the disc, this is sometimes developed into a moderately-sized spot, sometimes 
the spot is as large as in the female ; in this case, however, the male will be at once recognised 
by the beautiful purple colour seen in some lights, which is restricted toa well-detined area at 
the base from the inner margin to the subcostal nervure, leaving the outer third of the wing 
and the costal area black. In the hindwing the rich vermilion-orange lunules on the outer 
margin vary much in number and size, the purple area being confined to a small patch on 
the disc. Onthe underside the sanguineous outer margin of both wings varies much in 
width and prominence, in the forewing the discal black liturz are often absent, as are also 
the discal white spots on the hindwing. The female varies in the size of all the orange 
markings on the upperside, and of course lacks the purple coloration of the male. On 
the underside it varies exactly as in the male. 
