THE LYCjENID GENUS AZANUS. 291 



Perhaps the most noticeable features of the insect are its rounded 

 form and slender structure. In consequence of the latter it 

 dries very badly, and loses its delicate colours. The abdomen 

 should be carefully emptied of its contents, and loosely filled 

 with cotton wool to preserve the shape. 



In consequence of possessing such tiny wings X. dorsale can- 

 not fly, but it hops very actively from blade to blade of the 

 tussocks of long grass amongst which it lives, and, as it clings 

 very tightly to them, it is not easy to secure the insect by 

 sweeping. Perhaps the hands are the best implements with 

 which to effect its capture, as they are certainly the readiest. If 

 thoroughly disturbed it goes ^lown towards the roots of the grass, 

 and there cannot be found. When captured X. dorsale sometimes 

 emits a dark purple-brown liquid from the mouth. It seems to 

 like tussocks of a tall, soft, pale green grass, and perhaps prefers 

 wet spots, though its habitat is not restricted to them. 



Few localities have been recorded for this interesting grass- 

 hopper. Eland Shaw gives two — Heme Bay (E. Saunders) and 

 Deal (G. T. Porritt). Mr. Porritt has also taken it at Chippen- 

 ham Fen. I have myself taken a few in a very restricted spot 

 in the New Forest (9th Aug. 1898, 12th Aug. 1899), somewhat 

 larger numbers quite close to the coast near Christchurch, in 

 Hampshire (Aug. 16th, 1899), and one amongst the sand-hills 

 near Stndland, in Dorset (Sept. 4th, 1899). In addition, Pagham 

 Marsh, in Sussex, and near London, are mentioned by Burr as 

 localities in his ' British Orthoptera.' X. dorsale is the only 

 British representative of the genus. 



THE LYCENID GENUS AZANUS OF MOORE. 

 By A. G. Butler, Ph.D. 



In Marshall and De Niceville's ' Butterflies of India ' three 

 species of Azanus are recognised — A. ubaldus (the type of the 

 genus), A. uranus, and A. gamra . 



In Aurivillius's ' Bhopalocera iEthiopica ' the genus is re- 

 garded as a mere section of Cupido, although admitted to be "a 

 very natural and easily recognisable group." Six species are 

 recognised as belonging to it — C. sigillatus, C. moriqua, C. mirza, 

 C. jesous, C. ubaldus, and C. zena. 



As a matter of fact, I find the synonymy in the latter work 

 cannot be followed, because, in the first place, C sigillatus (the 

 first species) is a synonym of C. moriqua ; whereas C. nata- 

 lensis is a perfectly distinct species. 



In the second place, I cannot see how C. mirza, which is de- 

 scribed as having the wings and fringes unicolorous and violet, 



2 d 2 



