270 Mr. a. T. Bethune-Baker on 



is, of course, an explanation so far as the pattern is con- 

 cerned, for Laliej and Jihuj were both dry-season specimens, 

 and this would account for the pattern being small and 

 but finely marked, even though the specimens themselves 

 were of an average size. The difficulty generally occurs 

 just with such specimens as these ; localities unfortunately 

 do not render nuich assistance, for if we are to rely on the 

 determinations of observers and authors like Moore, de 

 Niceville, Bingham and others (and I think we can rely 

 on them, as in some instances I have been able to confirm 

 their identifications from my own collection), the three 

 commonest Indian species overlap each other. The whole 

 matter is very difficult and complex, but it shows that 

 we must not depend entirely on pattern when dealing 

 with closely allied species. On the other hand, I believe 

 that in the formation of genera we ought not to com- 

 pletely ignore pattern, especially where there is a strong 

 dominant arrangement of it that enables us to identify 

 the genus of the species directly it is seen. 



The genus is so closely allied to Caslalius that reference 

 to the species usually placed therein became necessary, 

 and I found that in one species at least — ananda, de Nice- 

 ville — the genitalia led me to think that it must be included 

 in Tanicus, whilst an examination of the wing scales con- 

 firmed it, for in Caslalius there are no " battledore " scales, 

 but in Tarucus they are plentiful, as they are also in ananda. 



The distribution of the geiuis is interesting; in the 

 Palaearctic region three species occur which are confined 

 in that area to the Mediterranean subregion, two being 

 peculiar to it; six species occur in the Ethiopian region 

 (including Socotra therein), of which five are peculiar to 

 it; in the Oriental region twelve species obtain, only one 

 of them {T. iheophrastus) occurring outside its limits, and 

 this one is the most widely distributed of all, obtaining 

 in each of the previously mentioned regions ; the Australian 

 region is just invaded in its Austro-Malayan or Papuan 

 subdistrict, for on its extreme western limits a single 

 species has been recorded from Celebes, and this, as Avould 

 be premised, is peculiar to that wonderful island. 



The genitalia are essentially Lycaenine, and they belong 

 to the Lampides section ; they have, however, certain 

 characters that are quite peculiar, there is no " furca " 

 — the usual " furca " is a bifurcate organ arising from the 

 clasps near the base. In the place of this there is another 



