284 Mr. G. T. Bethune-Baker's 



Cupido tantalus Aurivillius, Rhop. Aetliiop., p. 376 (1898). 

 Lycaena tantalus Trimen, Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., 1906, 

 p. 74, PI. V, figs. 10, 10a (1906). 



^. Upperside, both wings chill soft violet with narrow brown 

 termen, and a brown dash closing the cell in the primaries only. 

 Underside, both wings pale whitish grey with darker spots and mark- 

 ings edged Avith white. Primaries with a blackish dash closing the 

 cell followed by the postmedian series of six smallish, blackish 

 spots which are not cm'ved, the third spot is placed obliquely, the 

 fifth shifted far inwards, the sixth almost double spot lying below it, 

 a row of six subsagittate internervular biown dashes, a faint row 

 of terminal semicircular spots. Secondaries with the usual basal 

 spots obsolescent and very small, a fine lunular pale brown dash 

 closing the cell, above which is a blackish spot below vein 8, the 

 postmedian series of seven pale brownish irregular, the second spot 

 shifted outwards and forming a curve with spots three, four, and 

 five, the sixth shifted outwards, and the seventh inwards ; area 

 up to the submarginal lunular series whitish, a terminal row of very 

 pale indefinite brownish spots, occasionally there is a very small 

 black anal and subanal spot, but they may be absent. 



2. Upperside, botli wings brown with the basal two-thirds up 

 to vein 5 brightish sublustrous blue. Otherwise like the male, 

 only the underside pattern may be somewhat accentuated. 



Expanse, <3 42-44 ; 9 '^1 ™iii' 



Hah. Kaffraria; Natal. 

 Type in the Joicey collection. 



Genitalia of the type general to the genus, not lilie the preced- 

 ing species, which are unique in this group. Harpagines like two long 

 narrow arms, somewhat wider at the base, highly curved, tapering 

 off near the extremity into a slightly hooked apex; the arms are 

 unusually long and strong considering the size of the species, and 

 are somewhat sparingly furnished with strongish bristles. Anellus 

 ample front edge gently curved; aedoeagus broadish, of but 

 moderate length; cingulum of only moderate length; tegumen 

 very narrow with cheeks of smallish dimensions, curved shghtly 

 forwards into a lobed extremity with long falces that have broad 

 shoulder pieces ; cheeks Avith longish bristles. 



Androconia, tulip-shaped, broad, well arched distally with twelve 

 or thirteen rows of reticulations, the reticulations being placed well 

 apart vertically. 



