THE COMMON BUTTERFLIES OF THE PLAINS OF INDIA. 489 



a. Male and female similar : the upperside 

 fore wing white with broad, black border 

 both with blue only at base. Size : I'l" 



to 1-14" akasa. 



b. Male and female : upperside dissimilar ; 

 blue in the male ; the females distinguished 

 as under :— 



a}. Upperside of male dull indigo-blue; 

 the female with white discal patch 

 to fore wing. Size : 1-34" to 1-52". . . . albidisca. 

 b^. Upperside of male uniform dark pur- 

 plish-blue ; that of female bluish-purple, 

 paler outwards. Size : 1-25" to 1-40". . limbata. 

 B, Undersides in both sexes with the markings 

 prominent and coarse. 



a. Underside slightly bluish-white, the veins 



very slenderly black. Size : 1'28" to 1'36".. puspa. 



b. Underside opaque chalk-white, the veins 

 concolorous. Size : 1"42" to J •45" lilacea. 



The shape of the larva and pupa of puspa is normal, 

 but the former is covered with minute, white, 

 star-topped hairs ; the colour is generally green ; the 

 pupa is pinkish with darker blotching. The food- 

 plant is always leguminous : Cylista and others. 



5. Genus — Zizera. 



A. Fore wing, underside : a dot in the middle of cell. 



a. Expanse : over.1'25''' mm. Upperside, male : 

 light-blue, silvery in certain lights ; female, 

 brownish black, sometimes purplish at base 



of wings. Size : I'lO" to 1-28" maha. 



b. Expanse : under 0"75". Upperside, male, 

 violaceous blue ; female, pale satiny-brown. 



Size : 0-7" to 0-96" lysimon. 



B. Fore wing, underside : cell immaculate. 



a. Fore wing, underside : a spot on costa just 

 before the discocelullar veins. Size : O'S" to 

 0'95" gaika. 



b. Fore wing, underside : no such spot. Size : 

 0-8" to 1-1" Otis. 



These are all Plains species and somewhat weak 

 fliers. They are generally found flying near the 

 ground, amongst grass, &c. The larva and pupa 

 are normal, though both are rather thin, the former 

 being flower-feeders and vary, therefore, in colour. 

 Lysimon feeds on Acanthacece ; gaika and otis upon 

 ie^'MmmosecB, mostly Vetches. Th6larvse are attended 

 by ants at times. 



6. Genus — Az'anus. 



A. Fore wing, underside : a black dot in the middle 



of the cell. Size : 1" jesous. 



B, Fore wing, underside : no dot in cell. 



a. Underside : greyish-brown with, on the 

 hind wing, a conspicuous, transverse, sub- 

 basal series of four black spots. Size : 



0-8" to 0-95" ubaldus. 



14 



