494 JOURlsAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXIII. 



These are our brightest " Blues", and the largest ; the males are very 

 brilliant, with narrow black borders to wings, the females less so with 

 broad black borders. They are very powerful fliers and difficult to catch. 

 Heivitsoni is not found in South India, the other two are, though amantes is 

 apparently confined to the hills. 



The larvse are much flattened, the pupse are normal ; the two first 

 species are much attended by Red Ants : CEcophylla smaragdina in the 

 nests of which the pupation often takes place. The foodplants are, 

 generally, Terminalia tomentosa and faniculata of the Family Combretacece ; 

 but, the ants seemingly being necessary to the health of the larvse, these 

 latter have been found also on Xylia dolabriformis and other Leguminosece 

 as also on Layerstrcemia of the Lythracece, See PI. II, tigs. 23, larva ; 

 23a, pupa. 



23. Genus — Zesius. 



Only one species. Size: 1"3" to 1'9" . . . . chrysomallus. 



The male is pale cupreous-red with outer margins brownish, the female, 

 larger, is brown shot with blue at base of wings. 



The larva is abnormal, of the shape of Arhopala but with the front and 

 hinder segments dilated into teeth ; pupa normal ; attended constantly by 

 Red Ants, without which the larva will not live in health; pupation 

 nearly always in the ants' nest. Foodplant : generally Combretacem. 

 The larviB are regular cannibals, eating each other and the pupse whenever 

 they get a chance. 



24. Genus — Ckbon. 



One species. Size: 1"2" to 1"5" .. .. .. cleobis. 



A hill species. The larva is somewhat abnormal, being in shape like 

 that of Amblypodia ; the pupa is attached by the tail, the anal segments 

 being lengthened and broadened out at the extremity like a horse-shoe for 

 the purpose, and stands out free from the support. Foodplant ; Loranthus 

 generally L. scurrula. 



25. Genus — Pratapa. 



One species. Size : 1*2" to 1'5" .. .. ..deva. 



Also a hill species. The larva is like that of Creon above and so is 

 the pupa. There is another butterfly which occurs in Kanara but is very 

 rare even there, which has a larva and pupa very like this species, namely. 

 Ops melastigma. It is larger than P. deva and has a large black stigma on 

 the disc of the forewing on the upperside ; it is brown-creamy in colour on 

 the underside. 



Another species, known as Tajuria argentea, Aur., is also found in 

 Kanara but it is a Pratajm, not a Tajuria, having the same velvety larva, 

 not a naked one las in the latter genus. The larvse of Creon and Fratapa 

 are pink-brown, as is also that of Ops, while that of argentea is green. 



26. Genus — Tajxjkia. 



A. Underside : the outer half of both wings 

 brown, separated sharply from the pure- 

 white basal half. Size : 1'4" to I'8" . . indra. 



B. Underside: whole surface uniform. 



a. Hind wing, underside : with metallic greeny- 

 blue scales on black tornal spots and be- 

 tween them. Size: l"2"-l-8".. .. .. cippus. (PL H, 



53 J , 53a ? , 



