AMBLTPODIA GROUP OF THE LYOENTDJE. 37 



touches the third cell-spot and generally tapers down considerably to the lower median 

 vein, where it ends ; on the other side of this vein is another spot liable to obsoletion, 

 shifted well inwards ; outside this band is a pale grey shading, forming the inner edge 

 to the almost obsolete submarginal row of spots. Secondaries with four basal spots, 

 the second and fourth shifted inwards, beyond which are three larger ones ; cell closed 

 by a long quadrate spot, below which is a small one occupying the termination of the 

 space between the second and lower median nervule. Transverse band continuous, 

 extending round to the internal nervure ; this band has exceedingly uneven and 

 jagged margins, but it is unbroken, though fractured to a certain extent at the lower 

 median nervule ; outside this fascia, and following its exact course, is a line of unbroken 

 crescentic pale grey marks followed by a pale brown submarginal area. Anal spot 

 black, surmounted by a bluish or greenish scaling, which extends up to the second 

 median nervule and is margined by a whitish line ; there is also a small black spot at 

 the margin of the bluish scaling between the second and lower median nervule. Tail 

 stout, blackish, tipped with white. There is often a pale subcostal stripe more or less 

 developed. 



2 . Upperside : both wings much paler than the male ; primaries with costa of 

 medium width, posterior dark margin very broad, apical area broader still ; secondaries 

 with broad margins all round. Underside exactly as the male. 



The form usually found in New Guinea, whence I have several specimens, is deep 

 purplish, almost the colour of A. hercules Hew., but not lustrous, with the underside 

 paler and more uniform. I have, however, one typical female. 



In this species the underside pattern is somewhat liable to obsoletion, more 

 particularly in the secondaries ; this is caused by a darkening of the ground-colour and 

 a slight lightening of the markings. The insect should be easily recognised on 

 account of the brilliancy of the blue, whilst the under-surface pattern is also well 

 marked in tone of colour as well as pattern. Every author that has hitherto mentioned 

 this species has added a little to the confusion of its identification. The original figure 

 is bad beyond comparison, and Blanchard's description is much too vague to serve for 

 identification. We then come to Hewitson, who first confused it with his own adatha, 

 but afterwards discovered his error (111. Diurn. Lep., Lye. I. c.) and raised both to specific 

 rank quite correctly ; unfortunately, however, he did not separate the two species in 

 his cabinet, where they remain up to this moment mixed together. He knew 

 Boiscluval's specimens, and there is no difficulty whatever in separating the two species. 

 Staudinger next refers to it [l. c), and says that he regard? amytis Hew. as a synonym 

 of this insect ; but he is wrong in this, the two species being quite distinct : superba 

 Kober is, however, synonymous ; I have the type of this species before me, and it 

 is like typical micale, except that the underside of the wings is paler and the whitish 

 is more developed and the paler subcostal stripe of the secondaries strongly marked. 

 This form was described from Batchian, but I have it also from Halmaheira, Gilolo, 



