22 MR. G. T. BETHUNE-BAKER : A REVISION OF THE 



paler blue and broad margins of the male, as also by the curious colour of the under 

 surface. 



Mahathala ameria (Hewitson). (Plate IV. figs. 4, 4a.) 

 Amblypodia ameria Hewitson, Cat. Lycsenidse B.M. p. 14. n. 64, pi. viii. figs. 85, 86, $ (1862). 

 Mahathala ameria Moore, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1878, p. 703 ; Rothney, Ent. Month. Mag. 



vol. xix. p. 35 (1882). 

 Narathura ameria Distant, Rhop. Malay, p. 268. n. 13, pi. xxi. fig. 30, ? (1885). 

 Mahathala ameria de Niccville, Butt. Ind. vol. iii. p. 283. n. 848, pi. xxvii. fig. 200, $ (1890). 

 Arhopala (Mahathala) ameria de Niceville and Martin, J. A. S. B. vol. lxiv. pt. 2, p. 470 (1895). 



Ilab. Northern India ; Siam ; Hainan ; China ; Barrackpur ; Mergui ; Perak ; 

 Beerbhum District ; Calcutta ; Goalpora ; Sibsagar ; Chittagong Hill Tracts ; Sumatra 

 (Paid Staudinger) ; Java. 



Expanse, 3 & ? , 37-40 mm. 



d . Upperside : both wings dull purple ; primaries with costa rather narrowly, and 

 posterior margin less narrowly, black ; secondaries with apex and costa broadly, and 

 posterior margin less broadly, blackish. Tail rather long, broad, and spatulate, 

 scalloped on each side so as to form a sbort tooth-like projection. Underside : 

 primaries coffee-brown, with pale submedian area ; spots scarcely darker than ground, 

 laterally edged with greyish white, one in the centre of the cell and one more distinct 

 closing it; below these are two divided by the lower median nervule, above them are 

 often (not always) one or two obscure spots ; transverse band broken outwardly after 

 the first and after the second spot, and inwardly after the fourth spot, terminating on 

 the lower median nervule beyond this ; costa and apex sprinkled with grey irrorations ; 

 mar°inal row lunular. Secondaries dark brown, with all the ground between the fascia? 

 closely irrorated with greyish ; the basal area is very irregularly spotted and blotched 

 with reddish brown ; a reddish-brown irregular fascia from apex to near the base of 

 the abdominal margin, beyond which is another broad irregular fascia from the upper 

 discoidal nervule to the middle of the abdominal margin ; marginal row obscure but 

 dark; lobe well formed. 



2 . Precisely like the male in every particular, except that the purple area of the 

 upperside is much more restricted. 



The female of this species is subject to considerable variation both as to the colour 

 of the blue and as to its extent. I have specimens before me with the purple occupying 

 an area only just beyond the outer limit of the cell, and others which are bright rich 

 blue, with only a broad dark posterior margin and broader apex. 



I believe that the male also varies in colour, for Mr. de Niceville says the male 

 is not purple but rich deep blue. The clasping-organs here figured are, however', from 

 a specimen which is quite purple and very dull in tone, and I may say that I have not 

 seen a really blue male. These organs are strongly specialised in this genus. The 



