AMBLYPODIA GEOUP OF THE LYC^NIM. 21 



the irregular outline adds to the effect. Mimicry of this sort is a sign of great flexi- 

 bility of structure, and such genera must be judged by severer canons than others, so 

 perhaps Apporasa had better be sunk in Mahathala." 



I entirely agree with Mr. Doherty in this ; the neuration is the same, the arch of the 

 costa of the primaries is rather stronger than in M. ameria, but decidedly less strong 

 than in T. multicaudata ; the costa of the secondaries is precisely the same as in 

 Mahathala, and therefore I do not see what use there is in separating the two genera — 

 in fact, I do not see what characters there are to enable us to separate them. The 

 prehensores are highly developed ; the tegumen is very ample, with strong straight 

 hooks, with a considerable muscular attachment ; the clasps are also unusually ample 

 and peculiar. The penis is short and stout. I have described and figured them under 

 the species M. ameria Hew. 



Mahathala atkinsoni (Hewitson). 



Amblypodia atkinsoni Hewitson, 111. Diurn. Lep., Lye. p. liff. n. 99, pi. iii b. figs. 48, 49 (1869). 

 Apporasa atkinsoni Moore, J. A. S. B. vol. liii. pt. 2, p. 38 (1884) ; de Niceville, Butt. Ind. vol. iii. 



p. 224. n. 784 (1890). 

 Mahathala (Apporasa) atkinsoni Doherty, J. A. S. B. vol. lviii. pt. 2, p. 423 (1889). 



Hah. Moulmein; Myitta (Tenasserim Valley), Tilin Maw, and Katha District, 

 N. Burma (Coll. de Niceville). 



Expanse 42-45 mm. 



d . Upperside : primaries very dark blackish brown, tinged with purple ; costa 

 lightly spotted, with the discoidal and submedian areas pale lustrous violet-blue (I 

 cannot possibly call it purple) ; secondaries dark brown, with a similar violet-blue 

 patch as the primaries. Underside : primaries dark brown, posterior margin densely 

 irrorated with grey ; costa irrorated and speckled with a similar colour ; a whitish dash 

 across the centre of the cell, which is closed by two broad, short, whitish dashes out- 

 lining a sort of spot, beyond which is a dark spot laterally edged with whitish ; below 

 this several indefinite whitish spots, and the submedian area is also whitish. Secondaries 

 paler brown, mottled and densely irrorated all over with reddish grey or grey tinged 

 with lilac ; the cell is closed by a dark mark, and there are one or two spots at the 

 base ; a very few metallic bronzy-green scales are scattered here and there over the wing 

 indefinitely. All the markings are most indefinite on both wings, and the few bronzy 

 scales would render the mimicry of lichen (to which Mr. Doherty likens the underside) 

 about perfect. 



$ . Exactly like the male, except that the blue of the under surface is paler, bluer, 

 brighter, and more extensive. 



This is apparently a very rare insect ; it has been described for more than thirty years, 

 and there are but few collections in which specimens appear. It is a beautiful and 

 very interesting species, and is readily separable from any others of the genus by the 



