AMBLTPODIA GEOUP OF THE LYCLENTD.E. 11 



be but one variable species." The same opinion is held by Mr. W. Doherty, who 

 writes of I. mcecenas, " an extremely variable species wherever I have found it." 

 I think it by no means improbable that this " variability is due to seasonal causes, and 

 "that it will hereafter be found that i". timoleon is the rains form and i". mcecenas the 

 dry-season form of one species." 



The dimorphic female referred to by de Niceville is very curious, it being occasionally 

 found that some females are as brilliantly and as extensively metallic blue as the males. 

 The prehensores are among the most simple in shape of any that I know ; the tegumen 

 is a quite plain hood, with long slender hooks attached to the lower extremities ; the 

 lateral supports long and slight; the clasps fairly developed, ham-shaped, with square 

 extremities whose upper corner is produced. Penis long, with the lower portion ot 

 the tip extended considerably beyond the upper half. 



Iraota Maecenas (Fabricius). 



Hesperia mcecenas Fabricius, Ent. Syst. vol. iii. pt. 1, p. 271. n. 45 (1793); Donovan, Ins. 



China, pi. xxxix. fig. 2, <? (1798). 

 Deudorix mcecenas Hewitson, 111. Diurn. Lep., Lye. p. 25. n. 27 (1863) ; Butl. Cat. Fab. Lep. 



B.M. p. 180. no. 2 (1869). 

 Iraota mcecenas Moore, Lep. Cey. vol. i. p. 102, pi. xl. figs. 2 $ , 2 a ? , 2 b larva and pupa (1881) ; 



Doherty, J. A. S. B. vol. lv. pt. 2, p. 126. n. 123 (1886). 

 Deudorix timoleon Hewitson, 111. Diurn. Lep., Lye. pi. viii. fig. 21, ? (1863). 

 Iraota mcecenas de Niceville, Butt. Ind. vol. iii. p. 216 (1890). 



Had. China ; Hongkong ; North India ; Ceylon ; Jhulaghat ; Eastern border of 

 Kumaun ; Tanna, or Nasik District ; Egutpura, or the Thul Ghat (October), Bombay ; 

 Bhutan, Sikkim (April, November, and December) ; Mundi, Maswin ; Dinapore ; 

 Bholahat ; Calcutta ; Orissa ; Bangalore. 



Expanse, 6 36-48, 2 42-54 mm. 



c? . Upperside : both wings very dark purplish brown, with blue patches deeper 

 in tone than in timoleon, and perhaps rather more extensive in the primaries. 

 Underside : both wings almost precisely as in timoleon, but not quite so dark, and 

 with no silvery-white patch below the costa of the secondaries ; the outline of this 

 patch is, however, quite distinct as a rule. 



5 . Upperside : both wings brown, with a violet or purplish patch of considerable 

 extent on the primaries, whilst on the secondaries this colour is reduced almost to the 

 disc. This species, like timoleon, has another occasional form of the female just like 

 the male, and I conclude it was from one of this form that Mr. Moore described the 

 species with the male and female similar in colour. The common form is as described 

 here. I have one specimen also in which the violet-blue colour of the primaries is 

 reduced almost to the discal area. 



The earlier authors mixed up this and the previous species considerably, but I believe 



c2 



