1900.] BUTTERFLIES OF THE GENUS ZIZERA. 107 



occurring from the Lower Himalayas to Madras. In my opinion, 

 Z. maha is the wet phase, Z. chandala intermediate, Z. ossa dry. 



Although Mr. Moore describes Z. chandala as having a purplish- 

 brown border and the figure represents an insect with a very dark 

 and defined border, the dull silvery-blue colouring mentioned in the 

 description can only apply to the intermediate phase ; in the wet 

 phase the border is much broader and there is a distinctly violet 

 subtint. 



The intermediate phase somewhat nearly resembles the wet phase 

 of Z. diluta, to which fact I believe the confusion between these 

 geographically constant forms is attributable; the males, however, 

 are somewhat paler and more pearly in tint, with the dark outer 

 border to the primaries browner and consequently less sharply 

 defined. 



It is possible that this species may range through Beluchistan to 

 the Persian Gulf, as we have a female from Pao which looks 

 suspiciously like that, sex of Z. maha. 



2. Zizera diluta. (Plate XL figs. 3, 4.) 



6 . Lyccena diluta, Pelder, Beise der Nov., Lep. ii. p. 280, pi. 

 xxxv. figs. 12, 13 (1865). 



2 . Lyccena squalida, Butler, Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. 1879, 

 p. 41. 



The range of this species seems to extend from the Eastern 

 Himalayas southwards to (laujam ; and the differences which 

 separate this geographical race from the Western Z. maha appear 

 to me to be quite constant, such as the narrower and better defined 

 outer border to the wings and the greater resemblance of tint 

 between the seasonal phases. At the same time, to those who 

 prefer to treat it as a form of Z. maha, 1 have nothing to object ; 

 only I hope that they will not, as we have all done hitherto, con- 

 found the Eastern and Western types. 



3. Zizera opalina. (Plate XL figs. 5, 6.) 



Lyccena opalina, Poujade, Ann. Soc. Eut. Prance, 1885, p. cxliii. 



Lyccena marginata, Poujade, torn. cit. p. ell. 



Plebeius albocceruleus, Eober, Iris, iii. p. 59, pi. iv. fig. 7 

 (1886). 



This pretty little species probably occurs throughout Burma \ 

 Tibet, and China. The wet phase of the male is distinctly more 

 pearly and apparently more lilacine than in either of the Indian 

 forms : this may, however, be partly due to the darker and slightly 

 narrower outer border of the primaries ; that of the secondaries 

 is represented along outer margin by a row of well-defined black 

 spots, sometimes bounded internally by a lunulated line : the under 

 surface has a yellower (more stone-coloured) tint than in Z. maha 

 or Z. diluta. The dry phase is very distinctive, the colouring of the 



1 We have a male of llie dry phase collected by the lale Oapt. Watson in (lie 

 Southern Shan States. 



