Jamides bochus. 



Pupilio bochus, Cramer, Pa^i. Exot. iv. p, 210, pi. cccxci. figs. D, (J (1782). 

 Juiiiides bochus, Hiibner, Verz. bek. Schmett. p. 71 (1816) ; Moore, Lep. Ceyl. i. p. 85, 



pi. xxsvi. figs. 8 (J , 8 a $ (1881) ; Distant, Rliop. Malay, p. 222, pi. xxi. figs. 19 S , 



16 ? (1884) ; de Niceville, Butt. Ind. iii. p. 157 (1890). 



*' Male. Wings above bright metallic blue ; anterior wings (excepting a basal space occupying 

 the lower half of wing beneath cell, and not extending beyond extremity of cell) black ; 

 posterior wings with the costal, outer and abdominal margins black, and with some 

 indistinct anal angular spots. Wings beneath pale brownish ; anterior wings crossed on 

 outer half by two series of greyish linear fascite, which terminate near the upper median 

 nervule, and are then continued by a third scries which commences between them and 

 terminates near inner margin, and with a marginal and two submarginal series of grej-ish 

 linear fascia). Posterior wings with two scries of irregular and broken greyish linear fasciae, 

 which are apparently arranged in subbasal and discal series ; a third scries beyond disk ; two 

 submarginal waved linear fa8cia3 and a narrow marginal fascia of the same colour ; a large 

 black marginal spot bordered with reddish ochraceous between the first and second median 

 nervules, and a smaller spot of tlie same colour irrorated with bluish scales at anal angle. 

 Body above and beneath more or less concolorous with wings. 

 Female. Wings above bright but non-metallic blue ; anterior wing with the costal and outer 

 margins broadly (broadest at apex) blackish ; posterior wings with the costal and abdominal 

 margins fuscous, the posterior margin narrowly black, with two submarginal waved fuscous 

 linear fasciae, and a large marginal black spot inwardly bordered with bluish between second 

 and third median nervules. Wings beneath paler in hue, but marked as in male. 



"Exp. wings, S 22-27 millim., $ 28-32 millim." (Distant, 1. c.) 



I have one specimen of each sex from Chang-yang, Central China, and 

 th ese are almost identical with some Sikkim examples, and agree with 

 Mr. Distant's description of the species. 



RefeiTing to Jamides bochus, Mr. de Niceville says : — " As regards coloration 

 tlie male of this species is perhaps the most lovely of the Indian ' blues,' 

 its brilliancy rivalling some of tlie South-American species of Morpho. 

 It is a common and widely distributed species, occurring all along the low 

 outer valleys of the Himalayas, but not in the desert region of Sind, throughout 

 continental and peninsular India, in Ceylon, the Andaman Isles, and on 

 Kamorta, Nankowri, Katschall, Trinkutt, Teressa, and Great Nicobar Islands, 

 in Assam, Burma, the Malay Peninsula, Java, Sumatra, Formosa, and 

 Australia. In Ceylon, Mr. Hutchison states that it 'has a quick flight, 

 darting from point to i)oint among hedges on the roadside, and settling on 

 the leaves.' This I can contirm ; in Calcutta it seems invariably to frequent 

 trees and })ushes, and always settles with closed wings. As it flashes past 

 ami suddenly settles on a leaf with its dull-coloured underside exposed, the 

 disai.pearance of such a l)rilli;iiit little object is somewhat startling." 



