804 
GERYDINAE. By H. Fruhstorfer. 
is quite flat with four margins and as many grooves, and looks like a folded-up Japanese paper-lamp. 
The larva, discovered by Kershaw, on creeping out, is almost cylindrical, later on it is more of the 
shape of a limaeida. The colour is at first light-yellow with a distinct, purple dorsal line and some fine hairs 
at its brown head and at the last segment. In the last stage the larva turns greenish-yellow with purple- 
brown stripes, the second segment swells up, so that the head may be easily hidden under it, which is nearly always 
the case when the larva is at rest. The larva feeds on aphis, and some bites are sufficient for it. After the meal 
the larvae lick off their feet just like the Mantis are used to do, too. The aphis, when being devoured, are 
pre- sed against the plant or held freely into the air, sometimes carefully picked out and apparently examined 
by their smell, whether they are edible. The aphis themselves are not aware of the danger threatening them 
from the larvae of Gerydus, for sometimes they climb across the larvae or crawl round them. 
The eggs of the butterfly are deposited in the midst of a heap of aphis and fastened by gluing them on 
their entirely flat undersurface, so that they cannot slip off or be removed by the aphis. Before the larvae 
pupate, they lose their scanty hairs and begin for some time to put off their snail-like laziness, wandering rest¬ 
lessly about. When they have found a suitable place, they spin some threads near the head and the tail 
sometimes they also make themselves a belt. The apex of the abdomen is flattened to a disc, and thus forms 
a good point of support. At each side of the seventh segment is a small projection. The pupal stage lasts for 
about 10 days in the rainy period, the larval stage about 15 days in the same period. In Hongkong the butterfly 
passes through its complete development during every month of the year, except the cold January and February. 
The imago itself has green eyes and prefers shady and wet places under large trees with neglected 
underwood. Although it is on the move all day long, it still appears the most frequently in the evening. 
The $ deposits its eggs towards evening, shortly before night sets in, on twigs and leaves occupied 
by aphis, and across which two species of ants, Polyrachis dives S?n. and Dolichoderus bitub erculatus Mayr, 
are running. The aphis as well as the ants feed from the sap of the plant, whilst the ants make besides 
use of the aphis as milch-cows. Before the $ deposits its eggs, if flies undecidedly up and down, wander¬ 
ing about in the leaves here and there, until at last it makes two or three attempts to deposit a single egg in 
the midst of the ants and aphis. It then rises and drinks for some time from the sap of the plant, of which 
the GG and 9? are very fond, so that there are often 5 or 6 seen sitting together. 
The ants neither care for the butterflies nor for the eggs, nor for the larvae of the Gerydinae. It seems 
that they are too much occupied with the aphis and cannot bestow any care on the welfare of the larvae, as 
they do in those of Spindasis lohita and Ogyris (Kershaw). 
The imagines are fond of the shade and never dare to expose themselves directly to the rays of the 
sun. The rarer species never leave the dense forest at all, and only more common species, such as G. horsfieldi, 
biggsi and G. symethus fly at the skirts of the woods. The latter are seen flying restlessly about between 
low bushes where they hunt for aphis. They are, however, nevertheless feeble flyers, they only hurriedly hide 
in the forest on being pursued. (Martin and de Niceville, Journ. Asiat. Soc. Beng. 1895, p. 446). According 
to Bingham (Fauna of Brit. India, Butt. 1907, p. 287-—88), the $$ fly on the brushwood and on low herbs at 
the skirts of the woods. The G<S> however, always rest on the upper surface of the leaves or at the ends 
of projecting twigs, from which superior position they make short, swift flights round, in order to return to 
the same or a neighbouring leave. They always rest with their heads turned outside, towards the open air and 
not towards the trunk of the tree. 
I myself have observed in Annam that some butterflies dashed past me in a raving flight, so that I 
did not know whether they were Heterocera or Satyridae. After having caught some of the swift insects in my 
net, they proved to be Gerydus croton and boisduvali. 
These Lycaenidae fly slowly in the plains and always close at the soil. Up on the mountains, however, 
where the winds always blow violently, it seems that they are forced to strengthen their flying-muscles and 
to adapt themselves to the new conditions, in which they have most remarkably succeeded. (Fruhstorfer, 
Tagebuch d. Weltreise, p. 292—93). 
A. horsfieldi was observed by Colonel Barrow in Burma, who was struck by the butterflies abiding 
for such a long time at one place. But before they definitely settled down for a rest, the little insects sat 
down but for some moments and repeated this flying up and down for about twenty times. Barrow was 
interested also in the long legs of the Allotinus, and he found that they are very well fitted to enable the 
A. horsfieldi to sit above a big number of aphis. The horsfieldi, according to his observations, tickle the aphis 
with their small legs, exactly like the ants do with their antennae, and seem to feed from their scretions. Often 
there are ants already sitting near the aphis. But the Allotinus also cover these over with their long legs, and 
even large ants do not take any notice at all of the horsfieldi or they only glance at their femora for a 
