824 THYSONOTIS. By Dr. K. Grunberg. 
Thecla it will be of greater use to divide the big mass of combined butterflies into groups by which more clearness 
is produced. 
In the palearctic Lycaeninae we had seen that nearly all the members of this subordinate group belonged 
to the one genus Lycaena which even contains more palearctic Lycaenidae than all the other genera of the whole 
family produce in this district. Such a preponderance of a single genus containing more than half of all the 
Lycaenidae of a fauna, is noticed in other districts only in as much as a very great part of the Lycaenidae of 
Tropical America belong to the said genus Thecla. In Africa, from where we presumably also know more than 
100 Lycaena- species, they are not so enormously preponderant (with about one sixth of the forms of the whole 
African Lxcaenid family), and beside this genus, the African genera Jolaus, Spindasis, Deudorix, Epitola etc. 
contain numerous species. Thus also some genera, such as Arhopala, Dipsas, Lampides, Nacaduba, Castalius, 
Rapala etc. occur in India with a considerable number of forms, but here there is neither the decided prepon¬ 
derance noticeable as that of the genus Lycaena in the north of the Old World. We must, however, not forget 
that this difference of the part played by some genera has been artificially exaggerated by the mania of deno¬ 
minating, since the very genus Lycaena is predominantly European and has therefore, by most minutely distingui¬ 
shing the different forms, been provided with an immense number of entirely superflous aberrative names. 
The South Asiatic genera have as yet been spared this mania, and one has not proceeded to the length of 
celebrating every extinct little ring on the under surface by a baptismal ceremony. The sound reaction having 
been noticed for some time against the distribution of superfluous names, will perhaps protect the exotic fauna 
against such a fate. 
To the Indo-Australian Lycaeninae belong the most imposing genera of the whole family. The Thysonoiis 
exhibit a most charming scheme of markings, and the Arhopala show such a deep blue radiance that they even 
strike the tourist and novice. Those genera that are to be seen in Tropical India almost every day, are above 
all Lampides. Polyommatus, Zizera and Chilades, whereas the genuine Lycaena inhabit only the northernmost 
parts of the district. In Australia, the Ogyris exhibit forms of great beauty and of an almost dazzling intensity 
of colours. The life-history of the Indo-Australian Lycaeninae is not so accurately known to us as that of the 
preceding subfamilies, but the symbiosis with ants has also here been several times ascertained. 
1. Genus: Tliysonotis Hbn. 
A genus containing rather many species and being very characteristic of the Indo-Australian fauna 
in a restricted sense, i. e. of the eastern part of the district. It comprises medium-sized and small forms distingui¬ 
shed by a very conspicuous colorial dimorphism of the upper surface: whilst the are of a bright light or 
darker blue colour, the $$ exhibit a deep black-brown or almost black colouring. A characteristic mark common 
to all the species is a broad white band traversing both wings and being, at least beneath, always distinctly 
prominent . Another very conformable sign are certain markings beneath from a metallic blue to green, although 
the difference of their development supplies one of the most important mark of distinction of the species; these 
markings consist on the forewing of a marginal band proceeding from the base and running along the costal 
and distal margins, and on the hindwing of a marginal band which in some species attains a very considerable 
width and always encloses a series of black spots parallel to the border; besides on the hindwing a shorter or 
longer costal-marginal streak proceeding from the base. 
Forewings broad with a round costal margin projecting somewhat angularly near the base, the apex 
slightly rounded off, the margin in the $ steep and slightly curved, in the $ more strongly bent. Hindwings 
broad and uniformly rounded, in a number of species tailed at the vein 2. Vein 11 in the forewing, soon after 
its rise, fused with the costal marginal vein for some distance, veins 7 and 8 long-pediculate, vein 9 is absent. 
As the centre of the range New Guinea must be considered from where most of the species are known. 
The range extends from the Philippines and Moluccas as far as North and East Australia. 
5 groups are discernible according to certain coloristic marks and according to the presence or absence 
of the small tail in the hindwing. Allied species are often not easy to discern; most of the species, however, 
seem to have a limited range, so that in establishing the species nearly always the habitat can be taken into 
account. 
a) danis- Group. 
Large species, the £ being above of a bright light-blue colour. Both sexes on the upper surface with a broad 
white band running across both wings. Marginal scales alternately white and black. 
danis. Th. danis Cr. (= damis Hbst., sebae Bsd.) (143 b). Upper surface of the forewings of a bright 
light blue with a metallic lustre, the costal and distal margin narrowly bordered with black, the white band 
on the posterior half of the wing only indicated by some spots being separated by the blue veins. The hindwing 
with a broad white band, at the dark base some blue scales, almost the whole distal half of the wiim black, 
only on the anterior part with an extensive blue spot adjoining the white band. Under surface black, the 
