LAXITA. By H. F ruhstorfer. 
789 
it. Subcostal of the hindwing boldly bent up as in Abisara; precostal either long or short. Subcostal bi¬ 
furcate at a longer or shorter distance from the cell-wall. A with a projecting hindmargin of the forewing 
like in the Mycalesids. Beneath with a large speculum corresponding with a scent-reflection on the upper 
surface of the hindwing. The latter itself with a large androconial spot. In the less brightly coloured 2$ 
the inner margin of the forewing runs entirely straight. The ground-colour of all genuine Laxita is quite 
a peculiar claret-colour which, as far as I know, is not repeated in the long series of the Rhopalocera, and 
on the under surface of both wings there is again in all the species an entirely unusual metallic blue macular 
decoration being a most charming sight for an entomologist. The majority of the species of the A$ exhibit 
besides a bluish-white band or a snow-white spot on the forewing, which is quite paradoxical, since in nearly 
all the families and genera of the day-butterflies the $$ have light bands and spots. Clasping-organs most 
primitive. Uncus as in Abisara ; valve skinny; penis-tube of the plainest formation, unarmed, thin and de¬ 
licate. 
The centre of the range of the genus is Borneo, from where we know already seven species, whereas 
the Malayan Peninsula homes only three and Sumatra just as many species In Java there are no Laxita, but 
recently a magnificent species was discovered in Siam. Two groups of species: 
A. Zarax subgen. nov. Hindmargin of the forewing only insignificantly convex, hindwing without 
a sexual spot, with a short precostal. The subcostal extremely shortened, because it is branched off at a 
great distance from the cell. 
B. Laxita Bllr. Fore wings convex, hind wings with a large androconial basin and a long precostal. 
The subcostal bifurcates at a short distance from the cell. 
A. Group of species: Zarax Fruhst. 
L. teneta Hew. (138 f) of which we figure the A here for the first time, is the only Laxita known with teneta. 
a black, instead of dark-red under surface. Upper surface of the hindwings of the A$ with a blue costal 
stripe which is absent in the $$. The species exclusively inhabits the lowlands, being extremely rare and 
very constant. Between my specimens from North, South East and Central Borneo (Sintang, flying in the 
first quarter of the year) there is no difference to be noticed. 
B. Group of species: Laxita Btlr. 
L. damajanti forms the most common species of a small series of species with rather homogenous 
sexes. The $ is, as a rule, only insignificantly lighter and beneath somewhat more faintly spotted in black, 
damajanti Flclr. (= tanita Hew.) occurs in the Malayan Peninsula. Upper surface of both wings somewhat damajanti. 
more intensely red than in the Sumatran race which we figure (138 e), hindwings. besides in both sexes with 
black diffuse spots. -—- lasica subsp. nov. (138 e as damajanti) above lighter red than damajanti ; both sexes lasica. 
exhibit a more or less distinct black anteterminal band of the hindwings. lasica is the most common Laxita 
in Sumatra, flying all the year through in the woods of the promontories. The A being above unicolorous, 
though of a magnificent dark red, exhibits nearly below the middle of the costa on the upper surface of 
the hindwing an oval, dark yellow scent-spot standing in the centre of a smooth, blackish area; also the 
convex inner margin of the forewing covering the scent-spot is on the adjacent under surface blackishly 
lacquered and smooth. The $ is coloured dull-red throughout and exhibits now and then on the upper 
surface of the forewing the shine of a yellow apical band and has an entirely straight inner margin. North 
East and West Sumatra, H^gek reports it also from the Island of Banka. — cyme subsp. nov., a magnificent cyme. 
discovery of the latest times made by Dr. L. Martin. Both sexes with a paler apical area of the forewing 
being in the 5 submarginally even of a whitish lustre. In spite of this partial brightening, cyme represents 
the melanotic extreme of the collective species, because the hindwings are entirely blackened, exhibiting 
but rudiments of red adnerval stripes, as well as a narrow reddish anteterminal band. The hindmargin of 
the forewing is also entirely blackened as far as to the cell, and two black intermedian stripes surpass even 
the black anal area. Sintang, on the Kapuas River, West Borneo, flying in April. 
L. lola Nicev. (138 f). By the discovery of a real damajanti- race in Borneo, lola is undoubtedly justi- tola. 
fied to be regarded as a distinct species, whilst w'e had to suppose before that lola leplaces damajanti in 
Borneo. A above more fiery red, but in the anal angle just as extensively blackened as cyme. $ paler reddish 
with more delicate black small stripes of the forewings than the $ of cyme. Under surface with more in¬ 
tensely shining blue metallic and more pronounced black spots, lola is besides separated from cyme by its 
larger size. Type from South East Borneo, from where there are 5 specimens in my collection. A race 
being above somewhat more intensely red from the lowlands of North Borneo in 6 specimens in the Coll. 
Frtthstorfer, and the A °f an alpine form being especially pronouncedly striped in black, from the Kina¬ 
balu, in the Tring Museum. 
L. hewitsoni Rob., an extremely rare species known hitherto only in three examples (besides the types hewitsoni. 
and a $ of my collection). Habitus coming up to that of lola, hewitsoni repeats the scheme of markings of 
