1074 
AMPITTIA; TARACTROCERA. Ry Dr. A. Seitz. 
viaro. 
dioscorides. 
•miyakei. 
arisana. 
jormosana. 
dura. 
maevius. 
danna. 
35. Genus: Ampittia Mr. 
This chiefly palearctic genus has already been characterised in Vol. I (p. 346), and most of its forms 
have been described there and figured in the same volume (pi. 87 c, d). Only one species is common in the 
whole of the Indian Region; it varies so much individually, that we can hardly consider the various forms to 
be more than local races. 
A. maro F . has been dealt with in Vol. I, p. 346, but according to Fruhstorfer it is said to be identical 
with dioscorides (170 f) mentioned before by Fabricitts, so that it ought to be denominated dioscorides. In 
the palearctic region Mabille mentioned the species from Cashmir, but this is the northernmost part of the 
range. The species is propagated still more in the districts where rice is grown, and the neat yellow lepidoptera 
exhibit the very same flight and habits as small Pamphila palaemon, all the field-ways and open spaces 
in the forests being crowded with them, and even advancing into the streets and gardens. The sexual dimor¬ 
phism is very great, camertes Heiv. and palemonides Snell., the latter from Sumatra, are synonyma. — Larva 
and pupa green, larva with a dark head; on rice, maro is also very common in the whole of Southern China, 
and in Hongkong one of the commonest le [adoptera. 
A. miyakei Matsum. (= virgata Miya. nec Leech) may only be the Formosan form of the South- 
C'hinese A. maga Leech (Vol. I, pi. 87 d). The description of the insect being unknown to me runs as follows: 
,,d dark brown; wings with golden yellow spots. Forewing along the costa at the base with a longitudinal stripe 
not reaching the centre of the costa; in the discoidal region with 3 longitudinal spots, the central one of which 
is shorter and triangular. In the cells 2, 3, 6 and 7 one spot each, the lower two spots being larger. Fringes 
grey; below the discal cell longitudinally scaled yellowish. Hindwing near the centre with 2 spots (in the 
cells 2 and 3) the outside of which is scaled yellowish, fringes dark brown mixed with yellowish. Forewing 
beneath marked as above, at the costal and distal margins scaled yellowish. Hindwing all over scaled yellowish, 
so that the central spots are not so distinct as above; the 3 rows of dark spots are indistinctly visible as in 
virgata Leech. — In the <$ the marking is almost as in the A, but it shows besides 2 spots in cell 1, whereas the 
costal stripe and the lowest discoidal stripe are absent. Fringes greyish-yellowish. Expanse of wings: 31, 
$ 32 mm.“ Horislio, Taihok, Arisan. 
A. arisana Matsum. differs from the preceding species in the following marks: forewing of narrower 
and longer, the spots quite whitish, in the discoidal cell only 1 whitish spot (in miyakei 2 or 3 longitudinal 
streaks), hindwing near the centre with a whitish spot, fringes of the ground-colour, mixed with grey, under 
surface in some places with light yellowish scales, spots and costal streak of forewing somewhat yellowish; 
hindwing as above with an indistinct white spot. Described from 1 specimen having been captured on April 
20th near Arisan (Formosa). 
A. formosana Fruhst., dscribed from 1 $ from Chip-chip (Formosa), may be a synonym of one of the 
preceding species. Distinguished from A. maga by the discal colouring of the hindwing above not representing 
a distinct double spot, but a fine hatching with greenish scales. Beneath darker, the yellow spots reduced, the 
black irroration more extensive. 
A. etura Mab. is similar to maga, somewhat smaller, and with broader wings; the spots on the forewing 
are not whitish, but reddish-yellow, the cellular spot is larger, similar as in miyakei-, the spots of the hindwing 
are increased, four of them being present. Fringes speckled black and yellow. Hindwing beneath dark yellow 
with 4 rows of brown dots and an isolated one at the costal margin. Hongkong. 
Many of the following genera are rather artificial ones, for which reason there are hardly 2 authors entirely 
agreeing in their delimitation. Taractrocera, Telicoia, Augiades, Padraona etc. are distinctly separated by some authors, placed 
next to each other, though differently composed by others. — For the sake of uniformity, we follow the autohr of the Hesperidae 
in the first part, P. Mabille. 
36. Genus: Taractrocera. 
So very similar to Padraona that both are difficult to separate; thus, for instance, ziclea Plotz is some¬ 
times ranged here, sometimes with Padraona , etc. They are throughout small species with an obtuse antennal 
club, exhibiting a depression on the upper surface. 
T. maevius F. (= flaccus Btlr., sagara Mr.) (Vol. I, pi. 87 e) has fine dull white spots above. Cf. 
Vol. I. p. 346. Specimens from Ceylon differ from those from Continental India in the dark greyish-green hindwing 
beneath with indistinctly lighter veins. Local, though common at their habitats; it flies very close at the soil, 
alighting on stones and bare places on the ground. 
T. danna Mr. Cf. Vol. I, p. 346. This species from the North-Western Himalaya also flies in the Eastern 
In do-Australian Region (Sikkim). 
