LYCiENIM. 
75 
Catochrysops cnejus, Fabr. 
A fairly common butterfly, sometimes abundant, which seems to appear chiefly during 
the wet season. Specimens vary considerably in size, particularly in the males. It occurs in the 
same localities as the former species, especially in gardens, for it seems more partial to flowers than 
C. strabo . It has much the same habits as the former insect, but has perhaps not quite so rapid 
a flight. 
The underside of both sexes is similar, but the $ is uniform purplish-blue on the upper- 
side, with a slight border of dark brown on the outer margin of the forewing, and brown on the 
costal margin of the hindwing—in fact as regards the upperside, it is very like the % of 
Polyommatus boeticus. Sometimes the two distinct black anal spots on the upperside of the 
hindwing (one each side of the “ tail ” ) are slightly coloured at the top with orange, something 
like the ?, but usually the orange is obscure or altogether wanting. 
The ? sometimes has the upperside of the hindwing nearly white, as shown in the figure, 
in some individuals the basal half of the wing is much suffused with brown, but the orange over 
the two anal spots always seems to be very distinct. 
Fig. i, PI. IX is from a ? taken in October; Fig. 6 of the same plate is the underside of 
a $ taken in August. 
Larva, figured on PI. 4a, Fig. 1 r, pupa Fig. 12. The larvae were taken in July, feeding 
on Abrus precatorius , Linn., Nat. Ord. Leguminosce , a common twiner in the tropics of the 
Old World, with beautiful shiny black and scarlet seeds. It derives its specific name from the seeds 
being employed as rosaries or praying-beads. The larvae feed chiefly on the flowers and seed-pods. 
The pupa is attached by the tip of the abdomen, with a girdle round the middle. 
Polyommatus boeticus, Linn. 
Also known as Lycoena boetica , L., and it is sometimes placed in the genus Lampidcs. 
A common butterfly here in the dry season, from about October to March inclusive, but occurring 
sparingly at other times of the year. There is a good deal of variation in dimensions, especially in 
the males, some of which are very small. This insect has a rapid flight and seems fond of flowers; 
it chiefly frequents gardens and bushy waste ground, but occurs everywhere. The underside seems 
to vary very little, and is practically the same in both sexes. The $ varies in the amount of blue 
on the upperside of the forewing; sometimes there are merely a few blue scales near the base of the 
wing; the dark spots in the outer margin of the hindwing upperside also vary in distinctness, as do 
the white sub-marginal markings just above the dark spots. 
Fig. 2, PI. IX is from a $ taken in November; Fig. 10 of the same plate is the upperside 
of a $ taken in December. Often the dark spots on the outer margin of the hindwing upperside 
are wanting in the except the anal spot. 
