54 THE BUTTERFLIES OF CEYLON 
unmistakably those of airata gythion (Plate 7, fig. 4). Moore 
describes ¢ atvata as smaller and darker than prominens, so I 
think this will have to stand as a race of atrata in future. 
Of the four forms d. is extremely plentiful, a. and c. are 
common and 0 is by far the rarest. 
Females. a. Very variable in size (from 18-30 mm); patch 
on. fore wing and most of hind wing white, with a dusting of 
blue scales ; when the white patch is smaller than usual, there 
are often two or three diffuse white discal spots on the brown 
border, parallel with the terminal margin. White strigz on 
under side exceptionally wide and diffuse. Horsfield originally 
named atrata from a female from Java “transmitting a 
white patch on the disc,” and therefore De Nicéville and 
Fruhstorfer agree in naming this form atrata. The under 
side closely resembles that of male a., so | have named both 
atrata. 
b. Larger, a large patch on fore wing and most of hind 
wing pale blue. Strigze on under side not as wide as those 
of a. It agrees with Moore’s figure of prominens Q in 
‘‘Lepidoptera of Ceylon,” though the blue is a little darker, 
never white, so I call it prominens. 
c. Very like 6. but smaller. The blue slightly darker 
and often smaller in extent. Strigze on under side narrower 
and better defined. De Nicéville and Fruhstorfer call this 
prominens. The under side agrees with that of $c.,so I have 
called it prominens, though almost certainly wrongly. 
d. Smaller, the blue area on fore wing smaller and much 
darker. The blue on hind wing absent or small in extent, 
Strigee below very narrow and well defined. De Nicéville 
calls this pluwmbeomicans, and Fruhstorfer agrees. Moore 
apparently calls it atvata, which he describes as of a “more 
intense and darker blue”’ than prominens g. 
The under side agrees with that of ¢ d.,so I have called both 
plumbeomicans. 
a., c., and d. are common ; B. is scarce. 
To sum up, I pair gg a. b. c. d. with 29a. b.c. d. in that order 
on account of the similarity of the markings of the under side. 
