NVMPHALIDiE. NEIMEOBIUS. — MELITiEA. 29 



Sp. 1. Lucina. Alts deniiculatis, supra fuscis, maculis ftilvis, posticis suhtiis 

 fasciis Juahus viaciilaribus ulhidiK. (Exp. alar. 1 unc 1 unc. t lin.) 



Pa. Lucina. Linn.— Don. \u. pi. 242. J! 2. — Mc. Lucina. Steph. Catal. 



The smallest indigenous species of this family : the upper surface of all the 

 wings is obscure brown, with irregular spots of fulvous, disposed transversely, 

 the base of the wings being immaculate, and the outer row of spots being 

 adorned in the centre with a black dot : the anterior wings beneath are some- 

 what similar to the upper surface, but paler, with two ranges of fuscous spots 

 towards the tip, which is also spotted with whitish ; the posterior wings 

 beneath are deep fulvous, with two rows of subquadrate white spots, and a 

 marginal striga of black dots : the cilia on both surfaces are white, interrupted 

 by fuscous : the upper part of the body and the antenna are dusky. 



Var. 6. Both sexes with the upper surfaces of all the wings pale fulvescent^ 

 with paler spots. 



The male has frequently the upper surface of the posterior wings nearly all 

 fuscous, with a single marginal row of lunulated fulvous spots; and the 

 female has often a whitish transverse band of spots on the centre of the upper 

 surface of the same wings. 



The caterpillar and chrysalis are unknown ; the former is said by Stewart to 

 feed on grasses. 



Far from a rare species, thougli not very frequently met with, 

 being local. I have taken it abundantly at Coombe-wood, and 

 occasionally at Darenth, at the end of May. In Ray's time it 

 was found at Boxhill and near Duhvich. Mr. Dale has taken it in 

 the New Forest, and in Dorsetshire and Berkshire. 



Genus IX. — Meliivea, Fabricius. 



Palpi ascending, long, divaricating, very hairy, three-jointed ; basal joint mo- 

 derate, a little bent, second elongate, cylindric, or subfusiform ; terminal joint 

 acicular, half the length of the preceding, or short and minute, sometimes 

 ovate: antennw with a short abrupt compressed club : anterior wings elongate 

 triangular, posterior orbicular : anterior legs imperfect in the male, short in 

 the female: tarsi with double nails, or with simple claws, furnished with 

 an unguiform appendage. Larva pubescent, with fleshy tubercles, or spines. 

 Chi-ysalis slightly angulated, head-case obtuse. 



I may here reiterate the observations in pag;c 15 concerning the 

 dissimilarity of structure apparent in the contents of modern genera; 

 but for similar reasons to those there stated, I shall retain the genus 

 Melitsea without further change than the removal of Xemeobius 

 therefrom: I shall therefore merely point out the sectional cha- 

 racters, previously remarking, that the species may be distinguished 

 from the Argynni by their elongated anterior wings, and that the 

 structure of the paljii and silvery patches on the inlerior surface of 



