68 HAUSTELLATA.— LEPIDOPTERA. 



six^ very large, the anal one especially, which is usually double ; and at the 

 apex of the abdominal areolet is an additional ovate blind ocellus placed at 

 the termination of the white band. 



Ohs. I have not seen a specimen of this insect with the ocelli totally obliterated, 

 and it may be remarked that they are usually largest in this species. 



" Incidit in Scyllam qui viilt vitare Charybdim," is more appli- 

 cable to the entomologist, wlio endeavours to unravel the intricacies 

 of specific differences, than to any other class of naturalists; as it 

 frequently happens that a character which appears important in 

 one species cannot be relied on in the neighbouring ones, and, 

 consequently, in his endeavours to draw the line of demarcation 

 between kindred species, he not unfrequently oversteps the just 

 boundaries of nature, and, in avoiding the error of describing species 

 as varieties, he sometimes gives varieties as species : such, I fear, 

 has been the case in the present genus with respect to the three 

 last-mentioned insects, because, shoukl Polydama be truly distinct 

 from Iphis, the same characters would separate var. /3 of this insect 

 from the other varieties ; and I cannot for a moment imagine that 

 such can be the case, as all the above-described varieties were cap- 

 tured, several in profusion, in the same marshes, between Stockport 

 and Ashton, near Manchester,, and at the same period of the year 

 (July). Mr. Backhouse informs me that it frequents Shorn-moor, 

 Yorkshire ; and Professor Hooker, I believe, once captured a spe- 

 cimen in Norfolk. 



X Sp. 18. Hero. ^Hsfusci.i, sithtus primorihus ocellis duohus, posticis senis. 



(Exp. alar. 1 unc. 6? lin.) 

 Pa. Hero. Linne. — Hi. Hero. Stejih, Catal. 



Anterior wings above fuscous, with a blind ferruginous ocellus towards the 

 ajiex ; beneath fuscous, with a whitish band towards the tip, beyond which 

 is a silvery line, and the margin is luteous; between the margin and the 

 Avhitish band arc two ocelli, of which the exterior has a black iris and snowy 

 pupil, the interior is blind, with a luteous iris and black dot. Posterior wings 

 above also fuscous, with six blind ocelli, with a luteous iris and black pupil : 

 beneath fuscous, with a posterior white band, followed by a silvery line, and 

 a luteous margin ; between the white fascia and the margin are six ocelli, 

 having a luteous iris, the middle deep black, with a snowy pupil : antennie 

 black, annulated with white. 



There was a specimen of this species, and also one of the fol- 

 loAving, in the collection of Mr. Plastead ; the former said to have 

 been taken near Wythyham, on the borders of Ashdown Forest, 



