76 Lloyd's natural history. 



A genus, the name of which was formerly used to include 

 the series of genera and species which we have discussed under 

 Sithon, the true types of Myrina being included with those 

 of Loxura. Myri?ia^ as now understood, includes only a few 

 African species with very long palpi, gradually thickened 

 antennae, not distinctly clubbed, and a long spatulate tail. The 

 colours are black and blue above. 



The type is 



MYRINA SILENUS. 

 ^Plate XL. Fig. 3.) 



Papilio sile?tus, Fabricius, Syst. Ent. p. 531, no. 378 (1775). 

 Papilio akides, Cramer, Pap. Exot. i. pi. 96, figs. D, E (1776). 

 Myrina alcides^ Godart, Enc. Meth. ix. p. 594, no. 4 (1823). 



The present species, which expands about an inch and three 

 quarters, is dark brown above, with the basal area of the wings 

 shining violet-blue, which colour also extends to the borders of 

 the hind-wings, and to the tail. Beneath, the colour is brown 

 as far as the middle of the wings, where there is a narrow yellow 

 line, which is incomplete on the fore-wings. 



This species is closely allied to the South African Myrina 

 ficedula, Trimen, in which the blue colouring of the fore-wings 

 is much more extended than in M. silenns, and there is a dis- 

 tinct ferruginous bar on the hind-margin of the fore-wings. This 

 species has been described and figured by many authors as 

 identical with the West African M. sile?ius. The yellowish- 

 green, white-spotted larva oi M. ficedula feeds on figs, and the 

 short broad pupa is "attached by the tail only, but in a 

 horizontal position, to leaves of the food-plant — usually on the 

 under side, or to its twigs " {Trime?i). Mr. Trimen adds, 

 respecting the larvae : " There is no doubt that their peculiar 

 colouring is highly protective, agreeing very thoroughly with 

 that of the terminal green shoots, the bract and occasional 



