THE IDENTITY OF TWO SOUTH AMERICAN LYC.KNIDS. 11 



pi. 319, figs. B, c. The pale blue colour of the hind wmgs, the 

 blue streak on inner margin of fore wing, and the conspicuous 

 red spot at the anal angle above all show most conclusively that 

 this is the insect as figured by Cramer. Whether Cramer's 

 insect is a constant or variable one is difficult to decide, but that 

 Thecla politus = Papilio beon, Cram., in its figured form there 

 can be no doubt. The synonyms given under Thecla beon in 

 Mr. Druce's paper, p. 609, may or may not be synonyms of 

 Papilio beon, Cram. ; it would depend on whether beon was a 

 constant species or not. Mr. Druce evidently considered his 

 Thecla politus (= Papilio beon) was constant, and my own opinion 

 coincides with his. 



The Tmolus isobeon, Butl. & Druce, therefore would become 

 another species, and the synonymy of the two insects would 

 read : — 



1. Papilio beon, Cram., Pap. Ex. iv. pi. 319, figs, b, c. 



Thecla politus, Druce, P. Z. S., 1907, pp. 625, 626, pi. xxxvi. 

 figs. 22, 23. 



2. Tmolus isobeon, Butl. & Druce, Cist. Ent. i. p. 108. 

 Thecla bactra, Hew., 111. Diur. Lep. p. 194, pi. 77, figs. 619, 



620. 



Thecla caulonia, Hew., ibid. p. 188, pi. 75, figs. 587, 588. 



Thecla vibulena, Hew., ibid. p. 190, pi. 76, figs. 599, 600, 601, 

 602, 603. 



Thecla bellera, Hew., ibid. p. 194, pi. 77, fig. 618. 



In the same paper, on pp. 626, 627, the identification of 

 Papilio echion, Linn., is discussed. Mr. Druce says that Dr. 

 Butler has identified Tmolus basalides, Hiibn., as T. echion, 

 Linn., and, in litt., he says : " As regards echion, Linn., I accept 

 the identification again of Hewitson and G. & S., and treat crolus. 

 Cram., as a synonym (of echion, Linn.). Dr. Butler's echion, 

 Linn., I consider basalidfs, Hiibn." This is unfortunate. If 

 Mr. Druce had gone to the root of the matter he would have 

 agreed with Dr. Butler, and found that crolus. Cram., does not 

 equal echion, Linn., but that basalides, Hiibn., does equal 

 echion, Linn. 



Linne's description of echion in Syst. Nat. 12th ed., p. 788, 

 reads: — "Alls bicaudatis supra fuscis ; subtus pallescentibus ; 

 fascia rufa ocelloque rubro. Eoes. add. t. 7, figs. 3, 4. Alse 

 postic9B ad basin caudarum macula ocellari rubra." 



Even by Linn6's description it is obvious that crolus. Cram., 

 cannot be the same as echion, Linn., as crolus has no sign on the 

 upper side of the hind wing of " macula ocellari rubra." But as 

 Linn6 refers to the figure in Roesel's addendum, there is not the 

 least doubt left that what Dr. Butler identified as echion, Linn., 

 is correct, and that Tmolus basalides, Hiibn., is a synonym thereof, 

 as also is Thecla ziba, Hew. 



