THE ATHALIA GROUP OF THK GENUS MELIT^A. 245 



straight. Lunules, when visible, as in the male, but sometimes 

 reduced to tiny dots. Elbowed line generally very slightly marked, 

 except at the costa, and by the marginal blotch. Stigma and space 

 between the basal lines usually filled with dark scales. 



Up. s. h. w. : Border and the two lines thick and suffused, and the 

 basal suffusion often reaches the inner line, leaving only one or two 

 rows of spots of the ground colour. No discal spot or extra line, and 

 the basal spot is rarely visible. 



Un. s. f. w. : The whole row of lunules and two costal spots within 

 them are light. Both edging lines of the border and the outer sub- 

 terminal distinct, and inner subterminal generally distinguishable. 

 The other markings, including the costal spots of the elbowed line, 

 generally slight or even absent, except the marginal blotch, though 

 all are sometimes distinct. 



Un. s. h. w. : As in the male, but the central and basal bands 

 rather lighter, and sometimes silvery white. Terminal band some- 

 times darker, as in the male, but often of the same shade as the outer 

 portion of the central band. The light spot is of the same shade, and 

 not, as a rule, very small. The lunules of the outer band are gener- 

 ally small, as in aurelia, leaving a considerable part of the band to be 

 filled in with dusky scales. 



Aurelia. — Up. s. f. w. : The border and the two subterminal lines 

 generally broad but sharply defined in the male, but often less broad, 

 though more suffused in the female ; the inner one is rather less 

 bowed below the costa than in the other species, except varia, and 

 generally bends slightly outwards at the inner margin. The nervures, 

 especially the lower ones on both wings, are more broadly edged 

 with black than in the other species, and in the male are sharply 

 defined, giving a neat lattice-work appearance, which is blurred in the 

 female. Elbowed line generally clear, but often consists of a series 

 of large or small spots, the middle portion being sometimes wanting. 

 Stigma and upper half of basal lines clearly defined, and generally 

 enclose scales of a darker shade than the ground colour. Basal 

 suffusion specially noticeable along the inner margin. 



Up. s. h. w. : Inner line usually much broader than outer. Discal 

 spot and extra line present, but frequently in the male and almost 

 always in the female swallowed up in the basal suffusion. Basal spot 

 generally visible in the male, and sometimes in the female ; a second 

 spot of the ground colour edged with black, but inside the extra line, 

 accompanies it. Nervures broadly black, as in the fore wing. On 

 both wings the border is often split up, especially in the female, into 

 two narrow dark lines containing a line of the ground colour. 



Un. s. f. w. : Lunules hght at the costa, and sometimes down to 

 the anal angle ; outer subterminal clearly defined and generally quite 

 dark, often with a whole row of light spots indicated within it, those 

 near the costa being very conspicuous. The spots near the costa 

 representing the elbowed line are not infrequently rings. Outlines of 

 the stigma and the basal lines generally distinct, as are the marginal 

 blotch and basal dash, but less so in the female than in the male. 



Un. s. h. w. : Inner edging line of the border only very slightly 

 arched ; the border itself darker than the lunules. The separation of 



