MESSARAS. 163 



Genus IX. MESSARAS. 



Argynnis God 1 , tyc. 



Head rather broad, hairy. 



Eyes oval, rather prominent. 



Maxillce considerably longer than the thorax. 



Labial Palpi divergent, ascending, projecting considerably beyond the forehead. First joint 

 subcylindric, slightly curved, scaly, the scales very long ; second joint five times the length 

 of the first, large, much swollen beyond the middle, tapering towards the apex, which is 

 truncate, scaly, and in front hairy, the external hairs much the longest, dorsal tuft short ; third 

 joint slender, acicular, equal in length to the first. 



Antenna; scarcely three fourths the length of the body, gradually and almost imperceptibly 

 thickening towards the apex into a slender club, the last joint of which is pointed. 

 Thorax oval, moderately stout, hairy. 



Anterior Wings subtriangular ; the anterior margin considerably rounded ; the outer about 

 two thirds the length of the anterior margin, rounded, slightly sinuate ; inner margin straight, 

 a little longer than the outer. Costal nervure stout, terminating before the middle of the 

 anterior margin. Subcostal nervure slender, lying close to the costal until the latter turns 

 upward to the costa ; its first nervule thrown off just before the end of the cell ; its second 

 at some distance beyond it ; its third about as far from the second as this from the first ; 

 its fourth less than half way between the third and the apex, just before which it terminates. 

 Cell short, about one third the length of the wing. Upper disco-cellular all but wanting. 

 Middle disco-cellular much curved inwards. Outer disco-cellular very slender, almost atrophied, 

 slightly curved, about double the length of the middle one, anastomosing with the third median 

 nervule close to its origin. 



Posterior Wags obovate ; the outer margin slightly sinuate-dentate, the longest tooth being 

 at the termination of the third median nervule. Precostal nervule simple, bent abruptly 

 outwards. Discoidal nervure appearing to be a third subcostal nervule. Cell open. Abdominal 

 fold ample. 



Anterior Legs of the male scaly, and slightly fringed with hairs. Femur longer than the tibia, 

 curved. Tibia also curved, nearly cylindric. Tarsus two fifths the length of the tibia, subcylindric, 

 slightly tapering towards the apex. Anterior Legs of the female with the femur longer 



