322 



NYMPHALID/K. 



from the base; a sliort oblique veinlet connects tliis first branch with the costal vein, previous to the junction 

 of the latter with tlie costa. The postcostal vein throws ofl' two otlier branches only, at the same distances 

 apart as exists between the anterior extremity of the discoidal cell and the first of these two branches ; the 

 second of which arises at about three fourths of the length of the wing, and extends to the tip. The upper 

 disco-cellular arises at half the length of the wing, and is rather oblique and short ; the middle disco-cellular is 

 rather longer and curved ; and the lower disco-cellular is very mucli longer, very oblique and curved (so that 

 the posterior extremity of the discoidal cell is very acute, and reaches nearly two thirds of the length of the 

 wing), uniting with the third branch of the median vein at a considerable distance from its origin ; this tliird 

 branch being angulated at tlie point of junction, its extremity being straight, or but little curved. 



Hmd Wing.'i large, elongate-triangular. Costal margin very mucli arched at the base ; outer angle rounded. 

 Outer margin nearly straight, extending at the anal angle into a gradually formed tail, which is most developed 

 in the males; which sex is further distinguished by a tuft of long pale buff hairs near the anal margin, capable 

 of being raised and depressed at will, and enclosed, when at rest, in an elongated pouch ; and also by a patch 

 of long black silky hairs on the upper disk of the hind wings, near the costal margin. Precostal vein branched ; 

 the fore branch nearly straight, and slightly dilated at the tip; liind branch united to the costal vein, leaving 

 a small narrow cell between tlie base of the costal and precostal veins ; the postcostal vein branching at a 

 little distance from its base. Anterior disco-cellular very short, forming the base of the discoidal vein ; outer 

 disco-cellular very long, bent at a right angle near its base, and throwing off a branch at the angle directed 

 towards the base of tlie wing ; the extremity of the outer disco-cellular extending considerably beyond the 

 middle of the wins', and closina; the discoidal cell at a right angle. First branch of tiie median vein extending 

 to the tip of the tail. The submedian vein extending ratiier beyond the middle of the anal margin. 



Fore Legs of the male small, pectoral, and very slender, hairy, forming a slight brush. Femur considerably 

 shorter than that of the female, hairs set on at right angles. Tibia about two thirds as long as the f'ennir. 

 Tarsus as long as the tibia, very slender and simple. Fore Legs of the female nearly half the length of the liind 

 legs, slender, scalv. Tibia about two thirds of the length of the femur. Tarsus shorter than the tibia, rather 

 widened to the tip, which is obliquelj' truncate, with several minute spines in the truncation, indicating the 

 articulations. 



Four Hind T^eg>i rather long. Tibias and tarsi witli long spines beneath. Paronycliia small. 



The type of this genus is a ratlier small, but very interesting, butterfly, the male of which is represented in our PI. LIII. fig. 4. ; the 

 female, however, contrarj- to the genei'al custom in these insects, is more brilliantly coloured than the male, a large patch of the most 

 brilliant blue occupying nearly the whole of the basal half of the fore wings : the under surface of the wings in both sexes is strongly 

 marked all over with minute red-brown transverse streaks on a paler ground, like the plumage of many birds ; on the under side, the 

 fore wings have also a minute black eyelet near the a]iical margin, between the two discoiilal veins, and the hind wings have three very 

 small blind l)row'n eyelets near the costal margin. The patch of long black hairs on the upper side of the hind wings, near the costal 

 margin, has a corresponding naked patch on the under side of the fijre wings, close to the inner margin ; and the pale hairs, forming the 

 large patch near the anal margin, are planted upon the ridge of a longitudinal fold of the wing, which is travei'sed by about a dozen 

 transverse raised strire, the hairs being inserted within these stria?, leaving naked spaces between them, so that, by extending the muscle 

 of the veins of the wing, these stria; arc pulled into a flat surface, and the hairs, implanted at right angles, then form an erect brush ; 

 when the muscle is relaxed, however, these hairs fall into a longitudinal direction, and are then dropped en masxe, by another muscular 

 movement, into a deep groove at the inside of the ridge. 



The veins of the fore wing offer a peculiar arrangement, which is worthy of attention. The costal vein appears forked at its extremity, 

 the outer branch of the fork reaching the costa a little beyond the inner branch; there are only three apparent branches of the postcostal 

 vein, but there is a little oblique veinlet between the first branch and the costal vein. Now, theoretically speaking, we are to consider 

 this little veinlet as the real first branch of the postcostal vein, and the apparent first branch, from which it springs, as the real second 

 branch; in such case, we must consider the base of this little veinlet as having arisen in the postcostal, just before the apparent first 

 branch, and as having run in a coalesced condition with it for a short distance. We are, moreover, to consider that the a|)parent outer 

 fork of the costal vein is in effect the extremity of this little veinlet, which has coalesced for a short distance with the costal vein, and 

 then branched off from it, uniting with the costa exactly where the normal first branch of the postcostal vein would have done. 



The dilated condition of the base of the principal veins of the fore wings in both sexes, the great elongation of the discoidal cell of 

 the fore wings, and the little cell formed at the base of the costal vein of the hind wings, as well as the slenderness of the limbs of the 

 type of this genus, are considerably at variance with the typical characters of the present family, and might, at first sight, seem to 

 warrant its removal to the family Satyridie, to some of the most aberrant groups of which, as Corades and Hxtera, it may perhaps be 

 proved to be most nearly allied. The form of the hind wings, however, and the patches of elongated hairs with which they are adorned 

 in the males, together with the metallic patches on the fore wings, and the oblique jjale bar beyond the middle of the fore wings in the 

 females, seem to indicate a decided affinity with the insects of the preceding, and es[)ecially the few following genera. 



The only known species is a native of the hottest parts of the New World, where it frequents thick woods, flying slowly, as indicated 

 by the weak structure of its wings, which it keeps closed when at rest. Nothing is known of its transformations. 



BIA. 



BlA ACTORION. 



PapUio Actorion Lhiuaus, Si/st. iVat. ii. p. 7<)4. n. 2()2. ; 

 Ckrck, Icon. t. 36. f. 3, 4. ; Cramer, Pap. t. tp. f. 

 CD.; Goilart, Enc. M. i.v. p. 446. n. 21. (Mcrpho 

 Act.); Hnlnier. Vrrz. hi'k. Srhm. n. 47.'"). ("Bia Act.) ; 



Guerin, Icon. R. An. Ins. pi. 79. f- 2. (Morpho Act.) ; 



Doubl. We.stw. ^ Hewitson, Gen. Diiirn. Lrp. pi. ."JS. 

 f. 4. (male). 

 Brazil. B. M. 



