482 LYa^NID-E. 



of the discoidal cell, which causes a slight derangement in the position of the veins in that part, as contrasted 

 with the arrangement in the females (as in Th. Rubi). In the great majority of the species the postcostal 

 vein has only two branches preceding the anterior extremity of the discoidal cell, the terminal portion of the 

 vein extending to the tip of the wing, furnished, however, in a very few species (Th. Betulte, Quercus), with 

 a short third branch beyond the middle space between the cell and the tip of the wing. The upper disco- 

 cellular vein is generally absent, the middle one arising at the place of junction of the upper discoidal and 

 postcostal veins ; in a few species, however, the upper discoidal leaves the postcostal at a short distance beyond 

 the cell (Th. Quercus, Acmon S ). In Th. Rubi, male, the postcostal is suddenly deflexed after emitting its 

 second branch, and the upper disco-cellular, which is considerably elongated and bent, arises almost close 

 beyond the second branch ; whilst in the female of the same species these veins are arranged simply and 

 without any upper disco-cellular ; the lower disco-cellular vein always joins the third branch of the median at 

 a short distance beyond its origin. 



Hind Wings generally elongated, with rounded margins or narrower towards the anal extremity, slightly sinuated ; 

 the first (and in a comparatively small number of species the second) branch of the median vein being pro- 

 duced into a very slender tail ; the submedian vein terminating in a more or less distinct lobe, which is some- 

 times (e. g. Th. (Quercus) obsolete. Discoidal cell closed by very slender disco-cellular veins. 



Fore Feet of the males furnished with a short tarsus extern;dl\' nearly resembling that of the female, but which, when 

 denuded, is found to consist of a single exarticulate joint, furnished beneath with short spines arranged in more 

 or less distinct rows, and terminated by a single horny obliquely curved point. Tarsus of the female articulated, 

 clothed with scales, and armed with spines at the extremity of the joints. The ungues short and strongly 

 curved, accompanied Ijy two short filiform pseudonychia and a pulvillus, the whole covered and nearly concealed 

 by numerous short villi. 



Foiir Hind Legs longer, with similarly formed tarsi. 



Caterpillar short, onisciibrm, thick or linear-oblong and depressed, and attenuated at each end; generally 



clothed witli very fine sliort hairs. 

 Chrysalis short and smooth, head rounded; attached by the pointed tail, and girt across the middle. 



The great number of species of which the present genus is composed has remlered it very difficuh to draw up characters sufficiently 

 precise to distinguish it from the allied genera. The difficulty has also been greatly increased, especially with respect to the location 

 of the species, 1)V the circumstance that the minute details which I have thought necessary to investigate (such as tlic length of the 

 joints ot the antenna;, the relative thickness of the cluli, the clothing of the palpi, and the arrangement of the veins of the wings) have 

 not been attended to by the dcscribcrs and figurers of the species, so that without specimens of many of them, it has been only by 

 analogy that I have been able to arrange them in the following list, or to characterise them generically. 



As here restricted, the genus is composed almost entirelj' of species natives of South and North America (chiefly the former) and 

 Europe. Amongst the Brazilian species are some of the largest and most brilliant species of the family, such as Th. Marsyas, Gabriela, 

 Endymion, and regalis. These are followed by other Brazilian species of somewhat smaller size, but of exquisite beauty, the males in 

 the majority of which are distinguished by a curious satin or plush-like patch on the fore wings at the extremity of the discoidal cell. 

 These species have the tails shorter than the preceding, especially the one which is traversed by the middle branch of the median vein. 

 Others succeed, very similar to the preceding, but which are destitute of the patch of the fore-wings, and are followed by the smaller, 

 duller-coloured Xorth American and Eurojiean species which have only one short tail, which is even wanting in Th. Rubi. I am by 

 no means satisfied that the genus described above under the name of Dipsas ought not to be united to Thecla ; and the like 

 considerations have induced me, after much hesitation, to add the genera Ilerda, Anthene, and lalmenus to the present group. The 

 same principle which would warrant their separation ought to induce the establishment of a considerably greater number of generic 

 groups. The llerdic are beautiful Indian species with naked eyes, setose palpi; antenna; with long joints ringed with white, and a 

 very well marked club, and with three branches to the postcostal vein of the fore wings. The Anthene (after the removal of the 

 three-tailed species) are natives of Africa, have hairy eyes, a long terminal joint to the palpi, long-jointed and I'inged antenna; with 

 a distinct club, three branches to the postcostal vein of the fore wings, and only a single tail to the hind wings; whilst the lalmeni are 

 Australian insects having similar palpi and veins, but with naked eyes, and very gradually thickened and short-jointed antenna;, and 

 with only one tail to the hind wings, the single tail being, as in all the preceding sjiecies, traversed by the first branch of the 

 median vein. These last have a transverse black spot at the extremity of the discoidal cell of the fore wings, a character otherwise 

 peculiar to the Lycrena;. 



Many of the species have the underside of the wings marked with one or two delicate lines of a jiale colour on a dark ground, whence 

 they have been named by collectors hair-streak butterflies. The caterpillars appear to frequent trees and shrubs, rather than herbaceous 

 plants, as is the custom with the Lyca;na; ; and the perfect insects are enabled, by their robust structure, to fly with great power over 

 the branches even of the highest oaks and other forest trees. 



THECLA. 

 ]. Tii. Mahsyas 7,!M;ifl??/s, .S■;/«^ A'a?. II. p. 788. (Papilio M.); CfereA", ' 2. Th. Gabriela Cramer, Pap. pi. 6. f. C. D. (Papilio G.) ; Fabr. 



Icoiies, t. 41 . f. P. ; Cramer, Pap. pi. 8.32. f. A. B. 

 FabriciuK, Eut. Sy.st. in. pt. 1. p. 27'2. ; Godurt, Enc. M. 

 IX. p. 620. 

 Brazil. B. M. 



Mant. Ills. II. p. 65. ; Goilart, Enc. M. ix. p. 622. ; 

 Donovan, Nat. Rrpos. ii. pi. 44. f. 2. 

 Brazil. B. IM. 



