170 Mr. J. O. Westvvood on the Oriental Species 



Eastern species of the three oriental genera, which have been 

 more decidedly regarded as belonging to the family Morphidce, 

 and which agree together (as well as with the South American 

 restricted genus Morpho) in having the discoidal cell of the hind 

 wings open and unaccompanied by a small prediscoidal cell, thus 

 differing from Pavonia, Dynastor and Opsiphanes, which have the 

 discoidal cell of the hind wings closed, and accompanied by a small 

 prediscoidal cell, — a character which had not, as far I am aware, 

 been noticed by any previous writer, and which (so far also as I 

 am aware) is found in no other group of butterflies. 



Genus Thaumantis, Hiibner, E, Doubleday, Boisduval 

 (^MorphOf Godart, Horsfield, Zinken-Sommer). 



These insects are the finest representatives of the family occur- 

 ring in the East, almost vieing, in this respect, with the gigantic 

 Morphos of the Western Continent, not only in their large size, 

 but also in the brilliant patches of glossy purple or blue with 

 which some of them are adorned. They are closely allied to 

 Clerome, from which they differ in their larger size, more strongly 

 marked colours, and the greater distance apart of the branches of 

 the post-costal vein of the fore wings, which are either partially 

 coalesced with the costal vein, or, if free, are only three in 

 number. 



I purposely omit the detailed generic characters of this and the 

 following genera, as they will be found in the " Genera of Diurnal 

 Lepidopto'a.^' 



The species form two marked divisions : — 



1st. Those with four branches to the post-costal vein of the 

 fore wings, two of which coalesce with the costal vein, comprising 

 the type of the genus Th. Odana and its allies, and also the fine 

 large species Th. Aliris. 



2nd. The three species, of large size, which have only three 

 branches to the post-costal branch of the fore wings, all of which 

 are free, namely, Th. Camadcva, Iloivqtia, and Normahal. 



Sp. 1. Thaumantis Odana, Godart. 



Th. alis omnibus nigro-fuscis ; anticis supra fascia lata obliqua 

 disci perpulciire caerulea, nitida medio pallidiori, puncto sub- 

 apicali albo ; subtus strigis disci margineque apicali griseo- 

 seu lilacino-albidis, posticis puncto parvo marginis costalis, 

 ocelloque magno versus angulum analem supra luteo-cincto. 



Expans. alarum circ. unc. 4. 



