AMERICAN LEPIDOPTERA. 179 



DESCRIPTIONS OF AMERICAN LEPIDOPTERA.— NO. 4. 



BY AUG. R. GROTE .vxd COLEMAN T. ROBINSOX. 



Family LYCAENIDAE. 

 THECLA, Fabr. 

 It will be of interest, in reference to our previous descriptions under 

 this genus, if we examine the writings of those Authors who have pro- 

 fessed to determine an United States species of Thecla as Thvcla fala- 

 cer. This name is first used by Godart for an American species de-^ 

 scribed by him as new to science. Godart's type is contained in Dr. 

 Boisduval's Collection in Paris, where we have seen it. Tt is a speci- 

 men of Thecla calauus Weatw. (^Rustivus armatas Calanns Hiibner). 

 The Tli'rcia falavcr of Boisduval and Leconte embraces two distinct 

 species. The text is mainly founded on this typical specimen of God- 

 art's T.falacer^ and therefore refers to Thecla calanus. The Plate 

 (29) represents the species recently described as Thecla inorata, G. tC- 

 R. In order to admit the species figured on this Plate as representing 

 a form o-f Theda falacer, Godart, tire text is occasionally modified so 

 as to include both; this is apparent in the observation on the fulvous 

 marks of the secondaries above near anal angle, which is a distinguish- 

 ing character of T. calanus, the true Thecla f alar cr of Godart. The 

 Tliecla falacer of Dr. Harris is founded very appirently on that of 

 Boisduval an I Leconte. It very evidently includes Thecla calanus 

 from the mention by this Author of the "orange-colored spot" of the 

 secondaries above. It appears to have included alsi Thecla inorata, 

 G. d' R., and perhaps Theela acadica, E hoards. The Theda falarrr 

 of Mr. Scudder's valuable •' List of the Butterflies of New England " 

 is that of Dr. H.irris, but certainly included Thecla acadica, EdicanU. 

 a species not distinguished by the Author. In our first paper on this 

 genus, (Descriptions of American Lcpidoptera, No. 2, huj. scrip. Au- 

 gust, 18G7.) T lu'da fa'acer is used for Thecla inorata, G. & R.. the 

 species represented on Boisduval and Leconte's Plate 29. Thecla ca- 

 lanus (Iliibn. sp.) is shown to be distinct from this latter species, 

 while tiie true Theda falacer of Godart is not yet recognized, and 

 Ijoisduval's Plate 29 is assumed to represent Godart's species. Sub- 

 sequently, (Descriptions No. :-i,) we recognize the true Theda falacer 

 of Godart as identical with T. calanus, and as posterior in point of pub- 

 lication, and describe the species represented on Boisduval and Le- 

 conte's PI ite 29 as Thecla inorata. Finally, in a " Supplement to a 



