CHARAXES. .177 



are without a tail. The under side is marbled and mottled as 

 in Pyrameis, and Schatz and Rober consider it to be allied to 

 that genus. 



Megistams (Westwood) is another genus closely allied to Coea, 

 though with much superficial resemblance to Charaxes^ from 

 which it differs by its closed wing-cells, and the short fork 

 formed by the fourth and fifth sub-costal nervures on the fore- 

 wings. The species measure about three inches across the 

 wings, which are black with white spots towards the tip, and have 

 generally a broad blue or orange band running from the middle 

 of the fore-wings to the anal angle of the hind-wings ; nearer 

 the costa of the fore-wings are one or two large spots corres- 

 ponding to the band. The under surface is light blue or buff 

 with black lines and spots. The Butterflies measure about four 

 inches across the wings ; the fore-wings are slightly emarginate, 

 and the hind-wings strongly dentated, with a short pointed tail 

 at the end of the upper median nervule. They have a wild 

 and rapid flight, and are fond of settling on damp mud. 



GENUS CHARAXES. 

 C/iaraxes, Ochsenheimer, Schmett. Eur., iv., p. 18 (1816) ; 



Butler, P. Z. S., 1865, p. 623 ; Schatz, Exot. Schmett, ii., 



p. 175 (1888). 

 Nymphalis, Latr., Hist. Nat. Crust. Ins., xiv., p. 82 (1805) ; 



id. Enc. Meth., ix., pp. 10, 329 (1819-23) ; Westw., Gen. 



Diurn. Lepid., p. 306 (1850). 



Type, Char axes jasius (Linn.) 



This genus is somewhat allied to Apatura t but the body and 

 antennae are much thicker, and the latter gradually thickened ; 

 the fore-wings have the costa strongly arched, and the hind- 

 margin deeply concave, and the hind-wings are generally pro- 

 vided with two tails, varying in length and shape. 



