THE ERYCINID^E. 9^ 



fied ; and show how impossible it is to frame a compre- 

 hensive character for an extensive group, which is 

 nevertheless strictly natural. The three most prominent 

 groups contained in this family, seem to be represented 

 by the genera Erycina, Polyommatus, and Thecla. All 

 these, however dissimilar in their perfect stage of exist- 

 ence, preserve a strong resemblance in their larva state. 

 The colours and the habits of these butterflies are parti- 

 cularly varied. The Erycinince are chiefly found in Tro- 

 pical America : their form is delicate, and they rest with 

 all the wings expanded. Representations of all the 

 groups among the diurnal Lepidoptera are found in this 

 small- sized but singularly beautiful sub-family, of which 

 no true example occurs in Europe. That of Polyomma- 

 tus, on the contrary, containing the blue Argus butterflies, 

 is nearly unknown in South America, while it abounds 

 in temperate regions : they are denominated, by our 

 collectors, Blues ; a rich shining blue being the preva- 

 lent colour of the upper surface of their wings, while 

 the under is thickly sprinkled with small ocellated spots. 

 The Theclince are likewise remarkable for the brilliant 

 azure of their upper surface, but the under is generally 

 marked with slender delicate lines crossing both wings ; 

 hence their familiar name of hair- streaks. The genus 

 Lyccena, or coppers, on the contrary, are known by their 

 rich fire or copper colour. The former are found in 

 Europe ; but by far the largest proportion occur in Tro- 

 pical America and India. Brazil alone furnished us 

 with more than one hundred species of Thecla. The 

 copper butterflies are restricted to the Old World. Both 

 groups, however, bear a strong resemblance to each other 

 in all points of general structure and habit. The cater- 

 pillars of this family are of very peculiar make, and stamp 

 the group with every appearance of being a perfectly 

 natural one. By some it is denominated vermiform ; 

 but as the term onisciform, in this instance, is much 

 more expressive, we adopted the latter upon a former oc- 

 casion, as we shall now do upon this. The larva is short, 

 broad, flattened, and usually naked : the head is very small, 



