THE ATHALIA GROUP OF THE GENUS MELIT.EA. 247 



the elbowed line. The latter is nearly always distinct and pro- 

 nounced throughout its entire length, a character very rare in any 

 other species. The marginal blotch is not large, but has a tendency 

 to reproduce at least the inner half of the characteristic mark of 

 herisalensis, in consequence of its frequent junction with another 

 dark mark nearer to the base, which usually takes more or less the 

 shape of a V, or of the symbol of Aries Y, placed sideways, and open- 

 ing inwards instead of outwards, as in herisalensis. Sometimes the 

 whole X is shown thus h . The outlines of the stigma, and three 

 basal lines, with a basal dash, are also strongly marked. 



Un. s. h. w. : The inner edge of the border is arched or angled 

 (slightly angled in Zeller's specimen). The lunules vary much in 

 size, being generally large, but occasionally very narrow. The outer 

 band is interrupted towards the costa, as in dictynna, and contains, 

 like dictynna, a dark spot, or at least indications of one, on or near 

 the outer edge in each interneural space below the light patch or 

 patches interrupting the band. This character, to which Riihl draws 

 attention, is more pronounced in most of the Reazzino specimens, 

 though quite distinguishable in Zeller's, and clear in the second 

 lunule. The inner division of the central band is darker than the 

 outer, and projects so far outwards in the third and fourth interneural 

 spaces below the costa as often to push the two corresponding spots 

 of the outer division right outside the rest of the band. In Zeller's 

 specimen they are not outside, though pushed far outwards. The 

 inner band is often noticeably broad in the centre, and the light spot 

 large. The central spot of the basal band is rarely conspicuously 

 small. 



Dictynna. — The ground colour of the upper side, especially in the 

 male, is often much obliterated by the black suffusion. 



Up. s. f. w. : The lunules, except the third from the anal angle, and 

 occasionally even this, are generally reduced to a series of narrow 

 streaks or small spots (though sometimes all are distinct and of 

 moderate size in the female) in consequence of the outer subterminal 

 line more or less coalescing with the border. Inner subterminal 

 broad and only slightly straighter than in athalia. Elbowed line 

 often obliterated by the suffusion, but when visible not generally very 

 broad. Stigma rather narrow, and almost always filled in with black, 

 or at any rate with dark scales, as is also the space between the basal 

 lines. In the female the ground colour is often lighter between the 

 inner subterminal and elbowe'd lines. 



Up. s. h. w. : The black suffusion, especially in the male, nearly 

 always extends almost to the inner line, and occasionally over the 

 whole wing. Lunules usually distinct and light in the female, but 

 rarely distinct and never light in the male. The ground colour 

 usually shows in spots between the outer and inner lines, and often, 

 especially in the female, inside the inner line. Basal spot rarely 

 visible, though sometimes distinct in the female. 



Un. s. f. w. : Both edging lines of the border very distinct, the 

 inner one being much angled between the nervures. Lunules gener- 

 ally distinct and lighter (usually much lighter) than the border. 

 Outer subterminal shows as a dark suffusion, sometimes more con- 



