POYLOMMATUS Caseins. 

 Brazilian Blue. 



Family Erycinidae. Sub-family Theclinae. Genus Polyommatu^ 



('I he typical sub-genus.) 



Sub-Geneijic Character. 



Wings entire, obtuse; the posterior rounded, particularly at the anaj 

 angle. Palpi covered and fringed with long !ia ; r; the last joint 

 distinct and nearly naked. Antennae with a lengthened, fusi- 

 form, spatulate club. Colour blue, beneath ocellated. 



Specific Character. 



Male; wings sul-? diaphanous, blue, immaculate; whitish near the 

 anal angle. Female: the disk of all white, with Hark spots 

 and borders. In both sexes, beneath while, with blackish 

 dots : those on the anterior wings transverse and confluent. 



Pap. Cassius. (the female) Cramer, pi. 23, fig. c d. 



We have elsewhere pointed out, as one of the peculiar 

 distinctions of forms and groups pre-eminently typical, that 

 their geographic distribution is invariably wide, and gen- 

 erally universal ; and that this is one of the reasons why 

 certain forms are found both in Europe, America, India, 

 and Australia. This was said of Bird?', and the remark is 

 even more applicable when we look to insects. We accord- 

 ingly find, that the typical species of the genus now under 

 consideration, not only spread themselves over ail Europe 

 and Africa, but extend to the Indian islands on one side, 

 and over the whole of America on the other, without offering 

 more than a sectional variation of character. It is uncer- 

 tain, however, whether any species occur in Australia; for- 

 the European type seems to be represented there by the sub- 

 genus Eriisa. The genus, collectively, is a rasorial type, 

 representing the family Satyridse among the Papi/iones,— 

 Parnassius among the PapUionidcp, — and the Pavonidtg 

 among Birds. 



Pol. Cassius is one of the most common species of Brazil, 

 where we found it frequenting similar situations, and pos- 

 sessing the same habits, as the ordinary Blues of England 

 The analysis bestowed upon this group, convinces us that 

 Pithecops, H. is but a section of this sub-genus. The upper 

 figure represents the female, the lower the female : both arc 

 enlarged. The connecting species between Polyomtnutuq 

 and Lyc<ena are Hclle. Hub. Lamttia, and Boet.cus. 



