INTRODUCTION. 



This specimen of a Catalogue of Butterflies of the family Lyccenidce includes the 

 description of those of the genus Amblypodia chiefly ; not only of such as are in the 

 British Museum, but of some examples representing species not there, and known to 

 be in other collections, with the view of indicating desiderata for the National Museum 

 to persons who may have the opportunity and disposition to supply them. 



Mr. Hewitson observes : — " Feeling the impossibility of pointing out satisfactorily, 

 by description only, the nice distinctions which characterize the species of the genus 

 Amblypodia, figures of every new or undescribed species have been given. 



" For this reason the author has not attempted to describe each species iu detail. 

 On the upper surface, with two or three exceptions, they are of a blue (varying 

 infinitely in tint), sometimes intense, sometimes of the lustre almost of Ilorpho 

 Ci/pris and M. Bhetenor. On the underside, where almost every species has a cer- 

 tain number of spots near the base of both wings, as well as at the end of the discoidal 

 cell, their absence only has been noticed in the descriptions ; whilst the form of the 

 band which crosses the anterior wing, and is one of the most distinctive charac- 

 teristics of the group, has been particularly referred to. In consequence of expe- 

 rience gamed during the progress of the work, two or three alterations have been 

 made in the nomenclature of the plates. 



"Rare and unique species have, with much liberality and kindness, been lent 

 [to make this specimen of a Catalogue more complete] from the collections of 

 Dr. Boisduval, the East India Museum, from Mr. Wallace, Mr. Saunders, Dr. Eelder 

 of Vienna, and the Hope Museum at Oxford." 



The figures of the new species are from Mr. Hewitson's pencil, and have been 

 coloured under his superintendence by Mr. Standish. 



JOHN EDWARD GRAY. 



British Museum, March, 1862. 



