THECLA. 83 



53. Thecla Platyptera. 



Pseudolycaana Platyptera, Felder, lieise cler Novara, pi. 28. f. 6, 7. 



54. Thecla gigantea, Hewitson. Plate XXXII. d figs. 43, 44. 



Upperside. Male. — Cerulean blue : the nervures brown. Anterior wing with the costal 

 and outer margins dark brown : the discal spot very large. Posterior wing with one tail : the 

 apex rufous-brown. 



Underside rufous. Both wings with an oblong spot at the end of the cell, both crossed 

 beyond the middle by a continuous zigzag band of brown bordered outwardly only on the 

 anterior wing, but on both sides of the posterior wing, with white. Anterior wing with a 

 submarginal band of brown. Posterior wing with a submarginal band of lunular spots bordered 

 inwardly with white : anal angle with two scarlet spots, one with a centre of black. 



Exp. 2-j^j inches. 



In the Collections of W. C. Hewitson and H. W. Bates, from Para. 



55. Thecla Marsyas. 



Papilio Marsyas, Linnceus, Syst. Nat. p. 788. Clerck, Icones, pi. 41. Cramer, pi. 332. f. A, B. Fabri- 



cius, Eat. Si/si. iii. p. 272. 

 Polyomniatus Marsyas, Godart, Eric. Meth. p. 620. 

 Thecla Marsyas, Westwood, Gen. Diurn. Lep. p. 482. 

 Pseudolyca;na Marsyas, Wallenyren , Kon. Yetensk. AJcad. 1858, p. 80s 



Wallengren, who has made a new genus, to contain, I suppose, some of tbe larger species of 

 Thecla, is singularly unfortunate in the selection of his type. The palpi, which form one of 

 the chief characters of his genus, are described as " brevissimi." This description would apply 

 to such species as T. regalis and Gabriela (imperialis has the palpi long), but to the males 

 only, the females of which have the palpi very long ; and I should scarcely think it desirable to 

 establish a genus upon characters which would be applicable to one sex only. T. Rustan of 

 Stoll is the only species of the group that I can call to mind which has the palpi of both 

 sexes very short. Wallengren's type, P. Marsyas of Linnauis, has the palpi of both sexes long, 

 of the female very long. If the type of a genus should be as unlike all its neighbours as 

 possible, then P. Marsyas is an excellent type. The Felders have adopted this genus. 



56. Thecla Tliara, Hewitson. Plate XXXII. 6 figs. 45, 46. 



Upperside. Male. — Cerulean blue. Anterior wing with the costal and outer margins 

 broadly brown. Posterior wing with the outer margin brown : the anal angle with two tails 

 (one very short). 



Underside rufous-grey. Both wings with a line at the end of the cell, both crossed 

 beyond the middle by two zigzag bands of white ; the inner band bordered inwardly with 



