188 



LOXURA ALCIDES. 



PLATE XXV. Fig. 3. 



Pap. P. R. Aleides, Fahr. Mant. — Hesperia, R. Abides, Fair. 



Syst Pap. Aleides, Cramer, PI. 96, fig. D, E.— Myrina 



Aleides, Godart. 



Loxura includes a few species formerly referred to 

 Myrina, : and, like the latter, is distinguished from 

 the allied genera by the extraordinary length of the 

 palpi which rise conspicuously above the head, and 

 are, in fact, nearly half the length of the antennae. 

 The wings are entire on the edges, and the hinder 

 pair are prolonged each into a single tail, placed 

 obliquely. The antennae increase gradually towards 

 the apex into a lengthened club, and all the ambu- 

 latory legs are of the same form in both sexes. The 

 species represented is a native of Guinea. The ex- 

 tent of the wings is about an inch and three-quar- 

 ters. On the upper side the wings are dark brown, 

 sprinkled very thickly towards the base with shin- 

 ing violet-blue atoms, making the whole inner half 

 of the wings appear of that colour, and the outer 

 margin of the posterior pair behind the middle, as 

 well as the lengthened tail, are of the same hue. 

 Towards the extremity of the upper wings there is 

 a transverse band of a rusty-red colour, but it is very 

 indistinctly denned. Beneath, the colour is tan- 



