190 



POLYOMMATUS MARSYAS. 



PLATE XXVI. Figs. 1 and 2, Male. 



Pap. Marsyas, Linn. Fair. Herbst. Pap. PL 296, fig. 1,2; 

 Cramer, PL 332, fig. A, B. — Polyommatus Marsyas, Godart. 



Notwithstanding the numerous groups which have 

 been recently withdrawn from this genus, it stiil 

 includes a great variety of modifications of form 

 which would amply justify further subdivision. Even 

 the few examples which have been selected for illus- 

 tration might afford the types of more than one 

 group ; but, for the reasons already mentioned, we 

 prefer presenting them according to Latreilie's ar- 

 rangement. Most of these insects are beneath the 

 middle size, they are usually adorned with very 

 beautiful colours on the surface, and ornamented 

 with ocelliform spots beneath, a circumstance which 

 has suggested the name. They are distinguished 

 from the immediately preceding genera by having 

 the palpi of ordinary length, or rather short, and 

 all the legs complete, or adapted for walking, in 

 both sexes. The group to which the first species 

 represented belongs, has the costa of the upper wings 

 more or less arched, particularly towards the base, 

 and the hinder margin of the same wings is very 

 slightly concave, especially in the male. The hinder 



