566 MR. H. H. DRUCE ON NEOTROPICAL [JunO 18, 



varieties (or subspecies). At any rate the diffei-ence between them 

 does not seem to me greater than that which separates the var. 

 hocagii from the typical form of L. mtcralis. According to the 

 evidence furnished by the specimens at my disposal, the typical 

 form occurs in the Crimea, in Roumania, Hungary, Bulgaiia, and 

 Turkey in Europe, the var. ionica in Morea and the Ionian Islands. 

 As pointed out by Lehrs, his L. ionica constitutes a very 

 interesting link between the true L. taurica and those forms of 

 L. muralis (vars. ccmipestris and littoralis) which, contrary to the 

 opinion of L. von Mehely, I regard as the most primitive in 

 structure as well as in mai-kings*. 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE XXX. 



Lacerta taurica var. ionica. 

 Mcale (lower figuve) and female (upper figure) from Corfu. 



3. On Neotropical Lycccmda\ with Descriptions of New 

 Species. By Hamilton H. Druce, F.Z.S., F.E.S. 



[Received May 22, 1907.] 



(Plates XXXI.-XXXYI.t) 



The genus " Thecla" as used in the present paper contains 

 most of the species placed in it by Westwood and by Hewitson, 

 and includes neai-ly all the Neotropical Lycsenidse. It is used in 

 the same sense as by Messrs. Godman & Salvin in the ' Biologia 

 Centrali-Americana,' and the species are referred to as nearly as 

 possible as in that work. 



Many genera have been proposed by Hiibnei-, by Scudder, and 

 lately by Mr. W. J. Kaye for various forms — some on account of 

 the " scent-glands" or " brands " which are found in the male sex 

 of many species, some apparently on the shape of the Avings, some 

 on slight differences in the position of the nervules. But the 

 fact remains that the venation of the wings is very much the 

 same in all the vaiious species. 



Some are tailless ; othei-s have one, two, or three tails to the 

 hind wing ; and, as pointed out by Messrs. Godman & Salvin in 

 ' Biologia Centrali-Americana,' in some species the brands on the 

 fore wing appear to influence the direction of the veins, in 

 others cney do not. The terminal joints of the palpi in some 

 species are longer than in others, and the robust or slim 

 appearance of some is veiy apparent. 



From a very careful examination of a considerable material, 

 Messrs. Godman & Salvin in Biol. Centr.-Amer. did not consider 

 generic division advisable (except in one case, i. e. IVieclojysis, in 

 which the tarsal joints of the front legs of the male have not 



* See ray remarks in Ann. & Mag. N. H. ser. 7, vol. xx. p. 39. 

 t For explanation of the Plates, see pp. 631-632. 



