VEHILIUS; MEGISTIAS. By Dr. M. Dratjdt. 973 



152. Genus : Tehilins G. & S. 



Antennae somewhat longer than half the costal margin. Otherwise the same as the following genus 

 Megistias from which it differs by a different structure of the (J genitals. Middle tibiae with very long spmes. 



V. illudens Mab. (187 h). Blackish-brown, 2 postdiscal spots and 2 or 3 subapical dots are ochreous- Uludens. 

 yellowish. Disc of the hindwing dark reddish-yellow. Under surface lighter, the subcostal and radial veins 

 as far as the distal margin dirty ochreous-yellow, of the same colour are the veins on the hindwing; disc, base 

 and distal margin are darker. Mexico to Colombia. 



V. venosus Plotz (187 h) resembles illudens, but on the forewing it has a cellular and a submedian venosus. 

 spot besides. Hindwing with a band of distinct spots. Beneath with distinct light yellow veins, between the 

 veins there are yellowish antemarginal dots. Mexico to BrazU, Trinidad. 



V. norma Dyar. Dark brown, costa of forewing and proximal margin in the basal half strewn with norma. 

 reddish-yellow, with 2 postdiscal, reddish-yellow dots and 2 more small subapical ones. Hindwing in the disc 

 reddish-yellow. Beneath somewhat lighter, with reddish-yellow veins, on the hindwing with a postdiscal row 

 of 4 reddish-yellow dots. Expanse of wings: 36 mm. British Guiana. It was bred from larvae living on a water- 

 plant (Paspalum gracile). 



V. sacchariphila Dyar resembles norma above, but without any reddish-yellow at the costal and proxi- sacchari- 

 mal margins of the forewing. Beneath the hindwing is light greyish-brown with 2 irregularly broken, black, pnilc 



bent lines in and behind the middle. Expanse of wings: 25 mm. British Guiana, bred on sugar-cane. 



V. almoneus Schs. Above brown with a yellow cellular spot and a postdiscal row of spots. Hindwing almonevs. 

 likewise with a row of oblong, yellow postdiscal spots. Beneath brown, with light yellow veins, the spots of 

 the hindwing more numerous than above and light yellow. Expanse of wings: 24 mm. Peru. 



V. subplanus Kaye. Above deep dark brown with a yellowish spot behind the cell of the foremng suhplanus. 

 and one below it farther towards the base. Beneath the same, the veins faintly lighter. The liindAving are still 

 somewhat lighter, the veins scarcely lighter. Expanse of wings: 26 mm. Trinidad. 



V. seriatus Mah. Black, with a reddish-yellow reflection. Forewing with 7 small, yellowish-white seriains. 

 dots, below the margin rounded, then oblique; in the middle of the cell near the costal margin a dot, at the 

 costal margin itself 2 similar streaks, fringes lighter. Forewing beneath blackish with the same dots, on the 

 veins at the apex 5 or 6 yellow dots ; the veins of the hindwing are striped light yellow, the anal part is strewn 

 with yellow, with 2 indistinct yellow stripes; the cell is closed by a yellow streak; 6 small, postdiscal, yellow 

 streak-shaped spots. Expanse of wings: 18 mm. Valera. 



V. scheria Plotz (187 h) is a larger species the position of which is questionable. Above black. Beneath scheria. 

 towards the margin on the forewing and almost on the whole hindwing steel-blue with fine white postdiscal 

 and subapical dots. The submedian anal area of the forewing is very light, almost white. Brazil (Para). 



V. carasta Schs. Above brown, on the forewing postdiscally with a bent row of small yellow spots, carasta. 

 Beneath brown, tinted violet, costa of forewing basally yellow, 2 yellow cellular spots, the postdiscal spots 

 more distinct ; on the margin there is a yellow line, between the veins distally convex and proximally connected 

 with yellow streaks; the same line and internerval streaks also on the hindwing; proximal margin broad dark 

 grey, strewn with yellow; in the cell and above it one yellow spot each as well as a postdiscal row. Expanse 

 of wings: 24 mm. Petropolis. 



V. chinta Schs. Dark brown with reddish-grey fringes. Forewing with small, yellowish-grey, indistinct cMnia. 

 spots, 3 postdiscal ones and 3 subapical ones. Hindwing haired lighter brown. Beneath brown with lighter 

 veins ; on the forewing the costal spots are lilac, the anal angle light. The hindwing shows an undulate, lilac post- 

 discal band not reaching to the broad, light brown inner-marginal part. Expanse of wings : 22 mm. Petropolis, 



153. Genus: Megistias G. & S. 



Antennae half as long as the costal margin ; otherwise only distinguished from Vehilius by the different 

 structure of the <J genitals. 



M. tripunctatus Latr. (= obsoleta Mschlr.) (187 i) is above blackish-brown with faded, light spots, Mpuncia- 

 2 postdiscal ones and 3 subapical ones. Beneath lighter, at the distal margin with a narrow dark line. HmdA^tug '"*• 



strewn with grey, in the disc with a row of blackish-brown spots, which is irregularly curved. Mexico to Brazil. 



M. jera G. <& S. (187 i) resembles isus, but it has a less pointed apex of the forewing, more indistinct jera. 

 spots and differently built genitals. Mexico (Guerrero). 



M. labdacus (?. cfc *S. (187 i) looks above like ^n^JwractoiMs. Beneath lighter, the hindwing strewn Avith gi'ej-, labdams. 

 with a bent row of grey spots towards the costal angle. Mexico to Costa Rica and Venezuela, aswellasTi'inidad. 



M. oebasus G. & S. is above monotonously blackish-brown, beneath the same, but somewhat lighter, oebasus. 

 the costal margin, apex, and the apex of the hindwing are marbled purple grey; fringes light, a little dark- 

 speckled. Costa Rica. 



'2^* ' .S M. edata Plotz (= isus G. ds S.) (187 i). Above dark brown, with 3 small, white subapical dots edata. 

 and a postdiscal one behind the lower cell-angle. Beneath the hindwing as well as the anal part of the forewing 

 are somewhat lighter violettish-grey, with a broad, straight, greyish-brown nebulous band from the costal 

 angle of the hindwing to the middle of the proximal margin. Mexico to Guiana. 



