642 MESOSEmA. By Dr. A. Seitz. 



epidius. M. epidius Heiv. (125 c). The (J is scarcely discernible from some (J(J of the or6o?in-forms, except 



the other\iise black median area of the forewings being interspersed with somewhat more blue. The 9 exhibits 



bright and abundant markings, but there are also such where the markings, of the distal half, especially in 



the hindwing, are obliterated by ochre-yellow or white clouds; on such a specimen with an intensely white 



chionodes. distal half of the hindwing, Stichel's chionodes (142 d) has been based. — hypermegala are large $$, in which 



hypermega- ^j^gj.g j^pg before the eye-spot of the forewing two transverse lines, instead of 11/2 as in the typical epidius. ■ — ■ 



hella. bella Sharpe has somewhat different bands in the (J beneath, in the $ also above: the median lines are more 



finely undulate and the shadow-like band before the border stands farther apart from the posterior small 



maUiania. transverse band. — mathania Schs. is again based only on the $ originating from Bolivia and Peru; it is 



very doubtful whether it does not belong to one of the differently denominated (J(J, the ?$ of which 



are unknowTi. According to the description, it differs but little from the forms knowm of the epidius-^. 



epidius and its forms are distributed over the whole northern part of South America as far as South Brazil, 



Bolivia and Peru, but they are met with only singly. 



phaee. M. phace Godm. •(125 d) from British Guiana approximates the preceding, but here also the median 



area of the wings in the o is greatly interpersed with blue, so that the upper smface appears banded in blue 

 almost like a zebra. The $ is unknown to me. 



cecropia. M. cccropia Drc. (125 b) from Central x4merica which I figure according to a specimen from Espe- 



ranza in Costa Rica, on the contrary is above quite black except some blue in the forewing and a narrow border 

 of the hindwing. Is the most closely allied to carderi. The largest species of the gi'oup. 



albipuncta. M. albiputicta Schs. (142 d) of which we copy the original figure (the $ is unknown), originates 



from Esperanza in Costa Rica. Wings above blue with a broad black border. The description mentions a white 

 dot at the end of the cell of the forewing, being absent, however, in the figure. 



mehida. M. tnehida Hew. (125 d). This species is immediately recognizable by the intensely sky-blue shining 



upper surface, as the wings have only a black margin (being double at the distal border). Beneath the species 

 entirely resembles zorea, but the transverse shades and -lines are not so distinctly prominent. I do not know 

 the $; at any rate it resembles pretty much the $ of zorea; Stichel adds a $ with a white band of the fore- 

 wing. Rare; from Ecuador, before me only from the lowlands. 



meiuana. M. metuana Heiv. (125 g). The white-banded $ is recognizable according to our figure; beneath 



the white band is exactly as above; characteristic is the arcuate line encirclmg the eye-spot of the forewing, 

 running behind the eye-spot c^uite straight to the inner margin. The ^ is not known to me; it probably resem- 



chaJybca. bles the figured fassli, though with narrower and less dull blue transverse bands. — chalybea Bob. (142 d) we 

 refiroduce in both sexes. There is a characteristic difference in the com'se of the arcuate line in the forewing, 

 bending in like a tooth towards the base, before it reaches the inner margin. The $ has no white band of the 

 iassU. forewing. This form as well as tj^pical metuana come from Colombia. — So is iassli form. nov. (125 c) in the (J^J 

 of which also the basal area of the forewing, being almost miiformly black in chalybea, is almost entirely blue, 

 with some black markings. The $ has a just as broad white band of the fore^^ing as metuana, though it 

 glaucoma, ends more abruptly and also runs much straighter than in metuana. ■ — glaucoma Stick. (142 e) is the 

 Bolivian form; like fassli with a blue (in chalybea brown) disc of the fcrewing beneath; the basal third of the 

 hindwing being in fassli quite blue with very little black marking, is black in glaucoma. The $ of glaucoma 

 greath' resembles the $ of fassli from Colombia, but by verj^ broad and intense transverse shades, the umber- 

 bro\^^l ground-colour of the upper surface is reduced to narrow bands ; both sexes of my specimens of glaucoma 

 exhibit beneath a very fine light and dark powdering wliich of course cannot be well reproduced in a figure, 

 but which occurs repeatedly in Bolivian Erycinidae. Stichel's figure of the ^ exhibits on the hindwing another 

 ama. (proximal) blue stripe indicated; in any case, the original comes irom another habitat of Bolivia. • — ama Hew. 

 (125 b) is easily discernible by the broader blue band in the distal part of the fore^™lg of the ^ and by the 

 white band of the forewing being continued in the $ also on the hindwing though much narrower. Ecuado'". 

 On the whole, all the forms stated here probablj- belong to one species, i. e. represent one another in the different 

 finding-places, but replace one another already at little distances. Exactly alike are probably only specimens 



desiiiuta. from the same finding-place. To such a sub^'ace destituta Stick, may also belong (described according to a $ 

 from Rio Yitaco), with a posteriorly tapering white band of the forewing of 2,5 mm width. 



zorea. M. zorea Heic. (125 e). (J above blue with a narrow black border and the discal line running semi- 



circularly round the eje-spot of the forewing end traversing the hindwing. Before the border of the wings 



there is no black transverse band anj-more, but the black border is said to be crossed by a blue stripe in Chan- 



chamaj'o-specimens (= toparcka Stick.). The $ which is unknown to me in nature, we reproduce according 



reba. to Hewitsox's figm'c. Peru and Bolivia. Not common. ■ — reba Heu\ (125 e) has a small white subapical band, 



aguilaia. also iir the q , otherwise quite like zorea. From Ecuador, as well as the finer banded aguilata Dogn. 



