752 



THECLA. By Dr. M. Drafdt. 



16. Phaleros-Group. 



phaleros. Th. phaleros L. {= silenus Cr., agis Drury, silenissa Hbst., chiton F. (?) (150 a, b). Above extremely 



lustrous ultramarine-blue. The proximal half of the double scent- spot is round, jet-black, with grey rings, 

 the distal half almost fom'-cornered, brownish-grey. The 2 is above dull greyish-blue, with broad blackish- 

 brown margins and the under surface-marking shining through. Beneath the (J is reddish- white, the $ more 

 yellowish-white with 3 black transverse bands converging towards the proximal margin; distal margin with 

 an orange tinge. Very common from Mexico to South Brazil. 



hattus. Th. battus Cr. (= bathis F., bathildis Fldr.) (150 a) has exactly the same scent-spot as the prece- 



ding, but it is smaller with narrower black margins and an orange-red anal spot of the hindwing. The 2 is above 

 almost white, of a pale violettish-blue lustre with the marking shining through from beneath, being well repro- 

 aufidena. duced in our figure. The forehead is red. — The name of aufidena Hew. (= jalan Beak.) may be perhaps 

 applied for the specimens originating mostly from the northern habitats, with a brilliant, deep violettish-blue, 

 the typical battus being lighter blue. Very widely distributed from Mexico to Colombia. 



17. Viridicans-Group. 



viridicans. Th. viridicans Fldr. (149 f ) is above lustrous green with very broad black margins, beneath almost 



exactly marked and coloured as harajo (149 e), only the white line close before the border is absent. Colombia. 



barajo. Th. barajo Beak. (= desdemona i/e«'.) (149 e) is above lusti'ous sky-blue and very much distinguished 



by the polished spot in the costal half of the hindwing above; the $ is duller and more greenish-blue with the 

 marking shinmg through from beneath. The under surface is bro'mi, each wing traversed by 4 white transverse 

 Imes converging towards the proximal angle ; fringes white. From Mexico to Panama, everywhere very common. 



laothoe. Th. laothoe Godm. & Salv. (149 g) greatly resembles the preceding, though it has broader dark 



distal margins and dark fringes, as well as a somewhat more greenish tinge of the upper surface, the polished 

 spot of the hindwings being absent besides. Beneath there is little difference, at the anal angle of the hindwing 

 more black at most. The scales of the forehead are turned upwards, in barajo downwards. Costa Rica, Guatemala. 



oceia. Th. oceia Godm. d: Salv. (149 g) resembles laothoe so much that the authors themselves thought a 



specific separation to be doubtful. It is above greener, the margins much narrower, the fringes white; beneath 

 the white bands of the hindwings are narrower. Costa Rica and Panama. 



theia. Th. theia Hew. (= aethesa Hew. pro p.) (150 c, d) we join here, though it deviates greatly. (J above 



lustrous green; Q somewhat bluer and duller with broad black margins. Under surface grey with black transverse 

 Imes being similarh^ arranged as in the preceding. In front of the border of the hindwing 3 orange-yellow spots. 

 Apparently very rare, but it has been found from Panama to Bolivia. 



erybathis. Th. erybathis Heiv. (150 a) presumabl}' also belongs to this group. Above almost like barajo (149 e), 



but without the polished spot and with broader margins of the wings; the tails are much broader, the whole 

 animal very delicate, in the $ the marking beneath shines through above, the under surface being exactly like 

 that of battus (150 a) except the anal lobe being white, not" orange. Not rare in Mexico, nor in Honduras. 



18. Gibberosa-Group. 



gibberosa. Th. gibberosa Hew. (149 g (J, not 5). Very conspicuous bj' the hunch-shaped projection of the costal 



margin of the forewing in the q , which is absent in the 2. The wings are white, with a lustrous bluish-green 

 tinge in the basal half of the forewing and the basal half of the costa of the hindwing, the marking beneath 

 tomUnso7ii. shines through above. The $ is entirely white with broad black margms. Colombia, Bolivia. — f. tomlinsotli 

 D)-c. (149 f, g, (J, not 2) has been described from Peru, the whole wiirg being above covered by an opalescent 

 bluish-green. 



phydehi. Th. phydela Hew. (149 f). (J above sky-blue, the hindwings distalU' white, the margins of the forewing 



rather broadly black, the $ all white; in both sexes the black transverse bands beneath shine through above. — 

 dealbaia. In dealbata form. nov. (149 g) the whole hindwing is blue. Both the forms fly in Brazil. 



nwnen. Th. numen Drc. (149 e,f) is, according to the description, a good species, since the lower median 



vein of the forewing beneath is vesicularlj- inflated in its proximal half, like in gibbero.sa, which is not the case 

 in phydela which it otherwise resembles very much. It is much larger, the forewings and the basal halves of 

 the hindwings opalescent bluish-gTeen, in the $ entirely white, also beneath nearly the same markings. Roraima 

 (Brit. Guiana). 



