1936 ] 
The Persius Group of Thanaos 
111 
distance apart. Scudder separates lucilius from persius as 
having “a large, somewhat distinct patch, paler than the 
ground color, between the cellular and subcostal vitreous 
spots of the fore wings.” This character generally holds 
against true persius, but is shared by baptisise . There is 
very little white hair, if any, in eastern specimens. 
Lucilius has been frequently reared, always from Colum- 
bine. It has two or three broods. I have examined unmis- 
takeable specimens from as far as Nebraska, but its west- 
ern extent must be verified by larval determinations. If 
there is a western strain it has been mixed with afranius. 
Thanaos baptisiae new species 
1889. ‘Not Thanaos persius’ Scudder, Butt. E. N. A. ii- 
1473 (larva on Lespedeza, perhaps another species). 
1921. Thanaos persius Lindsey, Univ. Ia. Stud, ix (4), 52 
(in part, including generalities and perhaps figure of 
genitalia) . 
1931. Erynnis persius Lindsey, Bell and Williams, Deni- 
son Univ. Bull., Jour. Sci. Lab. xxvi, 62 (in part, 
perhaps figure of genitalia, but not discussion of 
larva) . 
Thanaos persius of most eastern collections, but not of 
Scudder) . 
Similar to T. lucilius, so close that a comparative descrip- 
tion is in order. Average size slightly larger (mostly over 
30 mm.) . Ground a more yellow brown ; in direct light a dull 
umber, in favorable light showing just a trace of the purple 
iridescence of lucilius. Pale areas produced mainly by a 
luteous ground (while in lucilius the ground is hardly paler 
than the dark areas, but there is a higher percent of white 
scales), but with some white scaling, especially toward 
costa. Iridescence somewhat less difficult than on dark 
areas, brassy, in some lights with a distinct greensh tint. 
In the type, a fully marked specimen, the pale areas are 
spots antemedially, medially and postmedially in fold, sepa- 
rated by wider dark bars, very faint flecks in cell, fairly 
complete post medial and subterminal fasciae (including the 
submedian spots already mentioned), and much smaller 
