180 
NYMPHALIlKE. 
spots ; there are always similarly-coloured spots clustered near the 
base of the wing, and a row placed along the hind margin. 
The antemiffi are long and slender, with pyriform clubs-- 
rounded at the apex in living specimens. 
The eyes are smooth. The palpi are generally longer than the 
head and are hairy, especially on the middle articulation. 
This genus is confined to the Pal^earctic and Nearctic regions; 
in the latter its range is restricted to the South Western States. 
The genus MeliUva is full of difficulties for the zoologist, as 
the exact limits of species and varieties have not yet been satis- 
factorily determined ; the local forms of some of the species are 
very numerous and perplexing, and in many instances are no 
doubt S})ecifically distinct. 
Staudinger gives sixteen species as being found in Europe ; 
these for the sake of convenience may be divided into three groups, 
of which our three British species, 31. Aurinia, Cinxia, and AthaJia 
may be taken as representatives respectively. 
1st Group. Central light band of under side hind wings not 
spotted : — 31. Cipitliia, Idiuia, 31aturna, Aurinia, Ba’t.ica. 
‘2ud Group. Central light band of under side hind wings with 
a row of black spots: — 31. Cinxia, Arduinna, I’lurhe, Trivia, 
Vidijina. 
3rd Group. Central light hand broken up into distinct 
blotches, without black spots, but more or less varied with white 
or very pale yellow, and almost coalescing with the basal spots, 
which are large : — 31. Dictijnna, Deiotie, Atlialia, Aurelia, Tartlmiie, 
Asteria. 
1. — M. Cynthia, Hub. 569, 570 (fceiii.), 608-9 (mas.); 0. 1. 1, 
21 ; Hup. 1, 21, 25 ; Err. 247. 
Expands from 1-40 to 1*50 in. The male has all the wings 
white, with a bluish gloss ; the hind margins are broadly dark 
brown, with rows of large reddish fulvous spots, forming a double 
band on the fore wings, and a single one enclosing a row of black 
dots on the hind wings. Tlie bases are blackish ; the fore wings 
have two reddish discoidal patches, and external to these a short 
black band. The hind wings have an irregularly-shaped basal 
