1250 
MELITTIA. By B. Zukowsky. 
reddish orange hair at the base and in the anal region, veins orange with black scales, a black marginal line 
and ochreous fringe, rj 51 57 mm, $ 63—65 mm. Kansas, Arizona. 
magnified. M. magtlifica Beut. (179 c). Head bluish black, palpi orange, apically black. Thorax steel-blue, slightly 
orange laterally. Antennae bluish black, brownish red towards the apex beneath. Abdomen above and beneath 
metallic steel-blue, legs steel-blue (hindlegs absent, they were surely also steel-blue, inside perhaps orange). 
Forewing steel-blue, inner margin broadly light orange, narrowing towards the interior angle, fringe light 
orange. Hindwing deep bright orange above and beneath, forewing beneath orange, the anterior quarter 
blackish. $ 42 mm. Of this extremely beautiful species only one female specimen has become known so far. 
Austin, Texas. 
dolens. M. dolens Drc. Head, thorax, tegulae, abdomen and legs black (antennae absent). The 4th abdo¬ 
minal segment broadly yellow, anal tuft black. Forewing black. Hindwing hyaline, veins and fringe black. 
32 mm. Brazil. 
hervei. M. hervei Le Cerf (179 d). A large species easily discernible especially by the shining dark yellow tarsi 
of the hindlegs. Head blackish blue, white before the eyes. Palpi whitish yellow. Collar and thorax blackish 
blue. Abdomen quite black. Legs black, tibiae of the hindlegs long-haired, the tarsi still longer and beauti¬ 
fully ochreous dark yellow. Forewing black with two hyaline spots; one in the centre of the wedge-area, one in 
the lower part of the distal area, shortly before the anal angle. Hindwing transparent, with a blue reflection, 
the veins and the rather broad margins black. Anal angle with shining dark blue scales. 39 mm. Peru, Chan- 
chamayo. 
arcangelii. M. arcangelii Giac. (180 h). Body, antennae and palpi above black, ochreous beneath. Collar and the 
anterior margin of the thorax yellow, at the end of the thorax reddish ochreous hair extending beyond the 
first abdominal segments. Forewing golden yellow above, the costal and distal margins black like the fringe, 
1 3 of the forewing below the costal vein black or blackish grey, a narrow hyaline streak below it, veins black. 
Hindwing basad as far as about half vermilion, the rest hyaline, veins reddish, fringe black. Anterior and middle 
legs absent, hindlegs inside with tufted black hair, tibiae outside white, the tarsi inwardly with four small 
black hair-tufts. 35 mm. Argentina. — Our figure is copied from a water-colour painting which the author, 
Mr. Giacomelli from la Rioja, had the kindness to send to us. 
hergii. M. bergii Hy. Echo. Palpi and anterior tarsi dark orange. Antennae, femora, tibiae and posterior tarsi 
bluish black. Thorax and abdomen dull black with a metallic lustre. Forewing dull orange, costa blackish; 
the black colour widens towards the cell, decreasing again towards the apex. Hindwing orange, transparent 
along the costa. 37 mm. Buenos Aires. 
superha. M. superba Bothsch. (179 c). Head blackish brown, palpi brown. Collar with a dull blue reflection, 
thorax metallic silvery, opalescent reddish yellow, the centre metallic blue. Antennae black. The two first 
abdominal segments metallic dull blue, the following ones deejoer steel-blue, the two last metallic bronze green. 
Thorax beneath opalescent silvery white, abdomen beneath white, opalescent yellowish. Forelegs black, tarsi 
yellow, middle legs metallic blue, tarsi sometimes silvery, hindlegs with dense long hair, tibiae above and in¬ 
side broadly yellow, below and outside black, mixed with metallic blue-reflecting hair-tufts, tarsi black, partly 
with grey hair. Fore wing above and beneath of a brilliant metallic blue, costa and the broad distal margin 
dull black. Hindwing obliquely divided, from the base to the distal margin about 3 / 5 metallic blue, the last 
two fifths transparent, fringe black, abdominal margin bluish. 44 mm. Eastern Peru, Marcapate, 1100 m. 
imperaior. M. imperator Bothsch. (179 cl). §: forelegs black, tarsi scarlet; middle legs blackish brown, tarsi scarlet, 
hindlegs vei'y densely haired scarlet, with hair-tufts on the tibiae and tarsi. Palpi and head blackish brown, 
face with two white streaks. Thorax blackish brown with reddish spots. Abdomen purple, anterior margins 
of the segments scarlet. Forewing metallic bluish green. Hindwing hyaline, veins, margins and apical third 
metallic bluish green. 45 mm. Obidos, Amazons. April. 
pomponia. M. pomponia Le Cerf. One of the smallest species of the genus (only 17 mm). All the wings transparent, 
veins and margins bronze black, distal margin of the discocellular vein yellowish which colour expands as far 
as the apex at the margin, fringe short, bronze black. Head thick, black, a few white hams around the eyes 
and at the collar. Antennae bronze black. Eyes rather large, orange. Palpi black, the 2nd and 3rd joints in¬ 
side and outside white. Collar, thorax and abdomen bronze black, a very fine ring of white scales on the 2nd 
segment beneath, on the 6th above. Anal tuft short and pointed, black. Forelegs blackish blue, white at the 
base. Hindlegs: femora black, with a white line below, tibiae bronze black with long hair of the same colour, 
towards the end a thick fan-like tuft of orange hair, tarsi bronze black. Peru, Payta. 
smithi. M. sinithi Drc. Forewing black with a narrow hyaline streak from the base to the end of the cell, an 
oval hyaline spot below it. fringe greyish. Hindwing hyaline, veins and fringe black, the bases of all the wings 
covered with long yellow hair. Head, thorax and abdomen brownish black, each segment margined with yellow, 
the under surface of the thorax and abdomen yellowish brown. Antennae black. Legs yellow, except the 
