Part 26

Plate XXIV. and XXV.

ORDER: Lepidoptera. SECTION: Diurna. FAMILY: Bombycidæ, Steph.

GENUS. SATURNIA, Schrank. Attacus, Germ. Phalæna (Attacus), Drury.

SATURNIA PHÆDUSA. Alis griseo-fuscis, anticis strigis tribus transversis saturatioribus maculâque-parvà triangulari fenestratâ mediâ; posticis obscurioribus ocello magno nigro, margine carneo-rufo cincto. (Expans. Alar. 7 unc. 9 lin.)

Syn. Phalæna (Attacus) Phædusa, Drury, App. vol. 3.

Bombyx Saturnus, Fabr. Ent. Syst. III. 1. p. 409. Oliv. Enc. Méth. 5. 27. 11.

HABITAT: Sierra Leone (Drury). "In Indiis" (Fabricius).

Upper Side. PLATE XXIV. Antennæ broad in the middle and strongly pectinated, terminating in a point both at the base and extremity, the latter being like a thread. Head dark brown. The neck surrounded with a white collar. Thorax and abdomen greyish clay-coloured. Anterior wings the same, but towards their extremities becoming darker; the tips are angulated, and the edges a little scolloped; a dark line rises near the tips, which running across the wings ends near the middle of the posterior edges, but is there much fainter than at the tips. A small triangular transparent spot is situate near the centre of these wings, about three-eighths of an inch from the anterior edges. Posterior wings a little scolloped, being the same colour with the anterior next the abdomen, but darker towards the external edges. In the middle of these wings is a large eye, the pupil being black like velvet, surrounded with a narrow circle of a dark orange, round which is another cream-coloured circle, and this likewise is surrounded by a large border of a fine red-brown.

Under Side. PLATE XXV. Tongue not noticed. Thighs of the fore legs dark brown, the other legs lighter. Breast and abdomen light clay-coloured. Anterior wings the same, being next the body paler than towards the extremities; along the external edges is a pale indented border, running from the tips to the lower corners. Two dark brown spots are placed next the transparent one mentioned in the preceding description, and the dark line there mentioned is conspicuous on this side. Posterior wings coloured as the anterior, becoming darker towards the external edges. A pale indented border runs along the external edges, similar to that on the anterior wings. On the middle of these wings are four dark brown spots, two small and two large, being placed opposite to the eyes observed on the upper side; and just below them a dark line runs across from the upper corners to the middle of the abdominal edges.

{35}PLATE XXV.

In Mr. Drury's manuscripts I find the insect referred to these two figures is stated to have been obtained from the Duchess of Portland's Museum, and to be an inhabitant of New York.

PLATE XXVI.

NYMPHALIS LAODICE.

Plate XXVI. fig. 1, 2.

ORDER: Lepidoptera. SECTION: Diurna. FAMILY: Nymphalidæ, Swains.

GENUS. NYMPHALIS, Latr. Papilio (Pleb. rur.) Drury.

NYMPHALIS LAODICE. Alis supra atro-coeruleis, limbo postico serie lunularum coerulescentium; subtus fascià mediâ communi saturatiori, posticis punctis marginalibus albis. (Expans. Alar. 3 unc. 9 lin.)

SYN. Papilio (Nymph. Phal.) Laodice, Drury, App. vol. 3. (1783.)

Papilio Lycurgus, Fabr. Ent. Syst. III. 1. p. 67. No. 209. Enc. Méth. ix. p. 364. No. 49.

Nymphalis Lyc., Paul. Beauv. Ins. d'Afr. et d'Amer. Lep. pl. 4. f. 2.

HABITAT: Sierra Leone.

Upper Side. Antennæ black. Thorax black. Abdomen dark brown. Wings very dark blue, almost black, the edges being dark brown; the anterior ones are angulated, and the posterior ones furnished with two short tails. A row of blue crescents, forming a line, runs along the posterior wings near the external edges, extending along part of the anterior ones, which also have two small oval blue spots, almost joined together, placed at the middle of the anterior edges, and one single one near the tips.

Under Side. Palpi not noticed. Legs brown above, and white beneath. Breast and abdomen dark brown. Wings soft brown, with some irregular and indented bands of a darker colour crossing them, particularly the posterior ones, which have a rather broad one running from the upper to the abdominal corners. These wings have also seven very small white spots placed along the external edges.

THECLA PHALEROS .

Plate XXVI. fig. 3, 4.

ORDER: Lepidoptera. SECTION: Diurna. FAMILY: Lycænidæ, Steph.

GENUS. THECLA, Fabr. (Syst. Gloss.) Polyommatus, Latr. God. Hesperia p. Fabr. (olim.) Papilio (Pleb. rur.), Drury.

THECLA PHALEROS. Alis violaceo-coeruleis nitidis, [female] albidis apice fusco, subtus albis fasciis transversis margineque nigris ad angulum ani conjunctis. (Expans. Alar. 1 unc. 9 lin.)