PLATE XXV. Fig. 3.
Pap. P. R. Alcides, _Fabr. Mant._--Hesperia, R. Alcides, _Fabr.
Syst._--Pap. Alcides, _Cramer_, Pl. 96, fig. D, E.--Myrina Alcides,
_Godart_.
Loxura includes a few species formerly referred to _Myrina_, and,
like the latter, is distinguished from the allied genera by the
extraordinary length of the palpi which rise conspicuously above the
head, and are, in fact, nearly half the length of the antennæ. The
wings are entire on the edges, and the hinder pair are prolonged each
into a single tail, placed obliquely. The antennæ increase gradually
towards the apex into a lengthened club, and all the ambulatory legs
are of the same form in both sexes. The species represented is a native
of Guinea. The extent of the wings is about an inch and three-quarters.
On the upper side the wings are dark brown, sprinkled very thickly
towards the base with shining violet-blue atoms, making the whole inner
half of the wings appear of that colour, and the outer margin of the
posterior pair behind the middle, as well as the lengthened tail, are
of the same hue. Towards the extremity of the upper wings there is a
transverse band of a rusty-red colour, but it is very indistinctly
defined. Beneath, the colour is tan-brown as far as the middle of the
wings, where there is a narrow yellow line running across the whole
surface in the posterior, but abbreviated in the anterior, and placed
rather beyond the middle, the space beyond this band covered with a
kind of greyish dust. Body brown, the thorax clothed with hairs of the
same colour as the base of the wings, antennæ blackish, annulated with
white on the under side.
This is an African insect, and seems to be confined to the coast of
Guinea. _Pap. Corax_ of Cramer (Pl. 379, fig. D, E) seems to be a
variety of the female. The individual figured by Boisduval (_Spec.
Gen._ Pl. 22) appears to differ considerably from Cramer’s figures,
as well as Fabricius’ and Godart’s description: it is represented as
having a distinct ocellus at the base of the tail.