PLATE XXVI. Figs. 1 and 2, _Male_.
Pap. Marsyas, _Linn. Fair. Herbst. Pap._ Pl. 296, fig. 1, 2; _Cramer_,
Pl. 332, fig. A, B.--Polyommatus Marsyas, _Godart_.
Notwithstanding the numerous groups which have been recently withdrawn
from this genus, it still includes a great variety of modifications
of form which would amply justify further subdivision. Even the few
examples which have been selected for illustration might afford the
types of more than one group; but, for the reasons already mentioned,
we prefer presenting them according to Latreille’s arrangement.
Most of these insects are beneath the middle size, they are usually
adorned with very beautiful colours on the surface, and ornamented
with ocelliform spots beneath, a circumstance which has suggested the
name. They are distinguished from the immediately preceding genera by
having the palpi of ordinary length, or rather short, and all the legs
complete, or adapted for walking, in both sexes. The group to which
the first species represented belongs, has the costa of the upper
wings more or less arched, particularly towards the base, and the
hinder margin of the same wings is very slightly concave, especially
in the male. The hinder wings have two linear narrow tails towards
the anal angle. _P. Marsyas_ is a native of Brazil, Guiana, and some
other countries of South America. It is greenish-blue on the upper
side, changing with the direction of the incident light into violet,
the costa and apical angle of the upper wings widely black. Beneath
the colour is lilac, glossy, with seven or eight small black spots,
surrounded by a white circle, scattered over the disk of each wing; the
anal angle bluish-green, with two short white transverse streaks and
two pretty large black spots; tails black with the extremity white,
the outer one about half the length of the other. Body blue above and
whitish beneath. The antennæ, as in most of the Polyommati, are black
with pale rings.
[Illustration: