Amongst the species very nearly resembling Jason, is one sent from Africa[20] to Mr. Drury by Mr. Smeathman, which, according to the observations of that traveller, published by Drury, in the introduction to his third volume, flies in the heat of the day with amazing rapidity, and seldom descends within eight feet of the ground. It glances from the prominent branches of one tree to those of another, as swift as a swallow, and turns its head about instantly to the glade, or path, and will not suffer any person to approach within a striking distance of it, but darts away on the least motion of the body. If the collector exert his patience it will at last become more familiar and careless, and is then to be caught upon some particular branch, to which it will appear more attached than to another. {3}THECLA ACIS. Plate I. fig. 2. ORDER: Lepidoptera. SECTION: Diurna. FAMILY: Lycænidæ, _Leach_. GENUS. THECLA, _Fabr._ (Syst. Gloss. Synops. in Illig. Mag.) Polyommatus, _Latr. et Godart_. Cupido p. Schrank Papilio (Pleb. rural.), _Drury_. THECLA ACIS. Alis suprà fuscis subtùs pallidioribus, posticis bicaudatis maculâ rufâ ad angulum ani, subtùs punctis duobus fasciâque obliquâ albis. (Expans. Alar. 1 unc. 3 lin.) SYN. Papilio Acis, _Drury, App. v._ 2. (1773). _Cram. pl._ 175. _fig._ C. D. Papilio Mars, _Fabr. Mant. Ins._ 2. 66. _No._ 624. (1787). _Herbst. Pap. tab._ 288. _f._ 1. 2. _Fabr. Ent. Syst._ III. 1. 265. 24. (Hesperia M.) _Encycl. Meth._ 9. 635. (Polyommatus M.) Papilo Ixion, _Fab. Mant. Ins._ 2. 71. _No._ 671? HABITAT: New York (_Drury,_) taken on 31st August. South America (_Fabr._): Antilles (_Godart_). Cape of Good Hope (_?? Cramer_). _Upper Side._ The anterior wings are entirely dark brown, without any spots or marks.--The posterior wings the same, with four tails, the inner ones much longer than the others; close above which latter are two red spots, edged at the bottom with black, and two more, placed at the anal angle. The cilia is white. _Under Side._ All the wings are of a dark lead colour. A very narrow black and white line crosses the anterior wings, parallel to the external edges; another indented irregular line crosses the posterior wings, beginning near the middle of the anterior edge, and meeting just below the extremity of the body. Four long reddish spots are very visible on this side, below which are four black ones. This species is nearly allied to Papilio Echion, Linn. Syst. Nat. p. 788. figured by Roesel, tom. i. tab. 7. f. 3. 4. which is also an American species, but differs, as Drury observes, in wanting the red spots on the upper surface of the lower wings, in having a red line crossing the wings on the under side, &c. THECLA SIMAETHIS. Plate I. fig. 3. ORDER: Lepidoptera. SECTION: Diurna. FAMILY: Lycænidæ, _Leach_. GENUS. THECLA, _Fabr., Horsfield_. Polyommatus, _Latr. et Godart_. Hesperia, _Fabr. olim._ Papilio (Pleb. rur.) _Drury_.