There are several species, having the same general form as the Jason, including Athamas, pl. [2]. fig. 3. 4; Eudoxus, vol. iii. pl. [33]. f. 1. 4; Camulus, vol. iii. pl. [30]. f. 1. 2. Mr. Swainson has, accordingly, formed them into a distinct group, to which he has given the name of Jasia, in pursuance with his customary, but scarcely correct plan, of raising the specific name of the typical species into a generic name, and then giving a new specific name to such type. M. Boisduval, rejecting this system of nomenclature, has more recently proposed for the same group the name of Charaxes, which I have adopted.
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.
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?