Part 10

PLATE XXIV. Figs. 1 and 2, _Fem._

Hesperia Gnidus, _Fabr._--Pap. Endymion, _Cramer_, Pl. 224, C, D, (Male,) E, F, (Fem).--Erycina Gnidus, _Godart_; _Stoll’s Supp._ Pl. 4, fig. 5, A, (Cater), 5, B, (Chrysalis).

The genus Helicopis was proposed by Fabricius in his _Systema Glossatarum_, and he refers to the species above mentioned as one of its typical forms. Although its characters are sufficiently distinctive, it was long confounded with other groups to which it has little relation. It belongs to that section of the diurnal lepidoptera in which the caterpillars are short and depressed, having some resemblance to an _oniscus_, whence they are called onisciform. The palpi are rather long and slender, and the terminal joint is nearly naked or free from scales. In Helicopis the antennæ terminate in a slightly curved club: the anterior legs are much shorter than the others and clothed with hairs; hinder margin of the anterior wings convex and entire, the corresponding margin of the posterior with six linear tails, the central one much longer than the rest; discoidal cell of the posterior wings open behind; claws very minute. Caterpillar thickly clothed with soft hairs, the chrysalis suspended by the tail, and having a band round the middle.

The best known and most common species of this genus is _H. Cupido_, which is rather smaller than _H. Gnidus_. The former is commonly named the Golden-spot, and the latter the Silver-spot Butterfly. The wings of _H. Gnidus_, in the male, are white on both sides, with a slight tinge of yellow at the base, and the outer margin black. At the hinder extremity of the secondary wings there is a row of narrow white marks, which is double at the anal angle; tails black on both sides, the two longest ones tipped with white. The upper wings beneath have a white line dividing the black border behind the middle, and the under pair are ornamented with twenty-one silvery spots, three of which at either extremity are elongated and placed on a white ground, while the rest are insulated and on a ferruginous ground; all of them edged with black. The female is larger than the sex just described, and differs in having a larger fulvous space at the base of the wings, and in having it bounded externally on the under side of the upper pair by a wide black patch; the greater part of the surface of the hinder wings is black, and the posterior row of white crescents is simple: body white, the thorax yellow; antennæ black, ringed with white.

The caterpillar is white, and clothed with long hairs of the same colour; the head yellow, surmounted by a tuft of red hairs. It feeds on the leaves of the passion-flower, and changes into a brown chrysalis, which has a tuft of red hairs at the head and tail.

This species, as well as _H. Cupido_, is a native of Surinam.

ERYCINA OCTAVIUS.

PLATE XXIV. Fig. 3.

Pap. Octavius, _Fabr. Mant._--Pap. Faunus, _Fabr. Species_.--Pap. Chorineus, _Cramer_, Pl. 59, fig. A.

As the above genus at present stands, it contains many insects which have but little affinity to each other, as may be seen by comparing the present figure with that on the following plate, both of which have been usually assigned a place in it. If we have not altered this arrangement, it is not because we do not regard it as improper, but from a reluctance to introduce many partial changes, in a place where it would be irrelevant to enter at length on the general subject of classification. The relation which groups bear to each other can be satisfactorily shown only by treating of the whole; and insulated changes are the less desirable at present, as a general arrangement of the whole class will speedily be laid before the public by an individual who has long directed his attention to the subject. The above-named species belongs to a group in which the upper wings are triangular, and the inferior very much elongated, truncated towards the anal angle, and exteriorly drawn out into a long narrow tail. With the exception of the dark bands and occasional crimson spots, the whole wings are transparent. _E. octavius_ expands about an inch and a half. The upper wings are transparent, the whole of the outer margin, and a band running obliquely across the middle, black. Under wings transparent anteriorly, the remainder, including the tail, black; the anal angle with a large crimson patch. The tail is very narrow, and somewhat whitish on the outer edge and at the tip. The under side resembles the upper, except that the red spots are each marked with two white points.

Found in Surinam.

ERYCINA MELIBÆUS.

PLATE XXV. Figs. 1 and 2.

Pap. E. A. Melibæus, _Fabr._--_Herbst. Pap._ Pl. 59, fig. 4, 5.--Pap. Pyretus, _Cramer_, Pl. 144, fig. A, B.

This beautiful insect belongs to that division of _Erycina_ which has opaque wings, and a short obtuse tail to the hinder pair. It is about two inches in extent of wing. The surface is uniform dark brown, with a bright red oblique band running across the middle of both wings, and a large crescent of the same colour near the origin of the tail. On the inner side of the upper wings there is the appearance of another oblique red band, but it is obsolete except at the hinder margin. The under side forms a striking contrast with the surface, the ground colour being black, with two brilliant blue bands, the outer one very broad, the interior somewhat macular, and terminating behind in a red point. Body brown above and black beneath.

Like most of the species constituting the genus _Erycina_, it is a native of the new world, occurring in greatest plenty in Surinam and Brazil.

LOXURA ALCIDES.

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.

POLYOMMATUS MARSYAS.

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.

POLYOMMATUS ENDYMION.

PLATE XXVI. Figs. 3, 4, _Fem._

Pap. P. R. Endymion, _Fabr. Herbst. Pap._ Pl. 298, fig. 1, 2. Pap. regalis, _Cramer_, Pl. 72. fig. E, F. (Fem).

The outline of this richly-ornamented insect perfectly corresponds to that of the preceding species, except that the hinder margin of the upper wings is scarcely concave. The whole disk is very brilliant blue with a tinge of green, surrounded by a black border, which is wide and sinuated on its inner edge in the female, and narrow in the other sex. The anal angle of each of the hinder wings bears a large blood-red mark, and the tails are black tipped with white. On the under side the green hue predominates, and the whole is thickly-powdered as it were with gold dust, giving it a very rich appearance. Near the middle both wings are traversed by a distinct black line, angular posteriorly, and bordered externally by pale blue: behind this, on the under wings, there is a broad deep red or ferruginous band, paler towards its hinder edge and sprinkled with blue atoms: the outer margin of all the wings is darker than the interior. Expansion of the wings about two inches.

POLYOMMATUS VENUS.

PLATE XXVII. Figs. 1, 2.

Pap. P. R. Venus, _Fabr. Mantissa_.--Hesperia R. Venus, _Fabr. Systema_.--Pap. Venus, _Herbst. Pap._ Pl. 294, fig. 1, 2. Pap. Imperialis, _Cramer_, Pl. 76. fig. E, F.

This beautiful little insect is not unlike the preceding both in its form and colours. It belongs to a section of _Polyommatus_, in which the upper wings of the male are marked with an orbicular spot, of a cottony appearance, and frequently a good deal impressed. The expansion of the wings does not exceed an inch and a half. The colour of the surface is brilliant blue, the costa and outer margin of the wings black, and the disk of each marked with two ferruginous points in the male. Beneath, the colour is likewise green, richly glossed with golden yellow, the anterior portion of the under wings transversely streaked with narrow black marks. The tails are wholly black.

All the examples hitherto brought to Europe seem to be from Surinam.

POLYOMMATUS ACHÆUS.

PLATE XXVII. Figs. 3, 4.

Hisperia R. Achæus, _Fabr._--Pap. Achæus, _Cramer_, Pl. 352, fig. G, H.--_Herbst. Pap._ Pl. 297, figs. 3, 4.

Nearly the same size as _P. Venus_, and also a native of Surinam. Upper side dark brown, the superior wings with two oval yellow spots on the disk of each, and two transverse curved streaks of the same colour on the inferior, the anal angle with a ferruginous spot. Under side yellow, with numerous ferruginous patches, each of which is ornamented with several small spots of golden-yellow, the outer border with a continuous ferruginous band bearing a series of golden-yellow elongated spots. Body brown above and yellowish beneath.

GENUS THALIURA.

The genus to which we have assigned the above name has been hitherto blended with the _Uraniæ_. It is doubtless very closely connected with these insects; but the differences both in the appearance of the perfect insects and the respective caterpillars, render it expedient that they should be separated. The character by which it and _Urania_ are widely separated from all others, is the form of the antennæ, which are filiform nearly to the middle, where they thicken a little, and from that gradually narrow to a point. The palpi are lengthened and slender, having the second joint greatly compressed, the terminal one more slender, nearly cylindrical, and naked. There is no closed discoidal cell in any of the wings, and almost all the nervures diverge from the base. Not many different kinds are known, and, with one exception, they are natives of America and the West Indian Islands. Their splendid tints of golden green arranged in transverse bars, render them perhaps the most chastely beautiful insects that exist, and has caused them to be named Emerald Butterflies in this country. Sometimes also they are called _Pages_. They fly so high in the air and with so much velocity, that it is nearly impossible, Madam Merian informs us, to catch them, and the only way therefore to obtain good specimens, is to feed the caterpillar. “Great numbers of this insect,” says Mr. Swainson, speaking of a species almost the exact counterpart of _U. Leilus_, “were flying during the whole of the morning, past _Aqua Fria_ (Pernambuco) in a direction from north to south: not one deviated from this course, notwithstanding the flowers which were growing around: they flew against the wind, which blew rather strong, and near the ground, but mounted over every tree or other high object which lay in their course; yet their flight was so rapid, that I could not capture a single specimen. They went singly, and near fifty or sixty must have passed the spot opposite the window before mid-day: they continued to pass for three or four days in this manner. 12th June 1817[37].”

The present genus differs from Urania in the perfect insect having three distinct tails at the hinder extremity of the posterior wings; neither are these wings so much elongated as in the group just named. The differences between them in their early states will be seen by comparing the following descriptions.

THALIURA RHIPHEUS.

PLATE XXVIII.

Pap. E. A. Rhipheus, _Fabr._--Pap. Rhipheus, _Cramer_, Pl. 385, fig. A, B.--_Boisduval, Nouvel. Annal. du Museum d’His. Nat._ p. 260, Pl. 8, fig. 1, 2.

This magnificent species is usually about the size of _Papilio Machaon_, but sometimes it is a good deal larger. The surface is a deep, velvet-black; the upper wings with numerous transverse lines and stripes of beautiful golden-green, and a broad band of the same colour near the middle deeply cleft anteriorly: this band is likewise continued across the under wings in the direction of the anal angle, but a large space on the latter is brilliant coppery-red with a violet reflection, and marked with four or five black spots; besides this there is another green band near the external margin, the outer edge as well as the tails fringed with hairs: the tails are three in number, that most remote from the anal angle longer than the others. On the under side of the superior wings the green bands are dilated so as to occupy greater part of the surface; the same side of the inferior pair is gilded green at the base and extremity; the whole anal region bright flame colour inclining to purple, with a changeable lustre, prolonged to the anterior margin and forming a central band, the whole surface marked with orbicular black spots, which become larger posteriorly. Body black, fulvous beneath: antennæ wholly black.

The female is about one-third larger than the male, the anal mark larger and of a golden colour with little mixture of purple.

“This species,” says M. Boisduval, who first completed the natural history of this insect by describing its various states and metamorphoses, “which may be considered as the most beautiful lepidopteron known, inhabits Madagascar. It has been once taken in Bourbon, whither the caterpillar had probably been transported accidentally. According to Cramer it is likewise found on the coast of Coromandel.

“The caterpillar lives on the _Mangifera Indica_. On first issuing from the egg, it is nearly smooth and of a greenish tint; after the first moult it assumes a black colour, becomes covered with spines, and protrudes at pleasure two rose-coloured retractile horns, placed on the first segment. Having attained its full size it is rather slender, dilated laterally towards the middle, and is about two or three inches long. On each side there is a festoon composed of many irregular bands of white, green, and yellow points: the horns, which were of a delicate rose-colour, become carmine-red; the first pair of membraneous legs becomes very short, almost rudimentary, and are of no use in walking; when in motion, therefore, it curves the centre of its body upwards into a loop like the caterpillars of _Geometra_ and _Catocala_. Before undergoing its metamorphoses, it attaches itself by the tail and a band round the middle, like the caterpillars of _Papilio_, _Colias_, _Pieris_, &c., or rather like those of _Geometra pendularia_ and _Gyraria_.

“The chrysalis is elongated and pointed, scarcely angular, of a green colour with a transverse gilded band; the extremity, which is of a deeper green, is sprinkled with a great number of golden points.

“The perfect insect comes out in about three weeks. Exposed to the sun, it developes itself completely in two or three hours, while individuals born in the shade take nearly a day to develope themselves, and are usually less brilliant.”

GENUS URANIA.

As already mentioned, _Urania_ is distinguished from all other groups, except Thaliura, by the shape of the antennæ, and an obvious character for separating it from that is the presence of only a single tail. The palpi are short and project a little beyond the head, the terminal joint being nearly naked. The tibiæ of the anterior legs are furnished with spines in the middle; and the claws are minute. When at rest the anterior wings are kept in a horizontal position, or but slightly turned upwards, one peculiarity among many others in which they resemble the nocturnal lepidoptera. We are indebted to Mr. Macleay for an account of the metamorphoses of a species which he has named _U. Fernandinæ_, but which is probably synonymous with some previously known. The caterpillar feeds on a kind of _Omphalea_ which grows abundantly on the sea-coast of Jamaica. It never appears during the heat of the day, but reposes in a torpid state within a thin transparent web on the under side of the leaves, in order to avoid the rays of the sun. Its only time of feeding is during the night. In its appearance and habits it shows more affinity to the larvæ of the Bombycidæ than to the diurnal Lepidoptera. When about to change to a chrysalis it spins an oval cocoon of yellow silk, the meshes of which are so lax as to allow the inmate to be easily seen. The pupa is not at all angular. “The perfect butterfly,” he adds, “is perfectly diurnal, and very swift in its flight. It is not found in the interior of the island, but it may be seen in plenty as far as two or even three leagues from the coast, sporting in the sun, and sucking the flowers of _Cestrum diurnum_, _Ehretia tinifolia_, and other odoriferous trees of small stature. In hot weather and about mid-day it flies particularly high, and may be even observed surmounting the tops of the highest members of the forest. In the afternoon I have often seen it sport about some capriciously chosen spot, such as a particular branch of Mango, where it would always return to alight on almost the same leaf, in a manner that has sometimes reminded me of a well known habit of the _Musicapæ_. Thus does our insect spend whole hours until sunset, when the bats usually terminate its diversion and its life. On the approach of winter it may be seen at times alighting on hedges, when specimens are more easily captured. The flight, however, of _U. Fernandinæ_ is always strong, and it starts like the _Fringillidæ_. When it alights on a leaf, all the four wings are expanded horizontally; and rarely, if ever, take a vertical position, like those of the species of the Linnæan genus _Papilio_, when at rest[38].”

URANIA SLOANUS.

PLATE XXIX. Fig. 1.

_Godart._--Pap. Sloanus, _Cramer_, Pl. 85, fig. E, F.--Pap. Leilius, _Var. Fabr._--Leilius Occidentalis, _Swainson, Illus._ Pl. 129.

Expands about two inches and a half or three inches; surface deep black; the upper wings each with six or seven transverse lines of golden green, and near the middle a band of that colour bifid (sometimes trifid) anteriorly. Under wings with a central band of bright coppery red, irregularly indented, the abdominal margin more or less gilded green; the tail black with a few emerald green spots. Design on the under side corresponding to that on the surface, the green paler. Body black above, with a dorsal line of golden green, and another on each side; brownish beneath.

This handsome species bears the name of the celebrated Sir Hans Sloane, the early historian of Jamaica, who figured it in his work (Pl. 239, fig. 11, 12). It is accounted a rare insect, and, we believe, has hitherto been found only in the West Indian Islands.

URANIA LEILUS.

PLATE XXIX. Fig. 2.

Pap. Leilus, _Linn. Fabr. Cramer_, Pl. 85, fig. C, D; _Merian’s Surinam. Ins._ Pl. 29.--Urania Leilus, _Fabr. Syst. Gloss._--Leilus Surinamensis, _Swainson. Zool. Illus._ Pl. 125.--Le Page de Cayenne, _Daubenton_, Pl. enlum. 71, fig. 1.

Larger than the preceding, frequently expanding four inches. Ground colour deep velvet black on both sides, the pictorial design on the upper wings nearly as in _U. Sloanus_, there being eight or nine slender transverse lines, slightly curved, of beautiful green, with a silky lustre, and the usual band near the middle sometimes divided into three or four ramifications as it approaches the costa. A band of light sericeous green likewise runs across the inferior wings, deeply indented on both sides, and often quite interrupted by transverse patches of the ground colour; the tail nearly white; the fringe pure white. Body thick and robust, especially in the females; black, rayed with emerald green.

This lovely insect appears to be pretty abundant in Surinam, as great numbers have been transmitted to this country.