Part 15

PLATE XII. Fig. 4.

Godart.--Helic. Pasiphæ, Fabr.--Pap. Media, Cramer, Pl. 81, fig. C, D.

Surface of the wings white, with a slight tinge of blue, a large space at the base, and the nervures brown; the whole of the middle portion clouded with black spots of various dimensions, and the extremity bordered with a rather wide black band, sinuated on the inner side. The under side is paler and has the marginal band interrupted by a row of small greyish-blue quadrangular spots preceded by a reddish macular line. Body black above, variegated with white marks on the back, and yellowish beneath.

Found in Guinea, and other countries on the west coast of Africa.

GENUS CETHOSIA.

This genus includes several pretty large and showy insects, several of which, have some resemblance, in the wide expansion of their wings compared with their limited breadth in the direction of the body, to the genera immediately preceding, while others shew a decided affinity to Argynnis. The greater part of them are natives of America, but others occur in the eastern countries of the old world. The palpi are contiguous below, but diverge at the extremity, and terminate in a slender acicular joint; antennæ with an oblong club; inferior wings embracing the abdomen; claws simple. The caterpillars appear to be generally spiny, and to resemble those of Argynnis.

PLATE 15.

Cethosia Dido. Brazil.

Lizars sc.]

CETHOSIA DIDO.

PLATE XIII.

Ceth. Dido. Fabr.--Pap. Dido, Linn.--Marian’s Surin. Insects, Pl. 2, (with Caterpillar).--Cramer, Pl. 196, fig. E, F.

This species expands about four inches; the ground colour of the surface is black, variously interrupted with stripes and patches of green. On the upper wings a longitudinal stripe of that colour extends from the base to the extremity of the discoidal cell; beyond which there is a transverse series of large contiguous spots, and two or three small insulated ones. The inferior wings have two transverse green bands, one of them broad and continuous placed near the base, and terminating nearly in a point towards the outer margin; the other consisting of six or seven orbicular spots, and placed nearly midway between the former band and the hinder extremity. The under side differs considerably from the upper, the ground colour being blackish-brown, while all the green parts are bordered with pearl-white, and along the posterior margin there is a series of white lunules, each of them divided by a brown nervure; near the origin of the secondary wings a small longitudinal red line is likewise observable. The body is blackish above and grey beneath, the thorax marked with a few reddish points.

The caterpillar has been figured by Madam Merian. She represents it as bearing several rows of short spines, rising in a radiated manner from a tubercle, and two very long caudal appendages. It is of a green colour, having a red and white ray along each side of the body.

The insect is found in Brazil and Guiana.

PLATE 14.

Cethosia Cyane. Coast of Malabar.

Lizars sc.]

CETHOSIA CYANE.

PLATE XIV.

Pap. Cyane, Linn.--Cethosia Cyane, Fabr. Godart.--Pap. Cyane, Drury, i pl. 4, fig. 1. var.

Extent of the wings nearly four inches, the length not much exceeding the breadth, the whole external margin deeply dentated and the notches margined with white. Upper wings fulvous towards the base and spotted with black; the external half brownish-black, traversed by an oblique white band, having two rounded black spots at its lower extremity; behind this are a few white marks in the shape of a horse-shoe, and a line of white lunules; and on the margin itself a narrow festooned white line. Surface of the secondary wings fulvous-yellow, with several irregular black spots near the base, and three regular transverse rows of black spots, the innermost formed of small rounded spots, the intermediate one of larger spots surrounded with white, and the external one of spots inclining to a crescent-shape; the hinder margin brownish- black with a festooned white line similar to that on the upper wings. The whole of the under side is reddish-yellow, with markings nearly corresponding to those on the surface, but on the anterior wings there are several abbreviated transverse yellow lines anteriorly, bordered with black; and the under wings are traversed by two yellow bands, bearing rows of black spots. The body is fulvous above, and spotted beneath with black.

Found on the coast of Malabar. Drury’s figure seems to represent a variety.

GENUS VANESSA.

The insects referred to this genus, which is well known as having many handsome representatives in Britain, are distributed over almost every quarter of the globe. Besides those which occur in this country, many others are found on the continent of Europe, and they are equally abundant in tropical regions. Contrary to what is observed in most other instances, the species inhabiting the latter are in general not superior in size or richness of colours to those of temperate latitudes; our own V. Atalanta will contrast favourably with any of them. Among the few exceptions to this remark, in respect to size, may be mentioned V. Arsinoe and the rare species figured on the adjoining plate. The latter is

VANESSA JULIANA.

PLATE XV. Fig. 1.

Sodart.--Pap. N. Juliana, Fabr.--Pap. Juliana, Cramer, Pl. 280, fig. A, B.--Herbst. Pap. Pl. 220, fig. 1, 2.