Part 14

The figure we give will readily serve to identify this insect, which occurs in Florida and Texas, and ranges thence southward to Argentina. Expanse 1.75-2.00 inches.

GENUS EUNICA HÜBNER

(THE VIOLET-WINGS).

Rather small butterflies. Antennæ long and slender, with enlarged club, having two grooves. Third joint of palpi of female longer than that of male. The fore wing has the costal and median vein enlarged and swollen at the base. The upper discocellular vein is wanting, the cell is lightly closed. The hind wing is rounded, with its outer margin entire.

The species of the genus have the upper side of the wings dark brown or black glossed with violet, blue, or purple. Below the wings are very beautifully marked. There are about seventy species which have been described, all of them from the American tropics, two of which, however, come within our borders, Eunica tatila, occurring in Florida, and the following:

(1) Eunica monima (Cramer), Plate XXXVIII, Fig. 1, ♂; Fig. 2, ♀ (The Dingy Purple-wing).

This obscure little butterfly represents its genus in Texas and Florida, and gives but a faint idea of the beauty of many of its congeners. It ranges southward and is common in Mexico and the Greater Antilles. Expanse 1.35-1.50 inch.

GENUS CYSTINEURA BOISDUVAL

(THE BAG-VEINS).

Small, delicate butterflies with elongated fore wings, having the costal vein much swollen near the base, somewhat as in the Satyrinæ. The upper discocellular is lacking in the fore wing, and the cell is feebly closed. Outer margin of the hind wing feebly crenulate; cell open; the two radials spring from a common point.

A number of species and local races have been described.

(1) Cystineura amymone Ménétries, Plate XXXIX, ♂ (The Texas Bag-vein).

On the under side the gray markings of the upper side are replaced by yellow, and on the hind wings there is a transverse white band near the base and an incomplete row of white spots on the limbal area. Expanse 1.50 inch.

Ranges from Kansas southward through Texas into Central America.

GENUS CALLICORE HÜBNER

(THE LEOPARD-SPOTS).

Small butterflies; the upper side of the wings dark in color marked with bands of metallic blue or silvery green, the lower side more or less brilliantly colored, the fore wings of some shade of crimson or yellow, banded near the apex, the hind wings silvery white or some pale tint, with circular bands of black enclosing round or pear-shaped black spots.

There are about thirty-five species of the genus thus far known, all of which are found south of our limits, except the one we figure.

(1) Callicore clymena Hübner, Plate XL, Fig. 1, ♂, upper side; Fig. 2, ♀, under side (The Leopard-spot).

Found in Florida, but though quite common farther south, appears to be rather local and rare in the peninsula. Expanse 1.75 inch.

GENUS TIMETES BOISDUVAL (THE DAGGER-WINGS).

Medium-sized butterflies. Palpi moderately long, thickly clothed with scales, the last joint pointed. Fore wing usually somewhat falcate at apex, deeply excavated on outer margin; hind wing greatly produced at the end of the third median nervule, the wings being tailed in such a way as to make them resemble some species of Papilio. There is also a prolongation of the outer margin of the wing between the extremity of the submedian vein and the first median nervule. On the upper side the wings are generally dark in color, often marked with transverse bands and lines; on the lower side they are light in color, with pronounced darker bands.

Of the thirty species thus far known four occur within our territory, all of them being found far south.

(1) Timetes coresia (Godart), Plate XLI, ♂, under side (The Waiter).

Easily recognized by the figure we give. As I stated in “The Butterfly Book” it deserves the trivial name I have given it, its black upper side and the white vest it wears suggesting the functionary who attends us at table. Expanse 2.50 inches.

Occasionally found in Texas.

GENUS HYPOLIMNAS HÜBNER

(THE TROPIC QUEENS).