Part 16

There are numerous species in the genus, many of them tropical and very brilliant, only two commonly occur in the northern portions of our territory, the others found within our limits being inhabitants of the Southern States.

(1) Chlorippe celtis Boisduval & Leconte, Plate XLIX, Fig. 1, ♂ (The Hackberry Butterfly).

Under side grayish purple, with the spots and markings of the upper side reappearing. Female larger, and, as always is the case in the genus, with the fore wings not so pointed as in the male, and the ground-color paler. Expanse ♂, 1.80 inch; ♀, 2.10 inch.

Ranges from New Jersey west and south to the Gulf.

(2) Chlorippe clyton Boisduval & Leconte, Plate XLIX, Fig. 2, ♂ (The Tawny Emperor).

A larger species than the preceding; tawnier on the upper side of the wings and lacking the red-ringed eye-spot on the fore wing. Female much larger than the male, paler in color, with the eye-spots on the hind wings black and conspicuous. Expanse ♂, 2.00 inches; ♀, 2.50-2.65 inches.

Occurs rather rarely in New England, and extends westward to Michigan, thence southward to the Gulf of Mexico.

(3) Chlorippe flora Edwards, Plate L, Fig. 1, ♂, Type (The Red Emperor).

Like C. clyton this species has no red-ringed eye-spot on the fore wing. The ground-color on the upper side is bright reddish fulvous; the hind wings are not heavily obscured with brown, as is the case in C. clyton, and the black ocelli stand forth very prominently upon the lighter ground. The hind wings are more strongly angulated than in any other North American species, and are solidly bordered with black. Expanse ♂, 1.75; ♀, 2.35 inches. Ranges from Florida westward along the borders of the Gulf of Mexico to Texas.

(4) Chlorippe alicia Edwards, Plate L, Fig. 2, ♂, Type (The Buff Emperor).

Resembles C. celtis in having an ocellus in the fore wing, but it may at once be distinguished by its larger size in both sexes, the paler color of the wings on the upper side, which shade from pale fulvous at the base into light buff outwardly, upon which the eye-spots on the hind wings show up very prominently. Expanse ♂, 2.00; ♀, 2.50 inches.

The range of this species is the same as that of the preceding.

GENUS HYPANARTIA HÜBNER (THE BANDED REDS).

Medium-sized butterflies. Palpi well clothed with scales, the second and third joints very nearly of the same size, the latter blunt. Fore wings square at the apex, slightly excavated about the middle, the cell being closed by a stout lower discocellular vein, more or less continuous with the third median nervule. Hind wing strongly produced at the end of the third median nervule, rounded at the outer angle, with two short tooth-like projections before the anal angle.

There are less than a dozen species of the genus, most of which are South American, but there are two in Africa and one in Madagascar. Only one occurs within the United States, and is confined to the extreme south.

(1) Hypanartia lethe (Fabricius), Plate LI, ♂ (The Orange-banded Red).

Occurs as a straggler in our fauna in the extreme southern part of Texas, but is very abundant farther south. Expanse 2.00 inches.

GENUS SMYRNA HÜBNER

There are only two species of this genus and they closely resemble each other, so that it is hard to tell them apart. The one which occurs in our borders has the hind wing rounded at the anal angle, the other, S. blomfildi, has the anal angle of the hind wing squared, with a slight tail-like prolongation. On the under side both species are marked in much the same way.

(1) Smyrna karwinskii Hübner, Plate LII, ♀ (Karwinski’s Beauty).

The insect may be at once recognized by the figure we give. Expanse 3.00-3.25 inches.

It occurs in southern Texas and ranges southward into Brazil.

GENUS CŒA HÜBNER

This is a monotypic genus, that is to say, it contains only one species. It is therefore not necessary to take up much space in describing it, because the figure we give will enable the reader at once to recognize it. It is a very powerful insect on the wing.

(1) Cœa acheronta (Fabricius), Plate LIII, ♂ (The Dash-wing).

This lovely insect, which has a certain resemblance to the following species, is common in the Greater Antilles, Mexico, and Central America. It occurs about Brownsville, Texas, but is not common there. Expanse 3.00-3.25 inches.

GENUS AGANISTHOS BOISDUVAL

The genus, like the preceding, is monotypic, and contains but the one species A. odius (Fabricius). It is so striking and so easily recognizable by the figure we give on Plate LIV that nothing more need be said, except that it has a wide range through the American tropics, being found in southern Florida and Texas, the Greater Antilles, and from Mexico to southern Brazil. Expanse 3.75-4.00 inches.