36 RHOPALOCERA. 
This species was originally described by Hewitson from a Mexican specimen as 
Ithomia virginia}, a name he had previously used for an Amazon species of Ithomia. This 
oversight he afterwards corrected, and substituted the name J. virginiana when figuring 
a Colombian insect which he took to bea female of the Mexican form?. The differences 
between the two were subsequently pointed out by Mr. Bates?, and are embodied in 
our diagnoses now given. | 
Hf. virginiana is by no means a common species; the only Mexican specimens we 
have seen are those in the Vienna Museum. In Guatemala we only met with it our- 
selves when visiting the lowland forests of Vera Paz north of the town of Coban. 
Here, however, it was rare; the few specimens we found were flitting near the forest- 
paths just like other members of this numerous family. It also occurs in Western 
Guatemala, Mr. Champion having recently sent us specimens from Zapote, on the slope 
of the Volcan de Fuego, 2100 feet above the sea. A near ally of H. virginiana is 
found in some of the Andean valleys of Ecuador; and it seems reasonable to suppose 
that these are the least changed from the protean form, and that a centre of variation 
has become established in and about the Isthmus of Panama, which has resulted in 
H. adelphina, in which unstable characters are still plainly traceable. 
2. Hyposcada adelphina. (Jthomia adelphina, Tab. III. fig. 13.) 
lthomia virginiana 2°, Hew. Ex. Butt. Ith. t. xviii. f. 1127. 
Ithomia adelphina, Bates, Ent. M. Mag. iii. p. 52°. 
Ithomia adelphina, var., Butl. & Druce, P. Z. S. 1874, p. 882°. 
Alis anticis nigris, area anticarum basali (stirpe typica) ferruginea (sed interdum fere omnino nigra); dimidio 
apicali maculis decem albis ornato, duabus ad cellule finem, una ultra eam costam attingente, una 
angulum analem versus, quinque submarginalibus limbum apicalem sequentibus et una interiore positis ; 
posticis ferrugineis limbo apicali nigro, punctis albis trinotato: subtus sicut supra posticis linea sub- 
costali nigra. 
Hab. Nicaragua, Chontales (Belt); Costa Rica (Van Patten 3), Caché, Rio Sucio 
(ftogers); Panama, Chiriqui (Ribbe, Mus. Staudinger), Calobre (Arcé), Lion Hill 
(MU Leannan ?). 
Mr. Bates’s description of this butterfly was based upon specimens sent us from 
Panama*. Subsequent comparison with Colombian examples has shown us that no 
specific differences can be traced between them, and that therefore the insect described 
and figured by Hewitson as the female of [. virginiana! must be referred to H. adelphina, 
a point concerning which Mr. Bates was in some doubt. In Costa Rica and Nicaragua 
considerable variation exists in this race, chiefly as regards the extent of the ferruginous 
patch at the base of the primaries. In some specimens this patch is hardly shown at 
all; in others it is much more apparent. It is, however, essentially uncertain in 
amount in different examples, and thus cannot be used as a character by which to 
discriminate these varieties from the typical form. H. adelphina appears to be much 
more numerous than H. virginiana in their respective homes. 
