154 | RHOPALOCERA. 
On the whole H. petiveranus is fairly constant in its markings; but the more 
northern specimens have the yellow band of the secondaries very narrow, but do not 
otherwise differ. 
This species is quite characteristic of the hot regions of Central America, being always 
to be seen in the forest-paths of the tierra caliente. It is never to be met with in the 
temperate region, its home lying between an elevation of about 2000 feet and the sea- 
level. In such localities we found it everywhere in Guatemala. 
The nearest allies to H. petiveranus are H. phyllis and H. beskii, both of South-eastern 
Brazil. In Guiana and the Amazons valley no allied species is found. 
17. Heliconius melpomene. 
Papilio melpomene, Linn. Mus. Ludov. Ul. p. 282+; Cr. Pap. Ex. t. 191. f. C*. 
Heliconius melpomene, Bates, Trans. L. S. xxiii. p. 557°. 
Alis fusco-nigris, anticis fascia irregulari lata transversa per cellule finem coccinea ; subtus dilutioribus, punctis 
ad basin coccineis, posticis costa flavo notata. 
Hab. Nicaracua, Greytown (Muncaster); Payama, Santa Fé and Calobre (Arcé), 
Lion-Hill station (Jf‘Leannan).—NortH CoLomBia; VENEZUELA; GUIANA?; AMAZONS, 
Obydos and Santarem ?; Nort Brazit, Maranham. 
Linneus’s description 1 seems to apply to this species ; and Cramer’s figure ? certainly 
does; but the plates referred to by the former do not support his description, that in 
Edwards’s ‘ Natural History of Birds,’ t. 38, representing one of the forms of A. melpo- 
mene with red at the base of the primaries, and that in Sloane’s ‘ History of Jamaica’ 
being of very doubtful application. The name H. melpomene, however, has now a well- 
established meaning, and we use it in the same sense as Cramer and Mr. Bates. It is 
a butterfly of wide range throughout the northern parts of South America, and passes 
into Central America as far as the port of Greytown in Nicaragua. Except that the 
average size of Central-American specimens is rather small, we see no difference between 
them and Southern examples. In all the shape of the red spots of the primaries is very 
variable. In Colombia an allied form with a blue gloss on the wings has been described 
by Mr. Reakirt as H. guarica*; but this has not yet been certainly found in Central 
America, though Boisduval includes it under the name H. euryas?. In Western 
Colombia, too, a species somewhat intermediate in its markings between H. melpomene 
and H. petiveranus occurs, which Mr, Butler described under the name H. vulcanus f, 
giving Panama as its habitat. We believe, however, that it, in fact, hardly occurs 
within our limits, but just beyond them; for from San Buenaventura on the west coast 
of Colombia we have specimens supplied us by Dr. Staudinger, the species being 
unknown to our collectors on the isthmus itself. 
* Pr. Ac. Phil. 1868, p. 91. tT Lép. Guat. p. 29. t P. Z. 8. 1865, p. 483. 
