Butterflies as Botanists^). 



The caterpillars of Mechanitis, Dircenna, Ceratinia, and Ithomia fecd on 

 different species of Solanacese (Solanum, Cyphomandra, Bassovia, Cestrum), those 

 of the allied genus Thyridia on Brunfelsia. Now this latter genus of plants had 

 been placed unanimously among the Scrophularinse, tili quite recently it was 

 transferred by Bentham and Hooker to the Solanacese. Thus it appears that 

 butterflies had recognised the true affinity of Brunfelsia long before botanists 

 did so. 



There is yet another and more curious instance of our butterflies confirming 

 the arrangement of plants in Bentham and Hooker's "Genera Plantarum." Ageronia 

 and Didonis were formerly widely separated by lepidopterists, being even con- 

 sidered as constituting distinct families, but now they are to be found beside one 

 another among the Nymphalinae, and the structure of their caterpillars leaves no 

 doubt about their close affinity. The caterpillars of Ageronia feed on Dalechampia, 

 those of Didonis on Tragia. Now these two Euphorbiaceous genera were widel}'^ 

 separated by Endlicher, who placed the former among the Euphorbieae, the latter 

 among the Acalypheae; Bentham and Hooker, on the contrary, place them close 

 together in the same sub-tribe of Plukenetieae, and thus their close affinity, which 

 had been duly appreciated by butterflies, has finally been recognised by bota- 

 nists also. 



Blumenau, Sa. Catharina, Brazil, June i, 1884. 



I) Nature 1884. Vol. XXX. p. 240. 



