306 NOVITATES ZOOLOOICAE XXVI. 1919. 



parency. A white central patch is situated below the cell, sometimes invading 

 it, and tapers oflf towards the apex. 



The six spots on the hindwing are lighter pink than any yet described, 

 more elongate and nearer to the base than the series marking the female of 

 lysander. Hindwing of both sexes with pink in fringe, and small touches of 

 the same in the lower part of the female's forewing. 



POLYDAMAS GrOTIP. 



p. polydamas polydamas (i 1. iii. fig. 10). 



Coming next to the Polydamas group, we reach that species itself, at once 

 tlie commonest and most widespread of all the South American Aristolochia 

 PapUios and the most damaging in its ravages upon the plant. It shows no 

 special preference for any particular species of the Order, except perhaps the 

 garden species known as Sangue de Christo. 



The eggs are of a light straw yellow, ribbed vertically, and for a comparatively 

 large butterfly distinctly small by comparison with those of the two previous 

 groups. They are laid, usually five or more at a time, on the tender stalks and 

 leaves ; and small gregarious batches of the larvae may be found at any time 

 of year in Para in such positions, nibbling through the flowering stem and con- 

 suming buds and green capsules as well as leaves. Though not alone in its 

 destructive propensity, to polydainas must be ascribed the reduction of many 

 a plant and its failure to flower, a feature often noted with Aristolocliias. 



With advancing growth these larvae eat through thicker stalks, and remind 

 one of slugs in more ways than one by their attempts at concealment during 

 the day, and by their sleek grey appearance and pair of long fleshy tubercles 

 branching from the sides of segment 2 behind the head. In the later stages 

 especially its skin looks taut and glossy, and throughout it is variable in ground- 

 colour and in the tint of its tubercles. By the particular arrangement and varied 

 lengths of these, however, there is no mistaking its identity. Besides the pair 

 on segment 2, the sub-spiracular tubercles on segments 6 and 11 are extra long 

 and are capable of a quick twitching movement. All the tubercles are thin 

 compared with those of the last two groups, and are generally light red in colour 

 with black tips. Its pupa is either emerald green and lemon, or more often pale 

 red-brown with the central abdominal segments relieved dorsally by cadmium 

 yellow. The extension of the wing-cases gives a very broad and somewhat 

 flattened appearance about the middle, and its thoracic hump is large and upright 

 and slightly thrown back. 



As already stated, the butterfly is more at home in the open sunny gardens 

 and pra9as of the city than its allies of the shaded woodland, and may often 

 be seen in company with thoas and anchisiades over the flower borders. 



P. belus belemus (pi. iii. fig. 9). 

 A species but rarely seen on the wing, but repeatedly occurring in the larval 

 form in gregarious batches of a dozen or twenty at a time. Both ova and larvae 

 in all stages of growth, at difi^erent times of year, have been taken in one place 

 at Canudos on the north-eastern outskirts of Para, and the larvae have invariably 

 been found on bushy plants of Aristolochia huberiana, growing in sunny situations. 

 Indeed, were these plants a little more numerous, and these large voracious- 



