IIRLICONIA I. 



It is well known that species of an allied family, as Danais Arcldppxx, gatlier 

 in great flocks, hut this seems to he only at certain seasons of the year, and then 

 hy day as well as night, and is appai-ently connected with their migrations, which 

 are helieved to be periodical, at least in some districts. But CharUonla assem- 

 l)les for the niiidit oulw and for rest, disnersinu; durinii' the day in search of fooil, 



o . 'loo. ' 



after the fashion of our wild pigeons. 



The family IIeliconid:e eud)races an innnense number of species. Mr. 11. W. 

 Bates, in 18t)l. stated that there were two hundred and eighty-four then known 

 in tropical America. " They are most numerous in those parts of the conntry 

 where the forests are most extensive and the climate most sultry and humid. 

 They are peculiarly creatures of the forest, and like the Plattyrrhine mtmkeys, 

 the arboreal GaHinacoa>, and the other groups of the same region, point to the 

 gradual adaptation of the fauna, during an iunnense lapse of time, to a foi'est- 

 clad country." 



It has l)een noticed by authors who have treated of this family that the species, 

 althouij'h e.xct'ediu'j'ly abundant in individuals, and of slo\v llight, and conspicuous 

 colors, more easy to be caught by liirds than almost any other insect, are not per- 

 secuted by birds, lizards, or other animals. Mr. l>elt, in '-Naturalist in Nicara- 

 cirua." relates that he had watched a iiair (if birds catchinu' butterflies and dragon- 

 flies, which they brought to their nest to feed their young, and in no case did they 

 catch one of the Ileliconida^ which were in great numbers about, and could have 

 been caught with less trouble than any other.?. Also, that a tame monkey, wdio 

 was extremely fond of insects, and would greedily munch up any beetle or but- 

 terfly given to him, never would eat a Ileliconia. There was no doubt, from lii.s 

 actions, that they were distasteful to him. And this immunity from attack is be- 

 lieved by Mr. Wallace to be owing to a " strong, pungent, semi-aromatic or medi- 

 cinal odor which .sei'uis to pervade all the jwices of their system." 



Dr. Wittfeld, in ISSI. called my attention to a strange habit of these butter- 

 flies, as follows : '• On May 28th, I observed three Cliarltonlas on a chrysalis of 

 same species in the woods. They were firmly attached, and on trying to drive 

 them off they would not go. I tried repeatedly, and iinally used force, but after 

 flying around a few times they took up their former position, heads down. The 

 next day the same thing occurred, only I noticed that one butterfly at a- time 

 would leave to feed ; force was again used, with the same I'esult as before. The 

 following day. shortly after dawn, only a trifle of empty shell remained. 



" This observation prompted me to raise another chrysalis, which 1 suspended 

 in a flowering shrub, wliich C'harllonia frecjuented. June 27th. Soon some but- 

 terflies came and touched the chrysalis, but its wriuulinu; seemed to cause them 



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to move off. Two days before the imago was due, they attached themselves 



