LYCAENINAE; THE GENUS FENISECA. 1013 



that 80 far as T recall it is only in Lyc.'vcnidae that we find other instances 

 of a carnivorous tendency, as in Cyaniris pseudargiohis, Evercs amyntula 

 and Tliecla acadica, where tiie caterpillar sometimes devours its neighbors. 

 It has also been plausibly suggested by Dr. Holland that Liphyra, an 

 Indian genus of Lycacninae, may have an exactly similar habit to Feni- 

 seca. The structure of the caterpillar of Feniseca bears witness to this 

 anomalous habit, departing in many points widely from its neighbors. 

 At birtli, it is slender and cylindrical, tiic head as broad as the body ; 

 the latter is covered with serial hairs and lenticlcs. The mature cater- 

 pillar is in general similar to its allies in shape, but is remarkable for its 

 delicate skin, transverse head with enormous frontal triangle, the small 

 size of the first thoracic segment, the partial fasciation of the very long 

 hairs which clothe the body and the rather large size of the prolegs. It 

 is further of special interest from the modification its mouth parts have 

 undergone to adapt them to its strange carnivorous diet. The mandibles 

 are very small, quite concealed by the projection of the parts around and 

 armed with four very sharp, claw-like teeth, while the maxillary palpi have 

 assumed the tapering form of the larval leg, by which they are probably 

 enabled to seize an aphis and draw it within reach of the mandibles. In 

 addition, the thick and arched labrum and plump labium form with the base 

 of the maxillary palpi a sort of short tube for the passage of the fluids 

 of the victim ; wiiether any special pharyngeal appliances aid in sucking 

 up the juices I have not attempted to investigate. 



The odd chrysalis. The chrysalis is an odd looking object and the 

 anterior half with its bizarre markings bears, when viewed laterally head 

 downward, a curious resemblance to a monkey's face, as pointed out by Miss 

 Morton. It is far more irremilar in surface and form than anv other of our 

 Chrysophanidi, the abdomen being basally hunched and laterally expanded, 

 and the segments provided with transverse series of low tubercles ; besides 

 which the last segment with the preceding form a separately curved, trans- 

 verse, subspatulate pad for the cremastral hooks. 



The position of the genus. Mr. W. H. Edwards indeed is so much im- 

 pressed with the strangeness of the early stages that he declares, but without 

 giving the sliglitest reason for his opinion, that it belongs to the Lemoniinae. 

 He emphasizes only such features as strike him as departures from the 

 Lycacninae. Unfortunately his comparisons were made with the Lycaenidi 

 and not with the Chrysophanidi. Although certainly an anomalous form, 

 as one would expect in a creature departing so strangely from the others 

 in habits of life incident to a decided change of food, its affinities are 

 all with the Lycacninae, and particularly with the Chrysophanidi ; and 

 since the features in which it is anomalous do not (except in a single in- 

 stance, not mentioned by Edwards) ally it any more strongly with other 

 groups, the most that could be done to mark its errant nature would be 

 to consider it a tribe of Lycacninae distinct from, but adjoining the Chry- 



