onn niKYSALiDs. 1749 



This is a tropiciil genus poculiar to America, found both on tlie mainhmJ 

 anil in tlic Antilles, anil extemling heyunil the ti-o|)ics, hoth north and soutli, 

 to a ilistunce of at least two degrees. One species has once lieen taken near 

 the confines of New England — perhaps accidentally introduced. 



The buttertiies are among the very largest of their tribe, almost vicing in 

 size with tlie larger Hcsperidi. The males possess no discal spot. The 

 wings are dari< brown, flecked heavily with tawny beneatii, and both wings 

 traversed by three or four moderately large, vitreous spots, lying in a line 

 from the upper outer angle to the middle of the inner margin, sometimes 

 forming a continuous band on the under surface of the hind wings ; besides, 

 there are a few minute spots in a transverse series near the apex of the 

 wing. 



The transformations have been figured by Stoll' and Burmeister. 



The eggs are hemispherical in shape, white, with a delicate reticulation, 

 and covered with an efflorescence ; they are laid in little, open groups of 

 from three to seven. 



The caterpillar feeds on Canna ; at first white, afterwards dark greenish, 

 finally pale green and covered with a whitish bloom, the skin is so trans- 

 parent that the internal organs arc readily seen ; it is greatly elongated, 

 tapers toward either extremity, its head nuich smaller than the largest part 

 of the body. It lives solitai'ily in a rolled-up leaf stitched into place, and 

 lies lengthwise the leaf. 



The chrysalis is remarkable for the elongated form, the tapering, pointed 

 and upcurved frontal projection, and the length of the tongue case, which 

 extends to some distance beyond the tip of the cremaster. It is enclosed 

 in a cocoon, which is nothing but a tighter larval case, and hangs sus- 

 pended by two loops ; the abdominal at least, and probably both, taking 

 the form of a Y. 



EXCURSUS LXXIV.— ODD CHRYSjiLIDS. 



Knowlcilw this man prizes best 

 Seems funtasti'' l<i ttic i-i'st : 

 I'onderin"; slia'l'iws, colors, clouds, 

 Grass-buds and caterpillar-shrouds. 



EMERS0>f.— Woodnotes, 



OxE of the patent facts in the study of Lepidoptera is the variety of 

 character assumed by the chrysalis, as soon as in the higher buttei-flies it 

 becomes exposed to the light of day. In the moths and tlte Hcspcridac they 

 are wholly concealed and accordingly show a pretty dull uniformity, the 

 diflFerences being slight and insignificant. To a large extent this is also 

 true of those that are tightly girt and immovable ; but the moment we come 

 to exposed and swinging chrysalids, at once they assume a new interest, 

 which natural selection appears to have discovered before us and to have 

 been at her old experiments. 



