194 Lloyd's natural history. 



tawny. Cells of the fore-wings closed, and those of the hind- 

 wings open. 



Range. — The typical genus, Morpho, is entirely confined to 

 Tropical America, but there are about a dozen other genera of 

 the Sub-family inhabiting various parts of the Indo-Malayan 

 and Austro-Malayan Regions ; but no species is yet known 

 from Africa, Madagascar, or Australia; though it is very 

 probable that one or more species of the curious genus 

 Tenaris, Hiibner, which is well represented in New Guinea, may 

 also inhabit Northern Australia. These are white Butterflies, 

 more or less varied with pale brown, measuring about three or 

 four inches across the wings, and with two very large black blue- 

 pupilled eyes in brown and yellow rings on at least the under 

 side of each hind-wing. 



Habits. — The long-winged species of Morpho have a very 

 lofty sailing flight, which renders their capture a matter of 

 great difficulty in a forest country. Those with shorter and 

 broader wings have a lower flight through the forest glades, 

 and settle occasionally on leaves or ripe fruit. In the moun- 

 tains of New Granada and Ecuador, they are captured with 

 long nets among the precipices, and collectors are sometimes 

 let down by ropes to the ledges which they frequent. Ama- 

 thusia phidippus (Linn.), a large brown East Indian species, 

 with the hind- wings much produced, is said to appear about 

 sunset. 



GENUS MORPHO. 

 Morpho, Fabricius in Illiger, Mag. Insekt., vi., p. 280 (1S07); 

 Latr., Enc. Meth., ix., pp. n, 435 (1S19-23); Westw., Gen. 

 Diurn. Lepid., p. 337 (1851); Schatz, Exot. Schmett., ii., 

 p. 1S2 (1889). 



Type, Morpho achilles (Cramer). 

 The genus Morpho, as already stated, though the type of 



