OF THE AMAZON VALLKY 



497 



This view of the affinities of the family will make a great diiference in the conception 

 of the group as regards the affiliation of the forms. Instead of heing a group isolated in 

 its structure, and peculiar to the tro])ical parts of America, it results that the hulk of thi- 

 genera have a very close relationship to the JJanaidce, vhicli are i'ound in all hot countries 

 of hoth hemispheres: the Acucokl llcUconkhe alone are an isolated set of forms. The 

 American productions, however, show a great superiority in structure and in the diversity 

 of the foi-ms over those of the Old AVorld. In Africa only one genus occurs, namely, 

 Da/iais. In the tropical parts of Asia four genera are found, l)esides Danais ; these are 

 Icleopsis, Ilcstia, EitpUea, and llamadryas, which contain together 74 species. In the 

 hot parts of America IG genera (of Danaoid HelicoiiidcB) have heen discovered, comprising 

 233descrihed species. l?esides this greater diversity of generic and specific forms, the 

 American ])roductions show a much greater advance in organization than those of the 

 Old AVorld ; in other words, they recede further from what may he considered as the 

 common type, namely, J)(i>i<(is. This is clear from the great and progressive modification 

 in the position of the radial nervures and discocellulars of the hind wings, and the 

 advanced stage of atrophy of the male fore legs reached hy most of the genera. In all 

 the Asiatic genera the fore legs are in the same condition as in Ddiiais and the Xi/i/i- 

 phalhhe. The following Tahle Avill show the relative value of the productions of the two 

 liemispheres in a clearer manner. I have placed tlu^ genera in accordance with Avhat 

 seem to he their mutual affinities. The relative length of the lines between them is 

 a rough expression of th(> degree of relationship. The collateral lines of connexion are 

 also attempted to he expressed. 



Asia. 

 Danais (.'il sji.) 

 is (2 s,..) I 



Kuplcca ( J8sp.) 



Ideo]) 



Ilestia (12s]i.) 



DANAin*. 



Africa. 

 Danais (lOsfi.) 



America. 

 Danais (8 sp.) 



Dan 



Ilamadryas (-' sp.) 



AOTD IlEMCONID-t. 



Lvcorca (fi sp.) 

 Ituna (3sp.) 



■thona (3 sp.) 



Kutresis (1 s]i.) 



I 

 Olyras (I sp.) 



1 



Thvridia (;i s]..) 



.■ I 

 Dirccinia (S sji.) 



I I 



Caliithoniia (.3 sp.) Mc'lin;i>a ( 13 sp.) 



I 



Mt'clianilis (17 sp.) 



Titliorca (7>p.) 

 (iiicludins: .\tln'sis) 



Ceratiiiia (23 s]).) Sais (\ sp.) 



Xa|i(ogencs ( 1 7 sp.) Itlioiiiia (107 sji.) 

 I 

 Ilynicnitis (10 sji.) 



has ventured to withdraw tlie whole of the geiura composing the gronj) Danaoid Jleliconii/a; placing them with the 

 Danai'la-, and restricting the family Iletironiilii- to the two genera lleliconius and luwides. He has discovered an 

 excellent and constant character for the Ihiuaiihc (in wiiicli {Xw Danaoid Ileliconida- jiarticipate), in addition to those 

 already known, namely, the existence of a small neivnle at the base of the fore-wing median nervure which ana- 



.•5 X '1 



