558 MR. II. W. BATES ON THE IIELICONIDE LEPIDOPTERA 



An allied spocio.s, H. TlieLviopf of Iliibner, exists there in its stead, having very similar 

 habits, and filling, as it were, the same sphere in the economy of nature. These two 

 I'orms {U. Melpomcuc and H. Thclxiope) have all the appearance of two thoroughly 

 distinct species ; but they are connected together by an unbroken series of varieties, 

 tlic principal of which occur, not in the places where the tAvo species come in contact, 

 hut in two isolated limited areas — at Serpa (west of Obydos) and on the banks of the 

 Tapaios (near Aveyros). Tliese connecting links cannot be the hybrid progeny of two 

 originallv distinct species, on account of their geographical position; many of them 

 (and otiiers not met with on the Amazons) occur also in Surinam and Cayenne, where 

 //. Tlii'l.rioix' has not l)een found. I believe there can be no doubt that //. TheLviope 

 is descended from IL. Ilelpoiitene, and that the intermediate varieties are remnants of 

 the ste])s ol' modification. The following are the principal intermediate varieties; they 

 are all very scarce, whilst the species they connect exist in great profusion : — 



Var. 1. II. Cnlh/ropis, Cramer, Pap. Exot. t. 100. f. E, F. 



Same as H. Jlfilpomow, except that the I'ed belt of the fore wing is I'ither very l)road 

 and irregular, or is lu'oken into a nunTl)er of various-sized spots. 



Surinam and Obydos, Lower Amazons, in company with II. Bli'lpumenc. 



Var. 2. H. Elunaia, Erichson, in Schomburgk, Reise in Brit. Guiana, ]). 595. 



The same as C(i/f,'/cop/s, except that, in addition to the irregularity of the red belt, the 

 basal part of lh(> fore wing has a large red patch. 



Obydos, in company with //. Jirolponiciii'. 



\ar. 8. //. Liic'ia, Cramer, I'ap. Exot. t. ;550. f. E, F. 



Same as //. 3Iclpomcnc, except that tlie red crossbelt of the fore wing is narrow and 

 curved outwards, and that there is a large (puulrate yellow s))ot within the end ol' the 

 cell. This is tlic commencement of the chain of variations which leads to //. Tht'Lv'iope. 

 The H. Liicitt of Cramer was found at Surinam. I have ^Vmazonian examples, taken at 

 Serjki and on the Tapajos, which dill'er in the yellow spot of the cell being scarcely 

 |)('rcc|)tible. 



\'ar. \. The same as //. Li(cia,vxvv\)\ that the base of the fore wings has a larger red spot, 

 and that the base of the hiiul wing is also red. 

 St-rpa, Lower Amazons ; banks of the Tapajos, near Aveyros ; Cayenne. 



\ai-. 5. H. Enjtlu;r<i, Cramer, Pap. Exot. t. 180. f. A. 

 Santarem, in company with H. Melpotiienv; Sui'inam. 



\ ar. (■). II. J)i(ln')ii(>iia, Cramer, 1. c. t. 297. f. A. 



Surinam. 



