2IO 



juices of their system. When the entomologist squeezes the 

 breast of one of them between his fingers to kill it, a yellow liq- 

 uid exudes, which stains the skin, and the smell of which can only 

 be got rid of by time and repeated washings. Here we have, 

 probably, the cause of their immunity from attack, since there is 

 a great deal of evidence to show that certain insects are so dis- 

 gusting to birds that they will under no circumstances touch them." 



Mr. Belt, in "Naturalist in Nicaragua," p. 316, relates, that 

 when in Brazil he watched a pair of birds catching butterflies and 

 dragon flies, which they brought to their nest to feed their young, 

 and in no case did they catch one of the Heliconidae, which were 

 in great numbers about, and could have been caught with less 

 trouble than any others. Also, that a tame monkey, who was 

 extremely fond of insects, and would greedily munch up any beetle 

 or butterfly given to him, never would eat a Heliconian. There 

 was no doubt from his actions that they were distasteful to him. 



H. CJiaritonia is common in parts of southern Florida, and I 

 am in possession of facts as to its habits through a correspond- 

 ent. Dr. Wm. Wittfeld, a physician, resident at Georgiana, Indian 

 River. 



The eggs are laid on the tenderest terminal leaves of passion- 

 vine. The caterpillars are conspicuous in color, being in the 

 middle stages greenish white, and in the last stage dead white, 

 like porcelain. They are furnished with long black spines, on the 

 vertices of head as well as on body. 



The chrysalis is a singular and remarkably pretty object. 

 From the top of the head case proceed two long foliaceous diverg- 

 ent processes, and on the dorsal side of abdomen are broad and 

 thin processes tipped with sharp thorns. The color is brown in 

 shades, with some yellowish, and with burnished gold spots. 



The butterflies live in the forest and fly along the paths, but 

 they come into the open in the heat of the morning and return 

 towards night, finding roosting places on Spanish moss and on 

 dead twigs or branches, especially such as have dry leaves still 

 hanging. Here they collect up to the number of seventy or even 

 more. 



The caterpillars, after third moult, at which time they be- 

 come quite conspicuous in color, conceal themselves during the 

 day. 



Nothing appears to have been published of the preparatory 

 stages of CJiaritojiia, although it is a common species in Mexico, 

 Central America, and some of the West India Islands. I deem my- 

 self fortunate, therefore, in having secured drawings of every stage 

 for a plate in the " Butterflies of N. A." I have received young 

 caterpillars, at Coalburgh, sent through the mails by my friend, 

 and have raised them to chrysalis and imago. 



Dr. Wittfeld, some time ago, called my attention to a strange 

 habit of these butterflies, as follows : " On May 28th, I observed 



