METAMORPHOSES OF BRAZILIAN LEPIDOPTERA. 29 



dozen on the upper surface of the leaf of a species of Solanum 

 on which the caterpillar feeds. I have sometimes found the 

 eggs on the underside of the leaf also. 



Larva, a, Full-fed. San Paulo, May 30, 1878. 



Caterpillars that emerged from the egg on April 22nd, 

 1878, were full-fed on May 30th. The colour is a dull 

 white with a bluish tinge, and there is an orange mark at the 

 joints of the segments ; on each side of the segments there 

 is a long fleshy protuberance. They are very sluggish in 

 their habits, and are to be found in clusters on the underside 

 of the leaves of the Solanum. 



fCi, Hatched, Ap. 22 ; Full-fed, May 30 ; Imago, 

 Pupa. J June 22, 1878 ; Pupation, 23 days. 



• [h, c, May, 1878. 



When full-fed the caterpillars hang themselves up by the 

 tail in a cluster on the underside of the leaf, and one of 

 these families of chrysalids after the change has taken place 

 is a lovely sight. The appearance is that of pure burnished 

 gold, which in the sunshine is dazzlingly beautiful. A 

 couple of days before the butterfly emerges, the markings of 

 its wings become very visible through the delicate shell of 

 the pupa, and the latter becomes shaded with dark steel blue 

 and the prismatic colours of tempered steel. 



(a, Full-fed, May 10 ; Imago, June 2, 1878 = 23 days. 

 Imago, ib, „ „ „ „ „ 



U, „ May 11; „ June 3, „ 



The butterfly appears about three weeks after pupation. 

 It is a very common species, and flies in shady places in 

 woods and campos. The flight is slow and graceful, and the 

 fly is constantly settling upon the leaves of the trees, where 

 it stays slowly opening and shutting its wings. 



