NYMPHALID.E. 305 



All insect varying sliLj-htly in the coloring- of the h)\ver wings 

 and having the veins margined with grayisli white has been given 

 tlie name of Dannis sti</osa. As these two forms bh^Mid into one 



Danais stigosa. 



another by insensible gradations, so that among a dozen s[)eciniens 

 all collected in the same locality it may be im[)Ossible to state to 

 which some of them belong, one would naturally conclude that they 

 wei'e the same species with slight color variations. 



HeJiconla comprises many veiy beautiful insects of medium size, 

 having very long and narrow upper wings, eoin[)aratively small 

 lower wings, long bodies, and long, knobbed antcniiu'. They give 

 off a powerful odor when handled, and on account of their bitter 

 taste are avoided by birds and other insect-eating animals. Their 

 home is tropical America, whei'e they abound in great nundjers 

 l)oth in species and individuals, their bi'ight colors of red, 3-ello\v, 

 blue and green in sharply outlined patches and bai's on a usually 

 black gi-ound eidivening the dark forests, and partly eompensating 

 for the lack of brilliant flowei's in those regions. Their caterpillars 

 are spiny, and their chrysalides are angulai'. ami, according to various 

 observers, emit a squeaking noise as they bend from side to side 

 when disturbed. 



