of the Amazon Valley. 189 
eastern slopes of the Andes, at Canelos in Equador, it is still further 
modified, forming a local variety which merits a separate name and 
mention*, 
9. Melitea fragilis, n. sp. 
3 Q. Wings narrower than in M. Liriope; the hind wings being very 
little broader than the length of the abdomen. Above: pale and rather 
clear orange-tawny. Fore wings with a yarrow dark-brown outer border, 
wider at the apex, where it is sinuated on its inner edge in the direction 
of the costa ; basal half of the costa with an irregular brown border (in 
some specimens almost wanting), crossed by a few thin wavy lines, which 
sometimes extend into the cell. Hind wings with a narrow, distinct dark- 
brown outer border, lunulated on its inner edge; rest of the wing free 
from markings. Beneath: a little paler, with a marginal lunulated line 
of a darker hue, the fore wings having a paler subapical spot, and the hind 
wings numerous transverse wavy lines from the base to beyond the middle, 
followed by a row of spots and a submarginal lunulated line, all of a 
darker tawny shade than the ground-colour of the wing. Subcostal 
nervure of the fore wings emitting its first branch a little before, and its 
second a considerable distance after, the end of the cell. 
This species seemed wholly to replace MZ. Liriope on the banks of 
the Cupari, a branch of the Tapajos, where it was common in weedy 
- cacao-groves. I was inclined to think it only a local variety of Liriope, 
seeing that this is very vacillating in its markings; but the narrow- 
ness of its wings forms a structural character which shows a wider 
divergence from Liriope than that which a mere local modification 
would present. I have lately seen many examples of the same species 
from the interior of Guatemala, where it seems to be unaccompanied 
by Liriope. The Guatemala form, however, differs from the Cupari 
* Local var. M. Pastazena. The same in size and form as the type, except 
that the fore wings are a little more pointed. Above: orange-tawny ; fore wings 
with a broadish brown costal border, terminating abruptly at two-thirds the 
length of the wing, and crossed by a few indistinct short wavy lines; outer 
border brown, broadest at the apex, where it is sinuated on its inner edge. Hind 
wings with a very narrow, clearly defined, dark-brown border, which becomes a 
thin submarginal line before reaching the anal angle. Beneath: much paler, as 
in M. Liriope, without brown marks or borders, exhibiting only a lunulated sub- 
marginal line, preceded by a row of spots of a darker tawny than the ground- 
colour, the discoidal cell of the fore wings and the base and disk of hind wings 
having a few transverse wavy streaks of the same hue. Subcostal nervure of the 
fore wings emitting its first branch a little before, its second a considerable dis- 
tance after, the end of the cell, as in M. Liriope, M. Tharos, and the allied species. 
Canelos banks of the Pastaza, in eastern Equador; collected by Mr. Spruce. 
Melitea Cocyta, Cram. 101 a. 8. c. (Morpheus, Fab.), given, probably errone- 
ously, as a native of Surinam, is the same as (or a slight variety of ) M@. Tharos, 
a North-American species. 
