314 CALIGO. By H. Frtjhstorfbr. 



7. Genus: C'niig'o Hhn. 



To this genus belong the most imposing forms of tlie whole family, vvhieh equally with the Morphids 

 contribute to the character of the South American insect fauna, as some species are even among the commonest 

 butterflies throughout the whole region. They are noteworthy not only for their gigantic size and the peculiar, 

 mostly dull but nevertheless often very rich colouring of the wings, but also for their crepuscular habits, which 

 do not fail to impress even the layman. Structurally CaUgo nearly ai^proaches the genus Eryphanis, Avith 

 which it agrees in the small j^recostal cell of the hindwing, notwithstanding the gigantic size of the species. 

 The Caligonids differ, however, from Eryphanis in the longer and more distinctly angled middle discocellular 

 of the forewing, and the lower discocellular is steeper, not placed almost transversely. The oval androconial 

 spot at the inner margin of the hindwing which is characteristic of Eryphanis is wanting in Caligo, but they have in 

 common with the former a bare friction-area adjoninig the submedian, either with or without hair-pencil, and ante- 

 riorly at the subcostal a more or less distinct mealy spot. The pattern of the under surface reaches in Caligo the high- 

 est develoj^nient of all the Brassolids and consists of delicate, reticulate, waved figures and striation, arranged in 

 alternately light and dark shades on and in contrast with the yellowish ground. On the hindwing two large, brilliant- 

 ly marked ocelli stand out very effectively, the anterior often crescentic, placed between the costal and subcostal, 

 the posterior larger and placed between the first two median veins, often extending across them. These ocelli 

 bear in their designs the greatest resemblance to the eyes in a peacock's tail, except that the latter are of a 

 shining blue, whilst in Caligo the ground-colour is a beautiful orange, gradually shading off through brown 

 into the deepest velvety black. The brilliant markings of the under surface induced L.\treille to give to the 

 genus the much more characteristic name of Pavonia, which unfortunate^ has had to sink on the score of prio- 

 rity. — Eyes naked or hauy. Palpus rather large, projecting far beyoncl the head, anteriorly densely covered 

 with long, appressed hairs, with a hair-tuft dorsally. Terminal joint pointed. Antenna thin and delicate, 

 scarcely reaching 14 the length of the wing, only gradually thickened towards the end. Forewing with strong 

 costal vein and 5-branched subcostal, the first two veins arising before the end of the cell, but branches 

 3 and 4 placed near together almost in the apex of the wing. Cell broad and large, reaching almost to % of 

 the wing, all 3 discocellulars well developed. Upper discocellular nearly as long as the lower. Larva slender, 

 slightly arched in the middle, head with two to eight horns, some of which bear bristles. Abdomen jiroduced 

 into two jjoints. Dorsum with five or six false spines. Ground-colour whitish or brown, frequently also green, 

 always with both lateral and dorsal stripes. Favourite food-plants bananas, also Marantaceae; larva as a 

 rule on the underside of the leaves, feeding chiefly at night, in the later stages hiding between dry, hanging 

 leaves. Pupa moderately broad, a little narrowed anteriorly and posteriorly. Dorsal edge mostly strongly 

 projecting. Colour yellowish to brown or reddish, on the wing-cases sometimes silvery spots. Pupal stage 

 20 — ^25 days, but in some species of shorter duration. The imagmes mhabit exclusively the dense forests, where 

 they keep near the ground and by preference at the foot of the old trees. They are crepuscular butterflies which 

 are only rarely met with by day. But if one happens to start them up they hide themselves very cleverly 

 in the thickets and on the tree-trunks with the wings folded, and thus find protection. On the Amazon Dr. 

 Hahnel once observed a bird chasing a Caligo eurilochus, but the butterfly eluded the beak of its pursuer 

 again and again with incredible dexterity, as it flew from one thicket to another, until at last the hunted 

 insect was concealed in the thickest confusion of branches and the tired bird had to desist from further pur- 

 suit. Profiting by the habit of the Caligos of frequenting those places where fallen fruit is \jmg, one can 

 bait them with bananas, and I often succeeded in this way in capturing 20 — 25 examples of C. heltrao in one 

 day. Some species, such as C. martia, visit bleeding trees, where they often sit for hours at the exudations. 

 Occasionally on especially sultry days they even leave the wood and rest at its edge or on the road, and on the 

 Capivary River in Santa Catharina I once found whole columns of C. beltrao, which, arranged like out- 

 posts, sat in long lines, one near to another, so that I did not known which to take first. In Colombia C. oileiis 

 Fldr. was met with on mule clung. 



Like all large-winged species the Caligos nowhere ascend above the densest vegetation zone and it is 

 probable that they never reach beyond 1000 m. above sea-level. Consequently they prefer the tropical zone, 

 with a few offshoots into the subtropical region. Northwards some forms extend as far as Mexico, south- 

 wards to Paraguay and Bolivia. According to Godman and Salvin two groups may be separated on the ground 

 of the copulatory organs. 1) C. oileus and eurilochus group with the valve simply dentate dorsally. 2) C. 

 atreus group, valve with a dorsal, medial process, which itself is again dentate. 



I. Sect. Anagraph! Stich. 



Hiudwing of (he ^J without hair-peiicil on the bare I'rirl ion-area at tlie hindiuarLcin. 



