ca. 



MOEPHO. By H. Fbuhstoefer. 351 



— cacica Stgr., described from the Chaiichamayo in South Peru, is connected with ensebes by transitions cad 

 which occur already on the Upper Amazon. The type is characterized by a median row of four or five Avliitish 

 yellow intramcdian spots, sometimes also in addition some similar spots before the distal niaigin. The under 

 surface of the hindwing shows a very narrow brown transverse band, which encloses the dark brown ocelli 

 and is not broadened posteriorly as in eusebes and rhetenor. $ apparently still unknown. — Helena *S7;/'r., a very hcUna. 

 distinct geographical race almost entitled to specific rank; upper surface much nearer to qj-pris Westw. 

 than to rhetenor, only differing essentially from the former in the absence of the yellow submarginal markings 

 on both wings and in having the produced apex of the forewing (so characteristic of rhetenor) even more strongly 

 developed than in eusebes. The median band of the under surface, which is dull grey in the other representatives 

 of rhetenor, is in helena pure white, broad and traverses the forewing from the apex of the cell, the hindwing 

 for its eirtire length. Much, however, as the S6 differ from rhetenor type in the metallic iridescence of the me- 

 dian band, the $ of helena nevertheless remains constant and apparently scarcely differs more than rhetenor 

 $ from the $ of the Amazon form eusebes. It is larger than eusebes $, but has the yellow areas of the forewing 

 quite as extended and the submarginal patches on the upperside of the hindwing more strongly nnirked, 

 1)ut likewise arranged in three parallel rows. The under surface of the forewing somewhat duller than in eusebes, 

 the hindwing i^redominantly grey and in the median area nearly pure white instead of yellowish. The cJcJ came 

 from the Rio Huayabamba near its union with the Huallaga, in North Peru; the $ was discovered at Tara- 

 poto in October, 1901, by the well-known collector Michael, who sent a coloured drawing of it on which our 

 diagnosis is based. Only yellow 5^^ are known, but it is very probable that, as in all the sj)ecies of the adonis- 

 rhetenor group, $$ tinged with blue will also be discovered. 



M. cypris replaces rhetenor in Colombia and Central America and one might strictly speaking unite it 

 with the latter as a geographical branch unless the anatomy shows essential differences, cypris is here, however, 

 kept separate on account of the rounded shape of the forewing and the somewhat more verticallj' placed white 

 median band of the upper surface, cypris and helena outshine even the other Morphids in their incomparable 

 gloss and cypris in particular is a true gem, unecpiallcd in its brilliance throughout the \\hole of nature (SciLiTz). 

 According to the fall of the light the blue of this incomparable insect shows a more violet or more greenish 

 gloss and the delicate white band a yellowish tone or more of a tinge of rose-colour. The blue is of such etherial 

 purity and such intensive lustre that all the other colours ajipear faded or dull in comparison. Only the Malayo- 

 Australian Ornithoptera can outrival the Jlorphids, adding as they do to the brilliance of their golden green 

 colouring the further charm of a quite distinguished form and wing-contour. The scaling itself, as in rhe- 

 tenor, remains fixed, but the interference scales are wanting in the normal 9?, so that these are of the primitive 

 yellowish ochreous (Brassolid) ground-colour common to all the species of the adonis group. Two local varieties : 

 cypris Westw. (OS a (J, b $). The <^S f^re scarcely modified and the $ differs from that of rhetenor in the more cypris. 

 distinctly isolated yellow submarginal patches and a yellow diffuse spot in the cell of the forewing. On the 

 under surface both sexes bear in addition, especially on the hindwing, fully develoix'd ocelli with deep yellow 

 rings and white pupils, instead of the blind brown patches of rhetenor. The ^^ otherwise resemble those of 

 j7je<e«or beneath, but the brown bands always remain paler; median area white in the (J(J, yellowish in the $$, 

 on the forewing extending without interruption to the costal margin. Of the $ examples are also luiown 

 which are shot with brilliant blue like the (^^ (cyanites form, nov.), but in these the blue reflection always cyaniies. 

 leaves free a rather broad brown distal margin. Colombia, principal locality the vicinity of the emerald mines 

 of Muzo, from whence cypris is brought to Bogota for sale as "mariposa de Muzo". — bugaba Sigr., from the hugaba. 

 Volcan de Chiriipii, is distinguished from Colombian examples by the more extended white median band, smaller 

 size and darker under surface. Accorduig to Godman and Salvin specimens of cypris from Nicaragua are almost 

 identical with Colombian, but ,^($ from Panama are again much smaller with narrower bands. The butterflies 

 fly at a great height in the clearings Avliich have been made in the w^oods for the Panama railway. 



M. anaxibia Esp. (69 c) may be regarded as one of the characteristic butterflies of southern Brazil. ana.i-ibia. 

 Tlie species stands quite alone in having the abdomen blue above, but forms a transition from the rhetenor to 

 the menelaus group, anaxibia, however, lacks the woirderful gloss of the rhetenor series, the blue is duller, al- 

 though it has its own particular beauty, and the dazzling iridescence is wanting. The ^ still suggests rhetenor 

 in the under surface, the $ reveals more connection with the menelaus group, but its marginal sj)ots are yello\\' 

 instead of white. The o bears a narrow black costal border, which is inappreciably widened at the apex and then 

 continued to the hinder angle of the forewing as a proximally more or less dentate distal border. Beyond the 

 cell there is a white patch at the costal margin, but in examples from Blumenau this is frequently al)sent. 

 The forewing is predominantly black beneath, the hindwing red-brown, respectively with two to three and four 

 to five medium-sized eye-spots, slightly pupilled with white and mostly ringed with light grey-yellow. The 

 under surface of the $ is more variegated, marked with slightly glossy broad grey zigzag bands and patches. 

 The $ varies above in the white, delicately blue-dusted transcellular patch of the forewing, which may be 



