482 MYSCELIA. By J. Robee.. 



narrow but distinctly higher towards the top, not reaching, liowever, the pole; the eggs are singly stuck to the 

 lower surface of the leaves. In the last stage the larva is 16 to 28 mm long, the head is green from each side of 

 which, like antlers, there rises a horn of about three times the diameter of the head. These light-brown 

 horns are in two places shortly ramulous, and on their top there is a star-like formation (rosette), the segments 

 of the body show short branched green spines in varying numbers, the body is green with numerous white papillae; 

 after the 1. or 2. skinning the animal, when at rest, takes up a position in which the body in its entire length 

 is lying flat on the leaf, the head being lowered in such a way that the points of the horns are touching the leaf 

 (defensive position). During the first two stages the little larva gnaws off tlie leaf as far as the ribs on 

 which it deposits its faeces. The isui^a is somewhat flattened out, especially at the posterior parts, on the dorsum, 

 excej)t the 2. segment, without any edge, ajjpearing therefore, when seen laterally, rather slender, from above 

 especially in the region of the segments 5 — 7 broad, from here towards the front a little, towards the back con- 

 siderably reduced in width; it is little tuberous, 2 short conical points at the liead, a tapering edge on the 2. 

 segment, a very prominent, smooth edge of the wings, 3 movable connections of the segments, rather freely 

 movable in all directions, the end of the abdomen is like in Ageronia broad, flattened down. The pupa is fastened 

 to the upper surface of the leaves, raises itself under the effect of the light and turns itself towards the light. 

 — A. Sbitz reports about the butterflies: The ^ of If. orsis most positively belongs to the most magnificent 

 sights. The sparkling blue colour attracts even the glances of those who are not specially interested in nature. 

 The living specimen never exhibits the large shining grey spot at the inner margin of the hindwings, which dis- 

 figures the prepared butterfly, for even in its swiftest flight the orsis never raises its forewings so high that this 

 spot would become visible. The ^J of orsis is very frec[uently seen (near Rio). Everywhere in the woods, on 

 wet roads, on bushes, at little clearings they are resting in wait at the ends of branches and they occur in 

 most any season of the year. In Sao Paulo, I do not remember of having returned from any of my numerous 

 excursions without having found some specimens of orsis, although I never saw many of them together. The 

 $$ of this species remind us a great deal of some Neptis; but while the Indian species of the latter genus 

 particularly rested on flowers, I never noticed the like in the Myscelia-^^. The latter always settle on leaves, 

 the 99 fluttering indefatigably from one leaf to another and resting on each of thembvit for seconds. If oneo.hases 

 them, they retire into the interior of the bushes (while the other Nyniphalidae, quite on the contrary, fly out 

 of them when being pursued); this strange conduct is, of all the day-butterflies, experienced but in the Brasso- 

 lidae and some Satyridae. 



orsis. M. orsis Dru. (98 f) is the best known species from Brazil; there is a considerable difference in the 



sexes. Like the following species, the (^ has an androconium consisting of a black spot near the costal margin 

 of the hindwings and in a corresponding blank friction-area, on the under surface of the forewings, being accom- 

 panied by a ventricose expansion of the inner margin of the forewings. 



ci/finomehi^. M. cyanomelas spec. nov. (98 f) fi'f)ni the Lower Amazon (Santarem) has a nuich darker (brown) under 



surface with bluish-wiiitish markings. 



{■yaiiiris. M. cyaniris Dbl. and Heir. (99 a), distributed from Mexico to Venezuela, is a rare species. The 5* is 



of a bright iridescent blue. The light markings are in the non-iridescent 9 either whitish or bluish. 



rtliKsa. 



M. ethusa Bsd. (99 a) from Mexico has only shining blue stripes, but no reflection. 



r.igciihijcn. M. rogenhofcri Fldr. (99 a) from Mexico, which is known to us only from the figure, is presumably a 



temporal or local form of ethusa from wliich it differs by more violet striate markings and larger white spots 

 on the forewings. 



piiUniid. M. pattenia Btlr. and Drtice from Costa Rica resembles ethusa, but the markings are more greenish- 



blue and the second and third blue bands of the hindwings are narrower and nearer to each other. The white 

 spots on the forewings are more strictly separated. 



leucocyana. M. leucocyana Fldr. (99 a) from Venezuela has markings shining in blue on the wings and also \\ hitish 



spots on the forewings. 



r„innni/h,: M. cyanatlthc Fldr. (99a) from Mexico has likewise blue-shining, but much broader markings; there 



ai'c no white markings. 



•''''■"""''''■ M. skinneri Menqel from Mexico (Boyemena, Sinoloa) has not become known to us. It is described: 



(Jnniud-colouiing of the whole upper surface black, along the inner margin of the hindwings little lighter. Be- 

 ginning at the base of the forewings there stands a purple spot extending more than ^/^ inch in the middle cell, 

 nearly % inch in the wings. Along the margin of the wings there runs a line of white or light-blue spots, 

 broken along the whole margin There is a parallel line of spots of similar colouring, though somewhat darker, 

 running close to the angle. Here there are two white apical spots surrounded by a very fine blue shine, '^ sub- 

 marginal spots and 2 in the centre of the costal margin of the same colouring. The hindwings are rounded with a 

 thin, broken line of white spots running along the angle. A broad spot of the same purple colour as on the fore- 



