MEGALURA. By Dr. A. Seitz. 469 



M. crethon F. (= crithon Godi.) (f)6b). Under surface very similar to the preecdiug species, likewise crethon. 

 satiny white, but with a peculiar rosy violet tinge. Above the wings are earth-brown with white median band 

 and 6 small white spots in the distal area, of which the one in cellule 5 is displaced proximally, that in cellule (i 

 distally. Before the distal margin often white dots. Probably distributed over tlie whole of northern South 

 America, sometimes occun-ing with broader, sometimes with narrower white band, but seems to be often rather 

 rare. 



M. catulus FIdr. is ciuitc similar to crethon, but the median band is very narrow, flie hindwing licfore cahdus. 

 the distal nuirgin with stronger stripes and at the anal angle \\itl) more distinct orange sj)()t; on the forewing 

 only the upper white dots are clear and well developed. Ecuador. 



M. orsilochus F. (=^ cinna (V.) (96 b). Likewise resembles crethon above, but in the distal area of the orsilodms. 

 forewing instead of the row of dots a second, narrower, white band runs about parallel to the proximal one. 

 Under surface, however, quite different; this is not traversed by fine grey lines, as in crethon, but by broad 

 brown bands tinged with gold-yellow. The tails of the hindwing very long and pointed. Northern South America, 

 especially Venezuela; in many places rare. 



M. corinna Latr. (96 c). Brown, forewing with rather narrow orange band, hindwing witli violet coruina. 

 reflection on the disc. Under surface distinctive, showing besides other silvery markings a silver median band 

 (ciuite straight on the hindwing). The $ has on the upperside of the forewing a white band, according 

 to Staudinger sometimes hght yellow. Colombia to Amazons. — lazulina Fruhst. (9G c) are specimens of the lusulina. 

 smaller Peru form, such as are obtained in numbers from Chanchamayo; they are quite like corinna. but have 

 the proximal boundary of the orange band of the forewing irregular and the tails of the hindwing brighter 

 red-yellow. 



M. marcella Fhlr. (f = valetta Btlr. d- Druce) (96 d). In this common butterfly the «-hole disc of the marceUa. 

 forewing in the (J is ortinge, and m addition the apical part of the hindwing. The under surface is almost 

 exactly like that of corinna, so that the two were for a long time regarded as forms of one species. Central 

 America and northern South America. 



M. corita Wic (= theonis Bdv.) (96 d). Upper .surface almost exactly as in niarceUa; the apex of tlie corita 

 forewing perhaps somewhat more pointed, the hindwing before the tail with beautiful violet metallic crescents, 

 which in marcella are at most only indicated. C^uite different is the under surface, where a dark brown band, 

 only shaded with silver, runs through the middle. Mexico to Central America. Common in the woods of Vera 

 Paz, on river-beds. — phiale Godni. d- Salv. is said to be c^uite like corita in the ,S upperside, but differs in the phiale. 

 more red-yellow under surface. The $, which in corita is dark brown with ochreous band on the forewiiig, is in 

 phiale much paler, with narrower ochre band, hut witji lighter, yellow-grey transverse bands and strijies. From 

 the volcano Atitlan in Guatemala. 



M. hermione i'7(/f . (= heraldicus iJ«feA-, $ = funebris Btlr.) (96 d). In the o the larger inner-marginal hcrmione. 

 half of the forewing is bright orange, the distal part of the wing black-brown; the $, which Butler described 

 as junehris. is reddisli yellow-brown, with ferruginous transversB bands. The species is distributed from Guate- 

 mala to Peru and Bolivia and varies strong^, but more according to hal)itat and elevation or individually than 

 geographically. The $$ in particular are very inconstant and the ^,^ vary with regard to the dehmitation 

 of the orange basal part; many show violet-blue reflections at the proximal edge of the black distal part, but 

 never ao strong as in iole. — Kirby's Catalogue cites with this form an M. poeyi Hagra from Cuba; this is un- poeyi. 

 known to me, but the following species, iole, has been occasionally 2-ecorded from the Antilles, as by Cramer 

 and Drury. 



M. iole Drury (= furcula F., zosteria Hhn.) (96 e). The colours of the ^ as in the preceding, but iole. 

 the red-yellow on the basal part restricted, often only visible on the forewing, and behind it on^fhe black disc 

 a very intensive, glorious violet-blue reflection. The $ is distinguished from the more grey-brown 9 of 

 the preceding species by the red-brown tone and rust-yellow oblique band, yet both species vary strongly 

 in this. From Central America through Co]oml)ia and Venezuela to Ecuador and Pei'u. Common. 



M. peleus Suh (=^ pctreus Bates) (96 c). Fiery fox-red with black (southern form) or brown (northern pdcus. 

 form) transverse stripes. Recognizable by the tooth of the forewing below the apex, which projects far distal, 

 the long, quite straight, somewhat spatidate tail at the median of the hindwing and tlie shorter (but always 

 several mm in length) tail at the anal angle. Costal and distal margins, especially' in southern specimens, strongly 

 blackened. — Larva violet-reddLsh, A^hite on the venter, the abdominal segments sulphur-yellow above. The 

 head bears 2 horns, the 5th. 7th, 9th and 11th segments each an erect, soft filiform process on the back, 'i'he 

 pupa dull white with small black spots and long spines on head, thorax and abdominal segments and distinct dorsal 

 carina. The la:rva on Cachou (Anacardium). The butterfly is common ; in consec^uence of the strongly produced 

 forewing it much resembles Colaenis julia, Dione juno etc., with which I took it on the same flowering shrubs. 



