510 ADELPHA. By H. Feuhstorfer. 



from tliis type, as it is in tlie habit of eating into buds, the anterior jiart of the larva being, therefore, smooth 

 in order not to be hindered when boring its way. The pupa is characterized by an appendage on the back, 

 winch has been described more exactly in the different genera; the head without any proper tips, but some- 

 times with peculiar wing-appendages, the latter, however, mostly in Indian species. The butterflies are fond 

 of forest-roads on which they flutter up and down sailing by jerks; they are mostly excellent flyers and 

 visit wet places on the road and the banks of brooks, some come to the bait, many like also flowers. 



49. Genus : Adelpha Hbn. 



This polymorphous genus is surpassed, as to the copiousness of species, only by few other genera 

 and must undoubtedly be regarded as the most multiform genus of the Limenitidi of the whole globe. As 

 to the number of species it is excelled only by the neotropical genera Heliconius, Actinote, Phyciodes and, 

 eventually, the Indo- Australian Neptidi. 



The Adelpha, however, are not alone conspicuous by their copious species, but they presumably 

 also beat all the other neotropical genera of the Nymphalidae by their abundance of individuals. They 

 are reckoned to the characteristic landscape butterflies that are to be found most anywhere, just like the 

 Neptidi on the Indo-Australian soil. 



Structurally they are so nearly allied with the genus Lvmenitis that thorough differences cannot be 

 brought into prominence at all; but they have less hairy palpi and thinner forefeet of the ^^. They also 

 all have hairy eyes, whereas in the Indian allies there are alternatively rows of sjiecies with hairy and 

 hairless eyes. 



The branching off of the subcostal veins is exactly like in Lime.nitis\ also here the second and third 

 veins are, at their origin, for a short distance lying close to the main vein. The cell of the forewing is 

 always closed by a fine, somewhat bent posterior discocellular connecting the median either aslant or vertically, 

 shortly after the second vein; the cell of the hindwing is open. The precostal is bent distally and stands exactly 

 at the origin of the subcostal. — The forefeet of the S(i are very fine and thin, with scales. Tarsus -/-^ of the 

 tibia which is but a little shorter than the femur. 



In the veins of the forewings some species (lara Hew., isis Drury, epione Godt.) differ by the second 

 subcostal vein arising after the cell-end. These species are also quite differently coloured, but they agree well 

 with the type in all the other characteristics so that only a subgeneral separation might be permitted. 



In spite of the manifold species most of the Adelpha have the same typical habitus and the scheme of 

 markings by which they are recognizable at first sight. Only the above mentioned species, that also differ 

 in the veins, are of entirely deviating colours and also habitus: A. lara and isis have a carmine transverse 

 band across the black forewings, epione a white one. The greatest part of the Adelpha, however, has on a 

 blackish-brown, dark-striped ground either an orange-yellow or white longitudinal band varying often, decrea- 

 sing in size or dissolving into spots, or disappearing altogether on one wing. Often the band of the fore- 

 wing is orange, that of the hindwing white, thus varying in the most manifold way and still adhering to 

 the general type. /^ 



The position of the orange-coloured preapical spot of some series of sgecigs^ of special importance 

 for the grouping of the species, but all the characteristica are still fluctuating, especially also the reverse 

 side the strange striation of which varies not only according to the geographical situation, but also temporally 

 and individually. Except the Phyciodes and certain Euthaliidae there is, therefore, hardly any genus of 

 the Rhopalocera offering greater difficulties to the systematical and synoptical treatment, than this genus. 

 Moreover, also the anatomy of the sexual organs in allied species issues but uncertain clues. The clasping-organs 

 are entirely limenitoidal and, in their^rge outlines, approach those of the genus Pantoporia [Athyma) in 

 such a way that, according to the state of our present, rather still primitive knowledge, it would be quite 

 impossible to ascertain where organs or photoes of them belong to, which are not denominated. 



According to about 60 species and forms I examined there are two principal groups distinguishable: 



a) Valve with dorsal appendage which may be rudimentary or, in all the intermediate stages grows 

 up to 1/3 of the length of the valve. 



P) Valve without dorsal appendage. 



The first group is partly combined with an extremely long, narrow and jjartly sharp-pointed uncus, 

 but the shape of the uncus varies in the other species from a sharp, nicely shaped, slender and bent point, up 

 to broad clumsy appendages. The valve has always a dorsal groove already noticed by GodmaN and .S.\lvin, and 

 is mostly veiitrally dentate. There are, however, all the transitions possible up to entirely unarmed valves 

 being then formed especially athymoidal. The valve may be simply cylindrical or ventrally uncommonly expanded, 

 and beside slender forms with an obtuse end there exist also nearly square ones with 2 or 3 small acicular 

 teeth (resembling a Limenitis procris from India and Ceylon). Penis as a rule short, obtuse, but there are 

 also species with extremely pointed, unciformly curved end. Saccus expanded in the shape of a spoon. Valve 



