94 DANAID^. 



Genus III. HESTIA. 



Hestia Eiibn. 



Idea Fab., Latr., God'., Boisd., fyc. 



Antenna more than half the length of the body, slender, almost filiform, scarcely thickened at the apex. 

 Anterior Wings ample, elongate, somewhat oval ; the outer margin sometimes sinuate, especially in the 



males. Costal nervure and first subcostal nervule anastomosing. Upper disco-cellular nervule 



short but distinct. 

 Posterior Wings elongate, obovate ; the abdominal fold almost wanting in the males, distinct in the 



females. 

 Anterior Legs clothed with scales. The femur and tibia of about equal length. The tarsus of the males 



about one third the length of the tibia, cylindrical, tapering towards the apex, sometimes showing 



indications of being four-jointed, sometimes constricted near the base, without any signs of articulations. 



Tarsus of the females clavate, four-jointed ; each joint, except the fourth, armed at the apex with a 



spine on each side. 

 Middle and Posterior Legs of moderate length. Tarsi long, with the last joint dilated. Claws curved, 



rather short. Paronychia with the outer lacinia strap-shaped, longer than the claw ; inner lanceolate, 



more than half as long as the claw. Pulvillus jointed, nearly as long as the claw ; the second joint 



broad, corneous. 



Larva and Pupa unknown. 



Hestia is so remarkable a genus, both in its form and colouring, that the species contained in it cannot be confounded 

 at the most casual glance with those of any other, except it be the last species of Danais, but these will be easily 

 distinguished by their very different antenna; and claws. All the species are insects of large size, with semi-transparent 

 whitish or fuscescent wings of rather delicate texture ; with the nervules, and mostly numerous spots on or between the 

 nervures and nervules, and on the outer margin, and sometimes the margin itself, black. 



Of their habits little is known, but probably they much resemble those of the Danaides. Mr. A. Adams, to whom 

 we owe many interesting observations on natural history made during the last voyage of H. M. S. Samarang, informs 

 me that Hestia Leuconoe, which he captured in the Madjico Sima group, flies slowly over the tops of the bushes, and 

 is not difficult to take. 



I have adopted the name Hestia from Hiibner, though he includes under that name many species not properly 

 belonging to this genus, in preference to using a name given by Linne as a specific name to the oldest known 

 species. 



I am indebted to Dr. Boisduval for the loan of his specimen of Hestia D'Urvillei, the rarest and most striking species 

 of the genus. 



