96 



Family V. HELICONID^E. 



Head broad. 



Eyes large, prominent. 



Labial Palpi widely separated at the base, not convergent, ascending, longer than the head, 



distinctly triarticulate : the second joint longest, furnished above, near the apex, with a tuft of 



hair ; third joint small. 

 Antennce elongate, gradually clavate. 

 Thorax rather slender. 



Anterior Wings elongate, mostly much rounded externally, very rarely subtriangular. Cell always 



closed. 

 Posterior Wings much shorter than the anterior, transversely elongate, oval, without any channel 



for the reception of the abdomen. Cell always closed. 

 Anterior Legs imperfect, sometimes much more developed in the females than in the males. 

 Middle and Posterior Legs mostly rather small. Claws simple with paronychia and pulvilli. 

 Abdomen elongate, slender, sometimes slightly clavate, as long as, or longer than, the abdominal margin 



of the posterior wings. 



Lar va as yet undescribed. 



Pupa smooth, suspended by the tail. 



Though they are not easily distinguished as a group by any one character, the Ileliconidas can be recognised at first 

 sight by many peculiarities. Their long gradually clavate antenna; ; their palpi widely separated at the base, and not 

 convergent ; their elongate anterior wings almost always rounded externally ; their narrow posterior wings with the costal 

 margin almost double the length of the abdominal, this latter without any fold to form a channel for the reception of 

 the abdomen ; and their elongate abdomen, always equal to, and mostly extending beyond, the wings, serve to 

 discriminate them from all other groups. It is true that some species of Leptalis come very near to them in outline 

 and in colour, but these may always be known by their perfect anterior feet and bifid claws ; although, from the great 

 developement of the anterior feet in the females of those Ileliconians which most nearly resemble Leptalis Vocula and 

 L. Methymna in colouring, it requires the microscope to detect these characters. 



The antenna;, palpi, anterior wings, and middle and posterior legs do not strikingly differ in structure in the different 

 genera ; but the neuration of the posterior wings varies much, even in the sexes of some species, and the structure of 

 the anterior feet would almost serve to divide the family into two sections. In one of these the anterior feet in both 

 sexes very much resemble those of the preceding family ; in the other group the males have the tibia and tarsus 

 represented only by a small ovate knob, more like the last joint of a palpus than the ordinary form of imperfect 

 anterior tibia; and tarsi, and the females mostly have the whole leg much more developed than is usual in any of the 

 families of butterflies with suspended pupa;, except the Libytheida?. 



Although this group is one of the most abundant in all the tropical parts of America, both in species and individuals, 

 its larva; are as yet entirely unknown, and I have only rather doubtful information as to the pupa, which I believe to 

 resemble that of Danais. The figures of Madame Merian cannot be depended on ; and Stoll's figure of the larva of 

 Stalachtis Euterpe, which is commonly referred to as an example of the larva of this family, even if accurate, does not 



