HELICONIDjE. 97 



exemplify it, as Stalachtis does not belong to this family but to the Erycinidoe. It is possible that the larva figured by 

 Stoll as that of Leptalis Amphione may be that of some species of this family, rather than of a Danais. Of the habits 

 of the perfect insect, most that has yet been published is contained in the following passage from M. Lacordaire's 

 Memoir in the Annals of the Entomological Society of France, to which I have so often already referred. I shall quote 

 it at length here to save repetition under the different genera. 



" I now come to the genus Heliconia, one of the most beautiful amongst the Lepidoptera, and peculiar to America. 

 Cayenne possesses a great number of species, and in this respect more resembles Surinam than Brazil. Surinam appears 

 to be the especial country of certain groups, of which the species become more common as we approach that colony. 

 Such are the Heliconidae, with white spots on a black or bluish ground, as Hecate, Sappho, Antiocha, which only live 

 in the forests. Of these I have only seen one species, which begins to appear on the river Sinnamary, and becomes 

 more plentiful as we advance from the side of the Maroni. Its flight is free, easy, and it does not rise high. These 

 species form a first group. 



" A second, equally natural, comprises the species with red or yellow spots on the superior wings, and no radiating 

 marks on the inferior, as Melpomene, Callicopis, Sara, Thamar, &c. These are the most common of all. They 

 only live in the neighbourhood of habitations, have a bold undulating flight, rarely proceeding in a direct course, 

 nevertheless they are easily captured. 



" Others with yellow or red spots on the anterior wings, and red or fulvous rays on the posterior, such as Doris, 

 Erato, Cynisca, Acede, Andremona, will form a third group. All these are much more rare than the preceding, and are 

 found only in the woods, not in the virgin forest, but in the woods near habitations. They rise but little above the 

 ground, and fly rapidly in a direct course, partly with a sailing (planant), partly with a bounding (voltigeant) flight. H. 

 Eicini, which differs in colour, has the same habits. 



" A fourth group, more numerous than the preceding, may comprise the species where the yellow predominates, 

 mixed with black, as Eva, Pasinuntia (which Godart has erroneously confounded in one species), Egina, Numata, 

 Polymnia, &c. The greater part of these are tolerably common, and with some exceptions only frequent the woods. 

 Those with very narrow wings and elongate abdomen have an unequal jumping flight, and alight often in great numbers 

 on flowers, when they are easily taken. Others with less elongate anterior wings, and the abdomen extending but little 

 beyond the posterior wings, have on the contrary a rapid unequal flight. They are often seen to rise suddenly into 

 the air, and then immediately descend, without ever sailing with the wings expanded. This movement, which they 

 commonly perform whenever the collector has disturbed them, renders them difficult to capture. 



" The species with more or less transparent wings, such as Nisa?a, Flora, iEgle, which have for their analogues in 

 Brazil, Diaphana, Gazoria, &c, constitute a fifth group. They remain constantly in the deepest forests amongst the 

 bushes, where they fly slowly two or three feet from the ground, alighting every minute on the leaves. They are 

 almost always found united in little societies, more or less numerous. H. Psidii, which rivals in size the largest species 

 of the genus, has the same habits. It is common in Cayenne." 



I am indebted to Mr. Gosse, the author of a most interesting volume on the birds of Jamaica, for the following 

 memorandum in regard to Heliconia Charitonia : — 



" Passing along a rocky footpath on a steep wooded mountain side in the parish of St. Elizabeth, about the end of 

 August, 1845, my attention was attracted, just before sunset, by a swarm of these butterflies iu a sort of rocky recess, 

 overhung by trees and creepers. They were about twenty in number, and were dancing to and fro, exactly in the 

 manner of gnats, or as the Hepioli play at the side of a wood. After watching them awhile, I noticed that some of 

 them were resting with closed wings at the extremities of one or two depending vines. One after another fluttered 

 from the group of dancers to the reposing squadron, and alighted close to the others, so that at length, when only about 

 two or three of the fliers were left, the rest were collected in groups of half a dozen each, so close together that each 

 group might have been grasped in the hand. When once one had alighted it did not in general fly again, but a new 

 comer, fluttering at the group, seeking to find a place sometimes disturbed one recently settled, when the wings were 

 thrown open, and one or two flew up again. As there were no leaves on the hanging stalks, the appearance presented 

 by these beautiful butterflies, so crowded together, their long erect wings pointing in different directions, was not a little 

 curious. I was told by persons residing near, that every evening they thus assembled, and that I had not seen a third 

 part of the numbers often collected in that spot." 



I am informed by Mr. D. Dyson that Heliconia Melpomene and Ithomia Iphianassa assemble in groups in the same 

 manner, in which they resemble the genus Calepteryx, their analogues in the Neuroptera. 



