HELIC0N1A. 101 



Genus II HELICONIA. 



Heliconia Latr., God 1 . <$-c. 

 Mechanitis Fab. 



Mechanitis, Eueides, Melin^ea, Migonitis, Sunias, Apostraphia, 

 Phlogris, Sicyonia, Ajantis, Hiibn. 



Head broad. 



Eyes oval, very prominent. 



Maxillce rather fully developed. 



Labial Palpi rising considerably above the forehead, scaly, with elongate thinly scattered hairs 

 in front; the basal joint curved, subcylindric ; second fully twice as long as the first, 

 subcylindric, rather broader at the apex ; third joint obovate, pointed, small, about one fourth 

 the length of the second. 



Antenna: elongate, about equal to the whole length of the body, gradually but distinctly clavate ; 

 the articulations rather indistinct. 

 Thorax moderately stout. 



Anterior Wings elongate; the anterior margin rounded, about double the length of the outer; 

 this mostly much rounded, sometimes slightly sinuate about the middle ; inner margin longer 

 than the outer, often slightly sinuate. Subcostal nervure with the nervules thrown off at 

 nearly equal distances, the first about one fifth of the length of the cell from the end thereof, 

 the second a little beyond the end of the cell. Upper disco-cellular nervule very short ; 

 middle disco-cellular directed obliquely inwards, shorter than the lower, which is directed 

 obliquely outwards, striking the third median nervule at a point where it is bent at an oblique 

 angle. Submedian nervure describing a considerable curve soon after its origin. Internal 

 nervure wanting. 



Posterior Wings more or less obovate, the costal about one half longer than the abdominal margin. 

 Precostal nervure simple. Costal nervure rather widely separated from the subcostal, 

 terminating at the outer angle. Discoidal nervure appearing to be a third subcostal nervule. 

 Cell obovate, short, not much exceeding one third the length of the wing. 



Anterior Legs of the male scaly and hairy ; femur and tibia, nearly equal, smooth, sometimes com- 

 pressed and dilated ; tarsus about one half the length of the tibia, subcylindric, slightly pointed 

 at the apex, mostly somewhat compressed, apparently only one-jointed. Anterior Legs of the 

 female more developed ; the femora and tibiae about equal, clothed with scales and long rather thinly 

 scattered hairs ; the tibia mostly slightly dilated at the apex : tarsus about one half the length 



