HAMADRYAS. 135 



Anterior Legs of the female considerably developed. Tibia longer than the femur. Tarsus rather 



thickened, apparently furnished below with three pairs of spines. 

 Middle and Posterior Legs rather stout ; the femora of the middle pair at least longer than the 

 tibia?, these latter very spiny ; the spurs not very long. Tarsi about as long as the tibia?, densely 

 covered with spines. First joint much the longest ; second to fourth progressively shorter ; fifth 

 longer than the third. Claws small, curved. Paronychia bilaciniate. Pulvillus very broad. 

 Abdomen scarcely extending beyond the inner margin of the posterior wings. 



Larva and Pupa unknown. 



I regret being only able to give so indifferent a generic character for this most interesting genus. Its rarity however 

 is so great, that it is only known to me by the original specimen in the Banksian Cabinet ; an imperfect specimen in 

 the British Museum, probably as old as the Banksian one ; and the individual here figured, a beautiful specimen 

 belonging to Dr. Boisduval, to whose kindness I am indebted for the means of giving a good figure, and tolerably exact 

 generic character. 



Without specimens of both sexes to dissect, it is impossible satisfactorily to lay down the characters of a genus ; and 

 therefore, though I have examined Dr. Boisduval's specimen as closely as was consistent with its safety, much is 

 wanting to render the definitions given above complete, and all that relates to the structure of the feet must be taken 

 with caution. I believe that the anterior feet of the female much resemble those of some Ithomia?, what those of the 

 male may be I cannot say. The claws of the posterior feet seem to have bilaciniate paronychia ; the outer lacinia not 

 quite equal in length to the claws, the inner longer than usual, very hairy. 



Its close alliance to the Heliconida? cannot be doubted, and I can see no plausible ground for excluding it from this 

 family, except its different habitat. Whilst all the other Heliconida; are confined to the New World, this genus is 

 stated to occur in the extreme east of the Indian archipelago, in the islands of the Pacific, and in New Zealand : 

 thus it is the only Old World genus of the family. Analogous facts are met with in botany, as, for instance, the 

 occurrence of a Fuchsia in New Zealand. It is interesting to find an otherwise purely American group of plants 

 and of butterflies repi-csented by one solitary species in that remote island. 



HAMADRYAS Boisd. 



1. Ham. Zojlijs Boisd. Voy. de I' Astrolabe, gi. (1832). 



P. Zo. Fab. Ent. Syst. m. i. 42. n. 128. (1795). 

 Nymph. Zo. Godt. Enc. M. ix. 398. n. 1 65. (1819). 

 Nymph. Nais Guerin, Voy. de la Coquille, t. 15. f. 3. (1827). 

 Stalachtis Nedusia Hilbn. Zut. f. 799, 800. (1825). 

 New Zealand and Polynesia. /? /tf. ?"'/■ B. M- 



2. Ham. Assahicls. 



P. Ass. Cram. t. 363. f. A. B. (1782). 

 Aeria Ass. Hilbn. Verz. bek. Schmett. 10. (1816). 

 Heliconia Ass. Godt. Enc. M. Stippt. 816. n. 22, 23. (1823). 

 Amboyna. 



