ERESIA. 183 



three or four joints. Anterior Legs of the female with the femur longer than the tibia, scaly, 

 and fringed with long hairs. Tarsus about equal in length to the tibia, four-jointed. First joint 

 elongate, eylindric, equal in length to the three following ; second joint longer than the third, 

 the apex below, sometimes with a single spine, sometimes unarmed ; third joint with a stout 

 spine below, at the apex ; fourth with one on each side at the apex. 

 Middle and Posterior Legs with the femora and tibiae of nearly equal length ; the latter spiny, the 

 spurs very long. Tarsi about equal in length to the tibia?; all the joints nearly eylindric, 

 smooth above, spiny at the sides and below, the lateral spines long. Claws curved. Paronychia 

 bilaciniate ; the lacinite pointed ; the outer as long as the claws. Pulvillus jointed, about as long 

 as the claws. 

 Abdomen nearly eylindric, considerably shorter than the inner edge of the abdomen. 



Larva and Pupa unknown. 



Eresia may be known by its palpi with the last joint acicular, its rather slender abruptly elavate antennae, its 

 elongate anterior wings, the open discoklal cell of the posterior wings, the peculiar structure of the anterior feet, and 

 the posterior tarsi spiny below and laterally, but not above, their joints all nearly eylindric. The elongate wings, and 

 the peculiar colouring of sonic species, seem to point out an affinity to the Heliconians, whilst the genus has some of the 

 characters of Acrsea. 



The structure of the anterior tarsus in the females is very remarkable, from the third joint always, and sometimes 

 the second, being armed below with one stout spine, placed, not laterally, but in the middle of the sole of the foot, at the 

 apex of the joint. 



The Eresise are insects of rather small size, inhabiting the tropical parts of America. One species, Eresia Langsdorfii, 

 by its elongate anterior wings and its black colour varied with yellow and red, so much resembles a small Heliconian 

 of the group comprising Heliconia Phyllis and its allies, as to have misled both Godart and Guerin, the latter of whom 

 has figured it in the Iconographie du Rcgne Animal, as a type of the genus Heliconia. Its posterior wings with an 

 open cell, however, readily distinguish it. Eresia Eunice, and one or two allied species, also resemble the Heliconida; 

 in colour and the distribution of the markings. Eresia Carme is of a peculiar type, and is especially remarkable for 

 the beautiful brown clouds on the under surface of the posterior wings. Eresia Nauplia, and its allies, approach very 

 nearly to some of the South American Melitasa;, so much so, that I am in doubt whether I am correct in referring the 

 P. Hera of Cramer to a species of this genus, or whether his figure really represents some species of Melitrca unknown 

 to me. The specimens in the British Museum, which are here referred to Cramer's species, differ only in having 

 the anterior wings more elongate than his figure represents them. 



Of the habits of the species composing this genus little is known. They are insects of rather slow flight, and are 

 met with both in the low and mountainous parts of America, from Mexico to the South of Brazil. 



ERESIA. 



1. En. Langsdorfii. 3. En. Eunice Boisd. Sp. Gin. i. t. 11. f. ,s. (1836). 



Hel. Langs. Guilt. Em: M. ix. 209. n. 18. Nereis fulva Eun. Hubn. Summl. Exot. Schmelt. 



(1819). ' (1806-27). 



Guerin lam. du Rcgne Anim. Ins. t. 77. f. 4. Melimra Eun. Hubn, Verse, bek. Schmett. 11. 



(1829-4*). (I81(i). 



Hubn. Zut. f. 38;), 390. (1824). Brazil. B. M. 



1. En. Carme Doubleday % Hewitson, t. 20. 1*. 5. (1847). 



Venezuela. B. M. 



Melinxa Erys. Hubn. Zut. f. 717, 718. (1827). 5. Er. Nauplia E. Doubleday, Cut. of Lep. /us. of Brit. Mus. 



S. America. 15. M. 64. (1841). 



Brazil. B. M 



2. Er. Erysice. 



