320 NYMPHALID^. 



Genus LXXXII. SIDERONE Hiibner, E. DouUeday. 



SiDERONE, HisTORis, Ness^a, Zarbtis p. Hiibner. 

 Nymphalis p. God', 



Body robust ; wings large ; fore wings subemarginate at the hinder angle ; anal angle of hind wings generally tailed ; 



wings underneath obscurely marked, somewhat resembling a withered leaf. 

 Head of moderate size, clothed with short thick hairs, slightly tufted in front. 



Labial Palpi large, obliquely porrected as far as the entire length of the head, obtusely pointed at the tip, which 

 is elevated as high as the top of the eyes ; front broad, scaly ; hind surface clothed in the middle with short 

 hairs applied to the face. 



Eyes large and naked. 



AntennoB short, not more than two fiftlis of the length of the fore wings, gradually thickening from about two 

 thirds of the length and forming a long but slender club, rather obliquely truncate at the tip, and finely 

 carinated beneath. 

 Thorax robust, woolly ; metathorax clothed with longer woolly hairs. 



Fore Wings large, subovate. Anterior margin strongly rounded ; apex more or less produced. Apical margin 

 rather more than two thirds of the length of the anterior, very convex in some of the species. Inner margin 

 of the same length as the apical, and more or less emarginate at the inner angle. Costal vein extending nearly 

 to two tliirds of the length of the costa. Postcostal vein emitting its first and second branches before the 

 anterior extremity of the discoidal cell ; these two branches extending to the costa, beyond the extremity of 

 the costal vein ; third branch emitted at a little distance beyond the anterior extremity of the discoidal cell ; 

 fourth branch arising at a little distance beyond the third, and extending to the tip of the wing ; terminal 

 portion of the postcostal vein extending to the apical margin below the tip. U[)per disco-cellular vein arising 

 from the postcostal at the distance of two fiftlis of the wing from the base, short, oblique ; middle disco-cellular 

 vein of nearly equal length, but more transverse ; lower disco-cellular vein much longer, ratlier curved, uniting 

 with the third branch of the median vein at a little distance beyond its origin ; this third branch considerably 

 curved beyond the posterior extremity of the discoidal cell. 



Hind Wings large, subovate-triangular, with the costal margin much arched at the base ; the outer angle dilated. 

 Outer margin rounded ; anal angle generally dilated into a tail. Precostal vein short, slender, oblique, and 

 slightly curved outwardly at the tip. Postcostal vein branching at a little distance bej'ond its base. The 

 discoidal cell closed by an oblique, very slender vein, arising at a short distance from the base of the discoidal 

 vein, and uniting with the median vein exactly at the origin of its third branch. Submedian vein extending 

 into the tail, above which the inner margin is deeply emarginate. The males have the tail less developed than 

 the females. 



Fore Legs of the male of S. Isidoi-a small, pectoral, and very slender, hirsute, but not forming a strong brush. 

 Femur with the hairs set on at right angles on the inside. Tibia scarcely two thirds of the length of the 

 femur. Tarsus nearly as long as the tibia, quite simple and exarticulate. Fore Legs of the female of S. Ide 

 short, but robust, scaly. The tibia a little shorter than the femur. Tarsus shorter than the tibia, rather 

 dilated, and obliquely truncate at the tip, with several pairs of minute spines indicating the articulations. 



Four Hind Legs short, robust. Femur nearly as long as the tibia and tarsus united, scaly. Tibia armed beneath 

 with two rows of strong spines ; tibial spurs strong. Tarsus short, scaly, armed beneath with four rows of 

 spines, except on the terminal joint. Paronychia minute. Claws strong. 

 Ardomen robust, oval. 



This is a geuus of liandsomc luUtcrflies of inodenit.c size, agreoin<r with Papliia in tlic incision :\t tlie extremity of the inner margin of 

 the fore wings, the tailed condition of the hind wings, and the indistinct character of the markings on the underside of the wings. From 

 that genus they differ, however, in the porrected palpi, tlie normal condition of the branches of the postcostal vein (at least in S. Ide, 

 which has supplied the characters given above), and in the tail of the hind wing being produced at the anal angle, and not in the middle 

 of the hinder margin. S. Ide and Galantlius are remarkable for the brilliant carmine colour of the basal half, and a large oblique bar 

 beyond the middle of the fore wings, which splendidly contrasts with the black ground-colour of the upper surface of the wings ; whilst 

 the under surface is remarkably mottled with various tints, giving the wings much the appearance of withered leaves. The siiecies are 

 natives of the h()ttest parts of the New Wcn-ld. A manuscript note attached to the specimen of S. Zethus JVestw. in the British 

 Museum collection states that it is only seen in bright hot days, and that it keeps its position on a leaf day after day, darting up at 

 other insects as they fly past its seat. 



Sidcrone Itys, Isidora, and several other species, differ from the type, S. Ide, in having the fore wings more strongly hooked at the 

 tip, and in having the hind wings not so broadly caudate at llie anal angle, whilst the costal margin preceding the outer angle is more 

 or less emarginate. These species also exhibit a peculiar character which ivcjuircs further examination. This consists of two small 



