350 



Family IX. BRASSOLIDtE. 



Body very robust. 



Head small, clothed with closely adpressed hairs. 



Eyes moderate-sized, naked. 



Labial Palpi very small, and closely applied to the face. 



Antennae terminated by a large elongate-ovate club. 

 Thorax robust. 



Wings moderate-sized, ocellated beneath. 



Fore Wings with the discoidal cell of moderate length, closed. 



Hind Wings with the discoidal cell closed, preceded by a small prediscoidal cell ; those of the males with an 

 elongated very narrow polished channel along the anal margin, which forms a groove for the reception of the 

 abdomen. 



Fore Legs of the male small and brush-like, with the tarsal joints obsolete. ■ 



Abdomen large and robust. 



Caterpillar thickly fleshy, setose, attenuated towards the head, which is oval, the widest part being near 



the mouth. Terminal segment of the body entire. 

 Cmrysalis very thick, not angulated, convex, suspended by the tail. 



The present family agrees with the Nymphalidaj, Morphidns, and Satyridse, in the brush-like rudimental structure of the fore feet of 

 the males ; but is distinguished from all these families by the minute palpi applied so closely to tlie face that they appear, when seen from 

 above, simply as two points between the eyes. From the JMorpliida; and Satyridaj tliey are chiefly known by tlie larvfe being destitute 

 of the two elongated setose filaments or points at the extremity of the body. 



The family, as here characterised, differs from the Brassolides of INI. Boisduval ( 5/7f(/« ^('«c'raZ fZf* Zty)iV/o/)^('rf5, vol. i. p. 166.), by 

 excluding therefrom the giant species of Caligo (or Pavonia), which he had united therewith ; thus evidently laying greater stress on the 

 closed condition of the discoidal cell of the hind wings, than on the structure of the palpi and antennfe, and especially on the form of 

 the caterpillar. It is true, indeed, that there is a very close relationship between some of the Morphidaj, especially Ojisiphanes Cassiaj, 

 and its immediate allies, Pcnetes Pamphanis, Brassolis Astyra and B. Sophora;, not only in the general character of the colouring and 

 appearance of the insects, but also in the ocellated under surface of the wings; whilst the grand new insect represented in Plate LIX., 

 under the name of Brassolis Macrosiris, comes very close to Dj'uastor Darius, especially in the markings of the under side of the wings. 



Such considerations naturally lead to the inquiry, whether the Brassolid;c, either as here restricted to the genus Brassolis, or as 

 extended to comprise Caligo, Opsiphanes, Dynastor, Dasyophthalma, Penctes, and Narope (all having a similar prediscoidal cell, and 

 a closed discoidal cell to the hind wings), can be considered as one of the priinaiy groups of the Diurnal Lcpidoptera. The solution of 

 this question of course involves the entire classification of the butterflies, as it can only be determined by determining the importance 

 of the consideration of the preparatory states of tlie Lcpidoptera; a subject which, although it has received the attention of some of the 

 best of modern Lepidopterists, is still vxnsettled, and which cannot, as it seems to me, be satisfactorily solved until we obtain a much 

 more extensive knowledge than we now possess of the transformations of exotic Lcpidoptera in general. 



The species of this family, like the genera of Morphids above enumerated, are natives of the hottest regions of the New World. 

 They consist but of the single genus Brassolis. 



Genus I. BRASSOLIS. 



Brassolis Fahricius, God'., ^c. 



Head clothed with closely adpressed hairs, not tufted in front. 



Palpi small ; basal joint very much curved ; apical joint exceedingly minute, scarcely visible, compressed, 

 slightly clothed with closely adpressed hairs ; erect, scarcely reaching beyond the level of the middle of the 

 eyes, closely applied to the face ; the middle joint not furnished with a tuft of hairs on the side towards 

 the face. 



Ante7mce half the length of the wings. Club thick, composed of very sliort articulations. 



