402 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1917. 



and other butterflies, but the monkey could not be induced to eat 

 them. When a Heliconius was given him the monkey would take it 

 politely and sometimes smell it, but he would invariably drop it after 

 holding it in his hand for a few minutes.^ The butterflies and 

 moths resembling them were also avoided ; and the same was true of 

 certain harmless insects resembling species provided with stings. 

 The caterpillar of the Zebra butterfly feeds on the little passion 

 flower (Passifora suberosa) , which is quite common in the park. It 

 is interesting to note that both the butterfly and this host plant oc- 

 cur in Cuba and the Lesser Antilles. In Florida the species ranges 

 from the region of Indian River and the headwaters of the St. Johns 

 to Cape Sable. It also occurs in Mexico and ranges southward 

 through the lowlands of Central America. 



THE METAL-MARKS. 



CalepheTls cctenms L., the "little metal-mark," is a very small 

 butterfly belonging to the family Lemoniidae, and the subfamily 

 Erycininae. It is of a reddish brown color on the upper side, 

 brighter red on the under side. On both the upper and the under 

 sides the wings are profusely spotted with small steely blue metallic 

 markings, arranged in more or less transverse series, especially on 

 the outer margin. Expanse, 0.75 inch. Its life history is unknown. 

 This species is common in Florida, and ranges thence northward to 

 Virginia and westward to Texas.^ 



ZAMIA BUTTERFLY. 



The remarkable little " coontie " butterfly of the pinelands, Eu- 

 maeus atala Poey (pi. 45, fig. 8), belongs to the famil}^ which in- 

 cludes the little "blues" (Lycaenidae), but it is larger than most of 

 its members. On Paradise Key it is only an occasional visitor, but 

 it occurs on Palma-vista, in the northeast corner of the park, where 

 its food plant, Zamia floridana^ grows.^ According to Holland its 

 early stages await description, but Mr. E. A. Schwarz, of the United 

 States National Museum, has given an account of its life history 

 with excellent illustrations. The butterfly, which also occurs in 

 Cuba, is conspicuous, not only on account of its coloration, but also 

 for its abundance. The larva is of a brilliant red color, with tufted 

 protuberances on every segment. The butterfly lays its cream-col- 

 ored eggs, resembling microscopic, depressed, spineless sea-urchin 

 shells, on the under side of the leaflets and along the midrib, or 

 rachis of the leaves while they are still young and tender. In about 



1 See Belt, Thomas, The Naturalist in Nicaragua, p. 316. 1874. 



2 See Holland, The Butterfly Book, p. 232, pi. 28, fig. 16. 1898. 



3 See illustrations of this plant, pis. 31 and 32. 



