8 Mr. H. W. Bates's Notes 



yards in extent, but within this space they were innumerable; up the 

 trees, so far as the eye could reach, the leaves were peopled with 

 them ; it is possible the brood belonged to some one tree. The only 

 two pupae 1 could find, it is true, were on two distinct kinds of trees, 

 but this is no proof that the larva may not have fed on one tree 

 only. 1 was disappointed at not finding the larva, although I 

 searched well during this and the three following days ; on the 

 second day the butterflies were still coming out ; on the third 

 they were much fewer, and nearly all worn ; and on the fourth 

 day I did not see a single perfect specimen, and not a dozen 

 altogether. 



During all the time I worked the neighbourhood of the city of 

 Para I found but one specimen of a Zeuvia. This was in 1848 ; 

 the next time I saw the genus was at Altar do Chao, where I 

 took a few of a very small long-tailed species, at flowers. At 

 Ega, a fiew miles up the Teffi, I took one of another very hand- 

 some species at flowers, very distinct from all the others. 



Syrmatia. — This very week I have captured the first specimen 

 I have seen of this genus. It is very small and delicate, the tails 

 excessively long and twisted, but I secured it quite perfect ; it 

 had doubtless just escaped from the pupa case, and fell motionless 

 to the bottom of my net. It is a form intermediate between 

 Zeonia and Isapis, in fact, a little Isapis, with tails. Its flight is 

 exactly that of the Zeonia, progressing by vertical jerks ; it crossed 

 the path from the thicket on one side to a low tree, then, before I 

 could reach it, started off again to a palm frond, where it rested 

 on the under surface, gently fanning its wings like the Zeonia. 



Charis. — I place in this genus a few species (seven or eight) 

 which agree in their rather elongate wings of dark brown or 

 blackish colours, with more or less of a silvery border; some of 

 them are extremely common at all places on the Amazons, and in 

 all seasons, every day in the year ; for when the weather is so 

 cold and gloomy that no other butterfly will appear these are sure 

 to be seen along the forest paths, flitting about the foliage, settling 

 frequently and reposing a long time, generally on the upper sur- 

 face of the leaves, with the wings half raised. One or two of the 

 species, however, alight at once on the under surface of leaves. 

 They are not averse to the sun's beams, for in any silnny opening, 

 wherever in fact a ray of sunshine pierces the forest canopy and 

 illumines the sombre shades beneath, two or more males of these 

 merry little fellows are sure to be seen fighting furiously in the 



