( xlvi ) 



one with proboscis extended, and wings raised and incessantly 

 vibrating. In company with various species of Callidryas, 

 especially C. philea, C. agarithe, and (J. aryante, and Fapilio 

 androgeus, P. thoas, P. macrosilaus, P. salvini, and P. epidaus, 

 they settle in thousands all together, and the quivering of all 

 these wings and the Avonderful colours is a sight never to be 

 forgotten for beauty. . . ." Pa]nlio philolaus is a purely 

 Central American insect, being found from Mexico to Nica- 

 i^agua. In the God man collection at South Kensington there 

 is a long series showing a great amount of variation. A 

 melanic form of the female is sometimes produced which is 

 almost completely black, the pale bands being only visible as 

 the faintest shadows. 



C'aligo memuon, Feld. — There is a specimen of this well- 

 known Central American species. Dr. Davis writes: "There 

 is another very handsome species, C. uranius, which is fairly 

 common, and I hope to be able to send you one or two of 

 these at no very distant date. The habit these have of settling 

 on trunks of trees makes them very dilEculb to capture, and 

 I usually find that they do not remain vei'y long in good 

 condition, owing, I suppose, to their large size and the 

 extremely thick forest which is their usual habitat." 



The collection embi-aced six species of the genus Ileliconius, 

 viz. — H. isvienius telcJiinia, Doubl. ; //. ci/dno galcmthtts, 

 Bates ; II. doris transiens, Stgr. ; H. sapho leuce, Doubl. ; //. 

 petiveranus petiveranus, Doubl. ; H. charithonia, L. The first 

 named, H. telchinia, is a brown species, with a striking resem- 

 blance to several other insects which fly in the same region. 

 I have associated with Dr. Davis's specimen a Mechanitis (M. 

 doryssus, Bates), also sent by him, and likewise Melinaea 

 wiitata, Eueides zorcaon, and the Danaine Lycorea atergatis, 

 which, although not included in this collection, are found in 

 Central America, the tint and pattern of the wings being 

 very similar in these and other species, the general colour 

 scheme having been called by Haensch the ^' Lycorea habitus." 

 These butterflies afford a familiar illustration of Miillerian 

 mimicry. 



But to return to the species of Ileliconius sent by Dr. 

 Davis, 1 should like again to quote his letter. He says : " I 



