﻿262 
  Mr. 
  A. 
  R. 
  Wallace 
  on 
  the 
  Eahits 
  of 
  the 
  

  

  classed 
  with 
  the 
  Nymphalidce, 
  exactly 
  agrees 
  with 
  this 
  family 
  in 
  

   its 
  haunts 
  and 
  mode 
  of 
  flight 
  ; 
  and 
  as 
  it 
  agrees 
  with 
  them 
  also 
  in 
  

   many 
  structural 
  points, 
  it 
  may 
  be 
  considered 
  as 
  forming 
  a 
  very 
  

   satisfactory 
  link 
  connecting 
  the 
  two 
  families. 
  

  

  Didonis 
  Bihlis, 
  belonging 
  to 
  the 
  Eurytelidce, 
  is 
  common 
  in 
  many 
  

   parts 
  of 
  the 
  Amazon. 
  It 
  frequents 
  open 
  and 
  rather 
  simny 
  places, 
  

   but 
  flies 
  low 
  and 
  weakly. 
  

  

  A 
  singular 
  butterfly 
  with 
  greatly 
  developed 
  palpi, 
  named 
  Li- 
  

   hythea 
  Cuvieri 
  in 
  the 
  British 
  Museum 
  Collection, 
  1 
  found 
  abund- 
  

   antly 
  at 
  Santarem 
  flying 
  about 
  marshy 
  meadows 
  in 
  the 
  sunshine. 
  

  

  We 
  now 
  come 
  to 
  the 
  Eryc'midcv, 
  another 
  extensive 
  family 
  of 
  

   almost 
  peculiarly 
  American 
  insects, 
  and 
  which 
  exhibit 
  a 
  variety 
  

   and 
  brilliancy 
  of 
  colouring 
  unsurpassed 
  in 
  the 
  whole 
  order. 
  In 
  

   these 
  too 
  the 
  Amazon 
  is 
  particularly 
  rich, 
  producing 
  about 
  two 
  

   hundred 
  species. 
  More 
  than 
  any 
  other 
  butterflies, 
  the 
  Erycinidcs 
  

   are 
  the 
  inhabitants 
  of 
  the 
  virgin 
  forest 
  in 
  whose 
  dark 
  recesses 
  

   many 
  of 
  the 
  rarer 
  and 
  lovelier 
  species 
  are 
  alone 
  to 
  be 
  found. 
  

   Some 
  of 
  the 
  larger 
  kinds, 
  such 
  as 
  the 
  genera 
  Helicopis, 
  Erycina 
  

   and 
  Stalachtis 
  are 
  common 
  in 
  the 
  skirts 
  of 
  the 
  forest, 
  and 
  even 
  

   come 
  out 
  into 
  the 
  sunshine, 
  where 
  Euryhia, 
  Eurygona 
  and 
  Meso- 
  

   semia 
  are 
  scarcely 
  ever 
  seen. 
  

  

  The 
  great 
  mass 
  of 
  the 
  species 
  of 
  this 
  family 
  have 
  a 
  very 
  pecu- 
  

   liar 
  habit 
  of 
  invariably 
  settling 
  and 
  reposing 
  on 
  the 
  under 
  surface 
  

   of 
  leaves 
  with 
  the 
  wings 
  expanded, 
  but 
  there 
  are 
  some 
  striking 
  

   exceptions 
  to 
  this 
  rule. 
  The 
  beautiful 
  golden-spotted 
  Helicopis 
  

   cupido 
  and 
  allied 
  species, 
  thougli 
  they 
  always 
  settle 
  on 
  the 
  under- 
  

   sides 
  of 
  leaves, 
  yet 
  invariably 
  do 
  so 
  with 
  the 
  wings 
  closed, 
  as 
  in 
  

   the 
  more 
  typical 
  butterflies. 
  The 
  species 
  of 
  Chnris 
  and 
  Themone, 
  

   on 
  the 
  other 
  hand, 
  prefer 
  the 
  upper 
  surface 
  of 
  leaves 
  for 
  their 
  

   station, 
  where 
  they 
  expand 
  their 
  wings; 
  while 
  the 
  true 
  Erycinas 
  

   rest 
  with 
  wings 
  closed 
  upon 
  leaves, 
  like 
  the 
  tyjiical 
  Papilios, 
  which 
  

   by 
  their 
  tailed 
  wings 
  they 
  distantly 
  resemble, 
  tiiough 
  their 
  strong, 
  

   rapid 
  and 
  jerking 
  flight 
  is 
  like 
  that 
  of 
  the 
  Hcsperias. 
  These 
  dif- 
  

   ferent 
  modes 
  of 
  resting 
  are 
  very 
  peculiar 
  and 
  interesting, 
  because 
  

   they 
  are 
  so 
  very 
  constant 
  and 
  uniform 
  in 
  the 
  same 
  genus. 
  Is 
  

   there 
  any 
  anatomical 
  peculiarity 
  wliich 
  leads 
  Ntjmphidiuni 
  always 
  

   to 
  expand 
  its 
  wings 
  in 
  repose 
  and 
  Helicopis 
  always 
  to 
  close 
  tliem 
  ? 
  

   and 
  for 
  what 
  reason 
  should 
  Charts 
  always 
  expose 
  itself 
  on 
  the 
  

   upper 
  surfaces 
  of 
  leaves, 
  while 
  hundreds 
  of 
  its 
  more 
  modest 
  or 
  

   more 
  timid 
  allies 
  invariably 
  take 
  advantage 
  of 
  the 
  friendly 
  shelter 
  

   afforded 
  them 
  and 
  rest 
  upon 
  the 
  under 
  side 
  ? 
  

  

  There 
  are 
  some 
  other 
  peculiarities 
  in 
  the 
  habits 
  of 
  the 
  different 
  

   genera 
  worthy 
  of 
  notice. 
  Eurybia 
  and 
  Eunogyra 
  always 
  keep 
  

  

  