Chap. III. MORPHO BUTTERFLIES. 103 



hues, which Linnaeus, in pursuance of his elegant system 

 of nomenclature, — naming the different kinds after the 

 heroes of Greek mythology, — called Trojans, never leave 

 the shades of the forest. The splendid metallic blue 

 Morphos, some of which measure seven inches in 

 expanse, are generally confined to the shady alleys of 

 the forest. They sometimes come forth into the broad 

 sunlight. When we first went to look at our new 

 residence in Nazareth, a Morpho Menelaus, one of the 

 most beautiful kinds, was seen flapping its huge wings 

 like a bird along the verandah. This species, however, 

 although much admired, looks dull in colour by the 

 side of its congener, the Morpho Rhetenor, whose 

 wings, on the upper face, are of quite a dazzling lustre. 

 Rhetenor usually prefers the broad sunny roads in the 

 forest, and is an almost unattainable prize, on account 

 of its lofty flight ; for it very rarely descends nearer 

 the gi'ound than about twenty feet. When it comes 

 sailing along, it occasionally flaps its wings, and then 

 the blue surface flashes in the sunlight, so that it is 

 visible a quarter of a mile off. There is another 

 species of this genus, of a satiny-white hue, the Morpho 

 Eugenia ; this is equally difficult to obtain ; the male 

 only has the satiny lustre, the female being of a pale- 

 lavender colour. It is in the height of the dry season 

 that the gTeatest number and variety of butterflies are 

 found in the woods ; especially when a shower falls at 

 intervals of a few days. An infinite number of curious 

 and rare species may then be taken, most diversified 

 in habits, mode of flight, colours, and markings : some 

 yellow, others bright red, gTeen, purple, and blue, and 



