134 LLOYD'S NATURAL HISTORY. 



AGERONIA AMPHINOME. 



(Plate XX II., Fig. 2.) 



fdpilio amphinome, Linnaeus, Syst. Nat. (x.), i., p. 473, no. 95 

 (1758); Cramer, Pap. Exot, i., pi. 54, figs. E. F. (1775)- 



This Butterfly measures about three inches and a half across 

 the wings, which are black above, covered with pale blue 

 markings of various shapes ; one row of blue spots towards 

 the hind-margin of the hind-wings is imperfectly enclosed by 

 curves and angles in such a way as to form a series of incom- 

 plete oval ocellated spots. From just beyond the middle of 

 the costa of the fore-wings, a rather broad white band, with 

 irregular edges, runs nearly to the hinder angle. The under sur- 

 face is black, the basal area being occupied by crimson mark- 

 ings divided by the nervures, and radiating outwards from the 

 base, extending, parallel to the inner-margin, nearly to the 

 anal angle on the hind-wings ; above the anal angle, the streaks 

 are shorter, and partly broken into spots. The white band is 

 well marked on the under surface, and more sharply defined 

 than on the upper, though its edges are still irregular. There 

 is also a row of marginal and sub-marginal white spots on all 

 the wings, the latter being replaced on the lower part of the 

 hind-wings by the red spots which form a continuation of the 

 basal markings. 



It is a common Butterfly in Southern and Central America. 



GENERA ALLIED TO AGERONIA. 



Panacea, of Godman and Salvin, is considered to be the 

 nearest allied genus to Ageronia, but the species are larger and 

 more robust, and much more handsomely coloured. The species 

 of Pa?iacea, which are found in various countries of the northern 

 half of South America, are blue, striped with black towards the 

 base, and are black towards the apex of the fore-wings, and 

 sometimes on the borders of the hind-wings ; the blue portion of 



