176 



THE BLACK AND GOLD BUTTERFLY. 

 Papilio Helena. 

 PLATE XXXVII. 



Papilio Helena, Linn. Syst. Nat. p. 748 Cramer's Desc. 



de Papitton, pi. 22, f. 1 Shaw's Nat. Miscellany, 



pi. 77. 



ALL the wings of the Helena are black, with alter- 

 nate radiations, rendered visible by the play of light ; 

 the upper wings are very slightly indented, and the 

 lower ones considerably so, with a large patch of 

 bright golden yellow on each ; the body is light burnt 

 umber brown ; the antenna? are rather short and 

 slender, with pretty large knobs at their tips. 



The Papilio Helena is a South American insect, 

 and principally found in Surinam. It is considered 

 as one of the most striking of the exotic butterflies, 

 and is distinguished by the deep velvet black of its 

 wings, which are marked by a few lighter stripes, 

 accompanying the fibres ; while the lower wings are 

 ornamented by a very large spot or patch of the 

 richest golden yellow, traversed by several veins of 

 black. 



