90 



FOSSIL BUTTERFLIES. 



given at a meeting of the Entomological Society of London, and which afterward 



appeared as follows in their Proceedings : I 



"Mr. Butler exhibited a remarkably perfect impression of the wing of a fossil 



butterfly in the Stonesfield slate. It appeared to be most nearly allied to the now 



existing South American genus Caligo." 



A full description of this insect soon appeared in the author's "Lepidoptera 



Exotica," accompanied by a plate; both were afterward rcpublished in the "Geologi- 

 cal Magazine." In fig. 4 we reproduce fig. 1 

 of his plates, representing the nenration of 

 Palasontina; and in fig. 5, fig. 2 of his plates, 

 subsequently copied by "The Graphic." A 

 description of the genus and species is first 

 given, which it is unnecessary to reproduce 

 here; afterward, the following remarks: 



"[12G] Though a British insect, this 

 species belongs to a group so completely 



tropical that I do not hesitate to describe and figure it in the present work; 



Fig. 4. 



Palieontina oolitica Butl. 

 The neuratiun, after Butler's first sketch. 



Fiff. 5. 

 Pala-'ontina oolitica Butl. Facsimile of Butlrr's first Bketo.h. 



its nearest allies are the genera Caligo, Dasyophthalma and Brassolis, all three 

 essentially tropical American genera. 



"P. oolitica is especially interesting, as being the oldest fossil butterfly yet dis- 



1872. xxxi. 



