(149) 



On some Heliconoid Danainai and Heliconidse in the Collection 

 of the British Museum ; by Arthur G. Butler, F.L.S., &c. 



In his great paper on the Lepidoptera of the Amazon Valley, 

 Mr. Bates has regarded the gemis Mechanitis (typical) as con- 

 sisting of but one extremely variable species ; among the 

 varieties he describes, two are named, as being better marked 

 forms than the others ; but to my mind the differences are no 

 greater than between the typical species M. I'^ohiinnia and the 

 other forms in the genus. 



In the case of M. olivencia, Mr. Bates says, " It is a variety of 

 M. polymnia which varies in an important part of structure ; 

 but this remark would be equally applicable to " var. 2," of 

 which we read " hind wings of the $ more angular than in 

 M. polymnia, the apex being as if truncated." 



As I desire to see consistency in our nomenclature, and 

 moreover find it extremely awkward not to have names for 

 the supposed forms of M. polymnia, I shall follow Mr. Bates's 

 example both in the above-mentioned paper, and in the Entomo- 

 logist's Monthly Magazine I., p. 33, and name them. 



Egaensis group. 



1. Mechanitis obscura. 



M. egaensis var. 1, Bates, Trans. Linn, Soc. xxiii., p. 532, 

 (1862.) 



$, 9 Ega, {Bates.) B.M. 



Also found at Pupunha, Rio Jurua. 



The above form may very possibly be a race of M. egaensis 

 with which it occurs ; but it is very common, and differs 

 constantly in the much deeper tint of the wings and wider 

 black bands. 



V 3 



