TERIAS Elvina. 



Generic Character,. 



Antenna breves, clava subtruncata, compressa. Palpi brevissimi ciirvati, vie 

 ultra caput producti, ad linguam compressi, densis squamis imbricatis in 

 totum h.i'ti, apicc nudo. Abdomen elongatum, gracile, in ynaribus 6-ar- 

 ticuiucutn, aicicuio ultimo duobus uncis incurvatis approximantibus ; valvis 

 latin, incrassutis, truricatis, aduncis. Ala utroque sexu s'miiles ; lata, ob- 

 tuse, rvtuinJuta, integerrima. 



Tyj)us (ieneric;is Fapllio Hecabe. Linnaeus. 



Antennae short, the club somewhat truncate and compressed. Palpi very 

 sh(jrt, curved, hardly projecting beyond the head, closely compressed 

 01) die tongue, entirely covered with close imbricate scales, the tip 

 na' 'I Body elongated, slender, in the male six-jointed, the last 

 V,'::, .wii approximating incurved hooks; valves broad, thickened, 

 truiicate, and hooked. Wings in both sexes alike, broad, obtuse, 

 rounded, very entire. 



Generic Type Papilio Hecabe. Linnaeus. 



Specific Character. 



T. alls subdiaphanis, sulphureis, subtiis immuculatis. Anticis svprd apice ni' 

 gris, post ids (in maribus) margine antico basi gibbosis. Fam. ? 



Wings sub-diaphanous, pale sulphur; beneath immaculate. Anterior, 

 above with a black marginal tip; posterior (in the male) with the 

 fore-margin gibbous at the base. Female r 



Pieris Elvina. Godurt in Enci/cl. Method, p. 158. no. 67. 



This is one of the smallest of Butterflies, and from the extreme 

 delicacy of its form seems to sanction with truth the poetic idea 

 of livilj^ " but for a day." It is found in Brazil, inhabiting only the 

 deepest lorests, as if fearful its httle life would be endangered by 

 the scorching rays of a tropical sun : in these sombre shades it 

 is seen to fly slowly and feebly near those spots where a ray of 

 the sun has partially entered the thick canopy of foliage above, 

 which is frequently fifty or sixty feet from the ground. 

 PI. 22. 



