CO LI A 8 argante. 

 Orange Colias. 



Generic Character. — See PI. 5. 



Specific Character. 



C.(Mas.) alis aurantiis, supra immaculatis,postkis subtus atojnisjerrugliitis, 



plermnque puncto gey/iino argenteo. 

 C (Fam.) alls aurantio-Jlnvis, antkis supra, apke punctoque medio airis ; 



postkh subtus, puncto gemino argenteo atomisgue ferrvgineis. 

 C. (Male.) Wings bright-orange, above immaculate; posterior beneath with 



minute ferruginous dots, and generally two silvery spots. 

 C. (Female.) Wings golden-yellow; anterior above with a central spot and 

 black marginal tip; posterior beneath covered with ferruginous dots 

 and two silvery spots. 

 {Male.) Papilio Ilersilia. Cramer, pi. i73. CD. 



argante. Fab. Ent. St/st, iii. pt. 1. p. 139. 



Colias argante. Godart in Fncycl. Method. 9. 92. no. 11. 

 (Female.) Papilio Cipris. Cramer, pi. 99. E. F. 

 Colias Cnidia. Godart, 93. no. 14. 



JVo two insects can present a more striking dissimilarity than 

 the sexes of this species ; and it was only after a considerable de- 

 gree of attention to the subject, in their native climate, that we 

 were at last thoroughly convinced that Colias argante and C. Cni- 

 dia were, -without the least remaining doubt, the male and the 

 female of one species. I have had the same opinion communi- 

 cated to me by my friend Dr. LangsdorfF, whose long residence 

 and observations in Brazil render his opinion of no small autho- 

 rity. 



As both insects are well known, and their distinctions given 

 in the specific character, it will be only necessary to observe, 

 that the under surfaces of the wings in both sexes vary much both 

 in the density of the minute dots, and short undulated stripes 

 that spread over their surface ; and that the silvery spots in some 

 males are strongly marked, and in others quite obsolete : there 

 is, in very fine individuals of this sex, a faint bloom of pink 

 spread on the orange of the upper surface, which heightens the 

 vivid yet chaste beauty of the insect. The females are not so 

 common. 1 met with them both in northern and southern 

 Brazil, and have seen them in collections from Park directly 

 under the equinoctial line, 

 n. 52. 



