OF THE AMAZON VALLEY. 561 



The area of distribution of JI. Vesta embraces the lesser areas of IE. Melpomene and 

 a. Thelxiope. As intermediate forms connect it with H. Melpomene, there can be no 

 doubt that it is descended from the same stock as that species ; but having diverged 

 more widely, it is not readily seen to be a modification of it, like K. Thelxiope. It may 

 be the oldest-created of this cluster of imperfectly segregated species. 



16. Heliconius Buuneti, Hlibner. 

 Migonitis Burneyi, Hvibn. Zutrage, f. 401, 402. 



This fine, large, robust species belongs to the same group as H. Melpomene, &c. It 

 seems to be confined, like B. Thelxiope, to the forest plains of the Amazons ; it is not, 

 however, a common insect, but is restricted to certain localities. Its strong, bold flight 

 distinguishes it from all other species of Heliconius, when on the wing. Many individuals 

 of both sexes have the hind wings black, except a patch of red at the base. 



17. Heliconius Egeria, Cramer. 



Papilio Egeria, Cram. Pap. Exot. t. 34. f. B, C. 



This resembles much H. Burneyi in size and general appearance ; it seems, however, 

 to be a perfectly distinct species, recognizable by the glossy light-brown hue with paler 

 streaks between the nervures, of the under surface of the wings. The hind wing beneath 

 has a red streak near the abdominal edge, and there is a yellow spot on the costa at the 

 base. It is a rare species : I took it at Para : it is found also at Cayenne, where H. Btirneyi 

 appears not to occur. My specimens differ from the one figured by Cramer, in the design 

 of the upper surface of the hind wing, the red colour of the basal half being continued in 

 a series of eight short, wedge-shaped streaks into the broad, black marginal half of the 



18. HELicOiS^iTJs Acede, Hlibner. 



Migonitis Acede, Hubn. Zutrage, f. 129, 130. 



Heliconia Astydamia, Erichson in Schomburgk's Reise in Brit. Guian. p. 595 (aberration). 



The antennge in this species are much shorter than in the Heliconii generally, and 

 more thickly clavate. It appears to be confined to the Amazon region and Guiana. In 

 Guiana (Demerara and Cayenne) a species is found* which closely resembles it in shape 

 and colours, but differs in having slender antennse, like the typical Heliconii. 



* Heliconius Xanthocles, n. s. 



(5 . 3" 2'". Fore wing : above, black ; the basal third clear orange-red ; a large quadrate spot within the cell at 

 the end, and a belt of seven large spots close after the end of the cell, clear yellow ; near the apex is a small oblong 

 yellow spot, crossed by three nervures. Beneath, the same. 



Hind winy very broad, nearly circular : aliove, black, with two short red streaks at the base. Beneath, the same, 

 except that there is a small yellow spot at the base of the costa, and four small red spots between the nervures at their 

 origin. Body black ; head with a few white marks ; mesothorax with four small spots in front, in a transverse line, 

 and two large ones in the middle, yellow. Scutellum and two spots on the metathorax also yellow. The abdomen 

 has a series of narrow yellow bauds, the tip of each segment being edged with yellow. Antennse long and slender, 

 black. 



Demerara ; Cayenne. 



4f2 



