MOTHS AND BUTTERFLIES. 



485 



when gazing full upon it." The end of the upper wings terminates in a fine point, as 

 the leaves of many tropical shrubs and trees are pointed, while the lower wings are 

 more obtuse,, and are lengthened out into a short thin tail. J3etween these two points 

 there runs a dark curved line representing the midrib of a leaf, and the outline of the 

 wings when pressed close together is that of a moderately sized leaf slightly curved or 

 shrivelled. The habits of the insect are such as to utilize all these peculiarities, and 

 render them available in such a manner as to remo\'e all doubt as to the purpose (if 

 this singular case of mimicry, which is undoubtedly a protection to the insect. 



Closely allied to Kallima, and like it, very leaf-like on the lower side, is Dollt- 

 scltullias, of which the most common species is IJ. bisaltlde. This is found in various 

 varietal forms throughout the East Indian region, as well as in the northern portions 

 of Australia. Anurtia has one species, A. jutro2:>hce, in our fauna, which is by no 

 means rare in Florida. It is brownish Avhite, with a row of small ocelli around the 

 margins. 



The genus Colcenis has one exquisite species, C. dido, in which the wings are 

 brownisli, with pale sea-green markings. It is very aberrant in these respects from its 

 congeners, which are light brown marked with black. The caterjiillar of the species 

 alluded to has been figured by Madame Merian. It is of a green color, having a red 

 and white ray along each side of the body. It bears several rows of short spines, ris- 

 ing in a radiated manner from a tubercle, and two very long caudal appendages. 

 Dione or Af/ranlis is represented in this country by a species very common in the 

 southern states, and extending across the continent to southern California, viz., I). 

 vanilla. Its bright orange-brown wings, marked with black sitots, with the lower 

 side adorned Avith large patches of silver, render it a verj' conspicuous and striking 

 insect among the passion-flower plants on which the larva feeds. TJ. nioiieta is a form 

 found from Mexico to Brazil, smaller in size than D. vanilke, but with the silver 

 blotches of the under side even more strongly marked. 



The two species of JEuptoieta, E. clandia and E. hegesia are North American 

 insects, the former extending from New York State to southern Mexico, and the latter 

 from the southern portion of California, througli Mexico, to Panama, and probably still 

 further south. They are nearly related to the next genus, Argi/imis, which is abundantly 

 represented on this continent, out of the seventy-five species catalogued by Kirby, not 

 less than twenty-eight being na- 

 tives of the United States. The 

 grandest of tliem all, A. diana, is 

 peculiar to Virginia, where it flies 

 in the middle of the day, darting 

 into the depths of the forest on 

 the approach of an intruder. The 

 male is about four and a lialf 

 inches in exiianse, the wings rich 

 chocolate-brown, with very broad 

 bright orange margin, while the 

 female is a little larger than her 

 mate, and has the border bluish 

 steel color, the lower side of both sexes being marked with silver sjjots. This 

 is imquestionably one of the handsomest insects found in the United States, and 

 is justly regarded as a great prize by the collector. The caterpillar feeds, as indeed 



llDlt. — Aryjianit; it/alia. 



