MOTHS AND BUTTERFLIES. 489 



genera, Heliconius and Eaekles. They are all iseculinr to the American continent. 

 "The prevailing ground-color of the wings of these insects is deep black, and on this 

 are depicted spots of crimson, white, and bright green, in different patterns according 

 to the species. Their elegant shape, showy colors, and slow, sailing mode of flight, 

 make them very attractive objects, and their numbers are so great that they form 

 quite a feature in the physiognomy of the forest, compensating for the scai-city of 

 flowers." One species, 11. charilhoida, in which the wings .are black with greenish yel- 

 low markings, is very abundant in Florida. 

 This genus is shown in the plate op]>osite 

 p. 120 of this volume. 



The Acroeina3 has but two genera with 

 about eighty-five species, the typical genus 

 Acrcea being for the most part composed 

 of African insects with semi-transparent 

 wings, of reddish brown colors, marked 



with black spots, of an endless v.ariety of Fia.au. -Arrmaa.ua,. 



pattern. They are nearly all rather small 



insects, few being above three inches in width. The caterpillars are spinose and the 

 chrysalides also are furnished with sliort spiny jsrocesses, many of them being marked 

 with golden spots. Some of the sjiecies from the west coast of Africa are very beau- 

 tiful, shades of red of various degrees of intensity prevailing .amongst them. 



Tlie Brassolinas are like Morpho, but Avith brown wings, Urassolis and Ojjsi- 

 pJumes having very short bodies, with the antennaa thickened at the tips, especially in 

 the females. Caligo contains some very large insects, C. enrylochun or the "owl- 

 butterfly," as it is sometimes called, being common throughout South America. Its 

 expanse of wings is sometimes nine inches, and when they are folded b}^ the insect in 

 a state of rest, the Large ocelli at base of secondaries look like a pair of eyes of some 

 small species of owl, thus, no doubt, protecting the insect from the attacks of birds and 

 other enemies. C. aramis has a brilliant bar of orange transversely across the wings. 

 The Brassolinas are all natives of America and the West India Islands. 



We now approach a group of Nymphalida?, wdiich contains some of the largest and 

 at the same time the most beautiful of Lepidopterous forms, and which, though not 

 numerous, either in genera or species, is full of interest to the student of nature. The 

 Morj)hina3 have the wings large, with a groove in the secondaries for the rece|ition of 

 the abdomen, which is short, and, considering the size of the wings, remarkably small. 

 The nerves at the base of the primaries arc greatly develo])ed, the wings are rounded 

 in the outline, tlie discoidal cell of secondaries .always open, an<l the antenna ahnost 

 hair-like, or, at least, very slightly thickened <at this extremitjr. The wings beneath 

 are adorned Avith ocelli, generally of large size. 



It is somewliat singular that the Morphinoe shoidd lie found only in the East 

 Indian Islands and the warmer portions of the American continent, the whole of 

 Eurojie, Africa, and the most of the main land of Asia possessing no representative of 

 the tribe. They thus naturally divide themselves into two sections, that of the East 

 Indian Archipelago, for the most part, containing smaller and duller-colored insects 

 than the group inhabiting Brazil .and Centr.al America. 



The true Morphos are, as has been said, found mainly in Brazil, only two or three 

 species reaching as far north as Mexico. Notable among these is a large white one, 

 with rather small brown ocelli, viz., M. pohjphemus., which is a native chiefly of the 



