

■Pubt. r. X. loiS. ERYCINIDAE. By Dr. A. .Seit2. 617 



8. Family: Erycinidae. 



As many other lepidopterologists have done before, we likewise comprise here all those day-butter- 

 flies the (^^ of which have 4 fully-developed gressorial feet, the $$6. On the other hand we might divide the 

 species collected here into several families according to the habitus, veins, larval shape etc.; especially the 

 Libytheins might be regarded as a proper species (cf. Vol. I, p. 251). But since the families of the day-butter- 

 flies are, moreover, not equivalent to each other, the Nymphalidae s. s. for instance differing among each other 

 much more than e. g. the Pierids or Satyrids, our method of dealing with them is probably justified. 



Indeed, the neoarctic Erycinidae exhibit the very greatest difference in their shape, coloiirs, the struc- 

 ture of their body, their wing-contour and so on, and only a siftall part of them can be explained as mimetic 

 suggestions of co-inhabitants of the same country. Beside species with entirely normal contours such as some 

 Emesis and Nymphidium, there occur the most peculiar distortions such as uncommonly long tails of the hind- 

 wings (in Zeonia Diorina) deviating in Syrinatia even to such an extent that almost the whole hindwing turns 

 into a stripe-like tail-appendage of the forewing; in Helicopis and Sarota there are tail-appendages at almost 

 all the ends of the veins of the hindwings, and in Methonella we notice in the $ the beginnings of such appen- 

 dages in the shape of long teeth. Angulations and bends may be found almost at all places of the margin 

 of the wings: thus Symmachia exhibits a geniculate curve in the middle of the costal margin of the forewdngs; 

 Euselasia angulata such a bend below the middle of the distal margin; Eusel. eugeon and Thucydides have a 

 point at the anal angle of the hindwings. The distal margin of the wings may describe a semi-circle, as for 

 instance in Zelotaea pellex, but it may be also cut straight as if with scissors, as in Euselasia lysias. Sometimes 

 the wing-contour of a species varies according to the season and locality to such an extent that one imagines 

 to see specimens of different species. Sickle-shapes may occur in the fore- and hindwmgs and be the peculiarity 

 of a genus or species, or even be individual (in its graduation). Like the wings, also the legs may be changed 

 by appendages, and many species of the genus Anteros, when settling down on leaves, seem to rest on stuffed 

 knobs, on account of the enormous growth of hair on their legs. 



Almost all the Erycinidae are rather small butterflies, mostly of the size of hycaena, many being very 

 small, such as some Charis and Mesene; the strongest development of the body (though not of the wings) 

 is noticed in the $ of the rare Mimocastnia rothschildi where the stout body, similar as in night-butterflies, may 

 be due to the endeavour of nature to make it appear like a stout Castnia ; really large species with an expanse 

 of wings of more than 6 to 7 cm do not occur among the Erycinidae in America. 



By their colouring and gloss they are superior to any other group of day-butterflies, and by then- metal 

 gloss which in some species is unparalleled, the Erycinidae form a parallel to the humming-bird among the 

 birds and the Syntomids among the night-butterflies. The mere blue lustre of some Euselasia and Mesosemia 

 excels that of the other blue day-butterflies with the sole exception of certain Morpho; but quite unequalled 

 is the gold and bronze lustre of some Euselasia. Thus, for instance, Eusel. praecla7-a which on being looked at 

 in the shade or in front of the origin of the light is a moderately fine butterfly resembling the ^ of Chryso- 

 pJianus virgaureae, changes its colour altogether if the eye is brought between the sun and if the butterfly is 

 held in its glare and is turned round the longitudinal axis of the pin. At first one sector of the forewing, 

 from the costa to the median, shines golden green. Then the forewing turns dark blue-violet between the 

 median and the inner margin, while on turning further round the forewing assumes a golden yellow tint like 

 polished up bronze and the veins are covered with a radiant, hemochrome reflection, hereafter the surface 

 of both wings tm-ns golden, while the distal margin exhibits a verdigris gleam. On turning still further, both 

 wings, except the costal and proximal margins of the hindwings assume a golden-green lustre, the forewings 

 exhibiting a reddish-golden sector. The only analogous sight known to me in the animal kingdom, is the most 

 closely allied species, Euselasia opalescens. This butterfly pretty much resembles the former in its habitus and 

 its dull red-yellow colouring of the wings, but the metal lustre is, on the whole, brass-j'^elloAv bemg relieved 

 by a hemochrome, silvery and bronze-golden lustre when one gradually turns the butterfly round. We must 

 remark that this lustre of Euselasia has nothing in common with the colouring and the lustre of the Uraniids 

 {Chrysidia, Urania), nor with the gloss of th.e Morpho being merely reflecting but not changmg its colour, and 

 that only a slight degree is found in some Nymphalidae (Eutiica), changing between a dull blue and a green 

 metal gloss. This form of reflection must, therefore, be added to the numerous characteristics by which the 

 members of the family Erycinidae are distinguished from all the other butterflies knoAvn. 



An analogous characteristic feature is found in the Helicopis being nearly allied to the Euselasia, for 

 they exhibit metal-drops on the under surface of the hindwings. On being turned towards the hght, they 

 appear more golden; but on bringing the eye between the origin of the light and the butterfly, they are silvery. 

 The.se metal-.spots are also most peculiar by protruding plastically from the surface of the wings, therefore 

 in relievo, as if pressed out. The appearance of plastic markings on the wing of a butterfty (as a bas-relief) 

 is extremely rare, and I only remember the ease of the Australian gigantic Hepialid Zelotypia stacyi (Vol. X, 



V 78 



