BRASSOLIS. By H. Fruhstorfer. 287 



B. sophorae. originally described from Guiana, from whence Linne obtained his name-tyise, splits 

 np into four kno^^^l local forms, which are distributed on the Atlantic side to Rio Grande do Sul, on the Pacific 

 certainly as far as Peru. All agree m bearing a broad, obliquely placed, ochreous longitudinal band on the fore- 

 ■ning and a submarginal band on the hind wing, in the (J continuous, in the ? more indistinct and broken up 

 into separate patches. Under surface lighter, the ferruginous spot in the basal part of the cell more distinct; 

 cell-band in the $ breaking up into spots. Hind wing without distal-marginal band, dotted and striated with 

 whitish, in the q with ferrugmous spot in the basal part of the cell; forewing Avith a subapical ocellus, hind- 

 wing with a larger ocellus below the costa and another between the lower median veins. — Larva thickest in 

 the middle, head large and without thorns or spines, short dorsal hairs arranged in tufts, without tail-points, 

 but with small excrescences. On-palms, in nests of thick silk placed at the base of the fronds or right at the 

 end of the stem under the covering of the palm, concealed by day. Pupa smooth, brown, suspended. — sophorae sophorae. 

 L. (62 a) differs considerably in the male from the ?, which we figure, in the peculiar shape of the wing, espe- 

 cially in having the costal margin of the forewing even more concave than in astyra (62 a). Hindwing anally 

 narrowed, produced into an obtuse pomt. Rather common every^vhere and in the evening from about 5 o'clock 

 buzzing round the banana thickets near human settlements after the manner of the Sphingids. — In lurida lurida 

 Stich., from Colombig,, the ground-colour is duller, the band of the forewing lighter, m the c^' posteriorly narrowed, 

 and ending iii a pomt at the hindmargm. Band of the hindwing nearer to the end of the cell, runnmg out 

 along the lower median vein. On the maderside of the hindwing there is a third eye-spot between the upper 

 and middle median veins. — ■ vulpeculus Stich. Body anteriorly and posteriorly fox-red. Wings paler than in vulpeculus. 

 typical sophorne, the band of the hindwmg tmged with reddish at the costal margin and posteriorlj^, in the cell 

 somewhat broader, then of uniform breadth to the mner margin. The cell also tinged with fox-colour in its 

 basal part, so that the dark median spot stands out sharply; the median also faintly dusted with reddish. In 

 the apical part 3 small white spots. On the hmdwiirg the ochreous band before the distal margin is considerably 

 broader than in typical sopJiorae. Paraguay, Argentina. According to 2 examples in coll. Fruhstorfer, 

 the hitherto vmkno'v^ai $ has the cell of the forewing also basally somewhat more broadly and paler ochre- 

 yellow, the band of the hindwmg broader, but weaker. Underside of the forewing with the longitudinal band con- 

 siderably reduced; hinchving more delicately irrorated and as is typical of Paraguay butterflies, pale earth- 

 coloured, lighter than in examples from more northerly localities. — ardens Stich., from Ecuador and southern ardens. 

 Peru and probably also occurring in Bolisiaj has the forewing in the (J 40 — 43, in the $ 49 mm in length. 

 Band of the hindwing bright reddish ochreous, in the region of the hinder angle suffused with fiery red-brown. 



B. astyra differs from sojihorae in having the transverse band of the forewing anteriorly at the end of 

 the cell broken into wedges, the part placed m the cell abbreviated or interrupted by the ground-colour. — 

 Two geographical races: astyra Godt., from central Braz il, distributed from Espiritu Santo to Santa Oatharina. astyra. 

 Hindwing near the distal margin without or with only quite faint traces of a band (name-t3^e); occasionally 

 (in examples from Santa Oatharina), however, with a very distmct band (f. dimidiata form. nov.). Black- dimidiata. 

 hTOvra, forewing with ochreous yellow-brown oblique band, the costal pai*t of which is forked and clouded or 

 darkened. A^Tiilst the distal arm nearly reaches the costa, the proximal is abbreviated or broken up into 

 brown spots. Hindwmg mostly unicolorous or with only faint traces of distal bands; $ with the ground- 

 colour paler, the band of the forewing a little lighter. — Egg spherical with shallow longitudinal ribs, often 

 running into one another; larvae in bag-shaped nests, a large number together, brown with light longitudinal 

 lines. When they are somewhat grown one can hear the sound of their feeding and can track them by this 

 means. The adult larva reaches 8 cm. in length, with reddish markings on the head; the pupa is smooth, 

 slightly compressed ventrally, either dark brown with black, yellow-edged stripes or bright j^ellow with lighter 

 stripes and patches. — philocala Stich. (62 a as astyra). Hindwing with distinct rust-red band near the distal phihcala. 

 margin. The hitherto undescribed $ (type in coll. Fruhstorfer [Geneva]) much larger than the cJ, round- 

 mnged like that of sophorae, but of greater wing-expanse. Oell-spot on the lower part before the apex reduced. 

 Band of the forewing much narrowed anally. Hindwing occasionally with the rust-red submarginal band entirely 

 absent. Habitat Rio Grande do Sul, where according to Mabilde the larva occurs from April to November on 

 various palms and lives in an oval bag of 30' — 40 cm. in length and 10 cm. in breadth, which contains three or 

 four inner divisions. In this the larvae remain for 7 — 8 months, packed one above another like sardines in a 

 case, sometimes 5 — 600 specimens together. — haenschi Stich. shows the band of the forewing bright rust-yellow haenscM. 'f-^ 

 and has no undulate distal marginal line beneath. Ecuador. — maritima Stich. has the band of the forewing maritima. 

 paler and distally less broken than in haenschi; under surface with undulate, in places obsolescent line before 

 the distal margin; the ocelli on the under surface are also less bright, more pale and blind. Venezuela. 



B. isthmia Bates, from Central America and Colombia, has the wings dark brown above, the forewing isthmia. 

 with a pale yellow-ochre oblique band, 9 — 10 mm. in breadth, with the proximal edge irregularly defined, some- 

 what dentate and bounded by the submedian. Beneath the oblique band is paler, only distinct beyond the 

 cell, in the cell a rounded brown spot. Hindwing above brown, m the <^ only a narrow ferruginous patch 

 along the lower median vein, in the $ without markings. 



B. granadensis Stich. (62 a) closely approaches the preceding species, but is somewhat larger. Forewing srmnrwZcnsis. 

 with broad ochre-yellow oblique band, on the lower discocellular a black-brown spot. Hindwing with only 



