ERYPHANIS. By H. Feotistorfer. 311 



discocelhilar and the lovser are not so long as in Caligo, not so transversely placed, but obliquely joining the 

 median at its 3rd branch. This same is the case with the cell of the hindwing, but the precostal cell is quite 

 as small as in Caligo. The ^^ possess at the inner margin of the hindwing a strikingly large elongate or round- 

 ed, yellowish pilose spot, consisting of long, spatulate scent-scales. In addition they have, like Ca%o, a shiny 

 area, of lackered appearance, at the submedian, corresponding with a gland on the abdomen; the hair- 

 pencil is wanting. The clasping-organs show more analogy with Opsvphanes than with Caligo, to which the genus 

 is othei"wise apparently nearer. Tegumen. as in Opsiphanes and the Satyridae with a hook-shaped uncus which 

 bears two la,teral, ventrally smooth points. The valves long, slender, dorsally sharply dentate. The range of 

 this genus extends over northern South America and through Central America to Mexico. In the south, 

 like the genus OpsipJianes, it does not extend beyond Rio Grande do Sul and Bolivia. — Egg the same size 

 as those of the Morphids, spherical, somewhat flattened above and beneath and on these flattened parts dark 

 brown, otherwise whitish grey. Round the greatest circumference runs a broad, deep dark brown stripe, which, 

 however, at one side is not closed but remains open for about % mm. Larva on bamboo. It keeps the anal 

 fork compressed, so that it looks not unlike a Sphingid horn. Pupa elongate and as pointed at the head as at 

 the anal end. Accordmg to Dr. Hahxel the butterflies present a magnificent show of colour when in the shade 

 of the woods they suddenly let their ^^■onderful deep dark blue flash out. According to my experience in Santa 

 Catharina the Eryplianis are fond of feeding at the sap flowing out of trees in the undergrowth, on the stems 

 of which they sit with the wings folded, and it is also occasionally possible to attract them with overripe beaianas. 

 They are, however, nowhere found m large numbers. — Only 6 species are yet known. They are divided into 

 two unequal groups accordmg to whether a brush of hairs is present on the friction-area of the hindwing. 



a) o without hair-pencil on the bare inner-marginal area of the hindwing. 



E. polyxena, distributed in collections under the name automedon Cr., inhabits the whole of South 

 America from Venezuela to Paraguay, also Central America and Colombia to Ecuador and Peru, and splits up 

 into five known branch-races : lycomedon Fldr. Forewing in the ,^ blue-violet in the discal part, distal margin lycomedon. 

 dirty ochre-yellow, band washed-out; hindwing dark brown with narrow yellow-brown distal margin and dull 

 lilacine gloss; S dull broA^Ti, the end of the cell darker, in the dark brown distal area a rather sharp, ochreous 

 undulate band, anteriorly forked, but the outer branch washed-out. Disc of the forewing with a dull, grey- 

 blue gloss; in the cell sometimes 2 diffuse spots. Disc of the hindwing with blue-green reflection. Central 

 America a.nd Colombia. ■ — polyxena Meerh. (64b (j^, c $ as automedon). Above black-brown; ^ nearly black, polyxena. 

 discal part of both A\-ings with beautiful blue reflections ; forewing before the distal margin often with narrow 

 yellowish band, forked towards the costa. $ duller, costal and apical borders yellow-brown, basal half grey- 

 brown, distally with slight blue-green reflection. Venezuela, Trinidad, Guiana, North and Central Brazil, 

 about as far south as to Rio de Janeiro. — wardi Bdv., originally coming from Matto Grosso, but at first described ivardi. 

 by its author himself with the erroneous locality "Guatemala", was a lost form, of which I first received 

 authentic examples last yeai, from the neighbourhood of Cuyaba, Matto Grosso. wardi is distinguishable above 

 from polyxena by a shght violet shade, somewhat agreeing with that of lycomedon, and the more marked, 

 pale yellowish, but still obsolescent subm.arginal band connects it with novicia from. Ecuador and lycomedon 

 from Colombia. The 2 may readily be distinguished from, the Brazilian polyxena amphimedon by an extended, 

 nearly light yellow subapical (transcellular) area and two isolated yellow patches before the apex of the cell 

 of the forewing. — amphimedon Fldr. has very extended indigo-blue gloss on the upper surface, encroaching on amphi- 

 the obscure yellowdsh band before the distal margin and on the hindwing only leaving a narrow m^argin. Distal '^^edon. 

 margin of the hindwing less strongly angled at the lower median vein ; $ with the blue colour more extended 

 and more brilliant. Hindwing purer blue-grey in the basal part, the latter more sharply defined. According 

 to vo>"' BoxxiXGHATJSEN Very rare in shady places at Rio. Larva described in the generic diagnosis. From 

 Blumenau, Santa Catharina, in my collection; according to Stichel also in Paraguay. ■ — no\\c\2i Stich. Som.e- novicia. 

 what smaller than lycomedon. Above darker, predominantly brown, with only a slight violet tinge in the 

 central area of the fore^ving. The band near the distal margin of the latter purer. Hindwing distinctly 

 angled, narrowly but rather sharply margined with ochre-yellow. La China, province of Los Rios (Ecuador). 

 — irhii?, Stgr. The rj differing from, the preceding subspecies in having m.uch less blue on the hindwing. This MsHs. 

 dusting is here only present near the apex as a small spot, which at an oblique angle of light occupies a larger 

 space. Southern Peru. — cheiremon subsp. nov. closely approaches ivardi Bdv. from. Matto Grosso, as is so com.- clieiremon. 

 ro.only the ca,se in Bolivian subspecies, but is larger and bears a much longer yellow mealy spot in the anal fold 

 of the hindwing. The blue of the upper surface is brighter, on the hindwing more sharply defined. The under 

 surface more resembles that of lycomedon Fldr. from Colombia, but the subbasal part of the forewing and the 

 basa.l area of the hindwing are silver-white instead of yellowish resp. grey-brown. Ground-colour in general 

 also lighter, rather to be called grey than brown. Coroico, Bolivia, 1200 m. — spintharus i^nt/isi. A conspicuous sp-in/TiarMs. 



