122 MELINAEA. By B. Haenscli. 



distincta. A. distiticta Hsch. Similar to mechanitis. The subapical band of the forewing is small, the median 



band is proximalh^ curved and encloses a large black spot at the end of the cell; the proximal band consists 

 only of a spot in the cell. The hindwing has on the under surface at the end of the cell a large yellow spot which 

 shows through slightly above. 



11. Genus: Melinaea Hbn. 



This genus contains numerous stately species of rather large size and mostly of red-brown ground-colour. 

 They may be recognised by the long yellowish antennae and the long cell of the hindwing, with apparently 

 4-branched median. The Melinaeas are distinguished from the often very similar Meclianitis-S])ecies by the normal 

 forelegs, which in Mechanitis-^ (^ are reduced to a knob and which in the $$ have 4 joints to the tarsi. Moreover 

 Mechanitis has much shorter antennae. The Heliconius- species, which are likewise often very similar* super- 

 ficially to Meli7iaea, are recognised by the small cell of the hindwing and the absence of the hair-brushes in the ^^. 

 The Me?iwaea-species are distributed over the whole Neotropical region from Mexico to Argentina, but are mostly 

 not very abundant, occurring singly in company with the corresponding species of Mecha^iitis and Ceratinia. 

 The ^(^ have 2 pairs of hair-tufts, of which the first (at the base) is pencil-shaped, the 2. (at the end of the 

 cell) is broad and comb-like. 



zaneka. M. zaneka Btlr. (= dora Sired:) (32 e). This beautiful, large species is distinguished from most of 



the other forms by the absence of the dark longitudinal band in the disc of the hindwing. The forewing shows 

 the Li/corea-habitus, but without the yellow subapical spots. The dark distal margin of the hindwing is narrow 

 and only present in the apical half. The species occurs only in eastern Ecuador, mostly in the dusk of the 

 maculosa, primeval forest on undergrowth. — In ab. maculosa Hsch. the ground-colour is darker red-brown. The hindwing 

 bears in addition one or two incomplete, dark longitudinal bands, as in menofhilus. — In a further interesting 

 disnurens. aberration, which I call ab discurrens ab. nov., the ground-colour is likewise darker. At the distal margin .of the 

 hindwing are placed large dark brown projections and between the end of the cell and the apex a dark zigzag 

 line runs from the costal to the distal margin. 



menopkilus. M. menophilus Heiv. (= ishka Btlr.) (32a). A widely distributed species; it is smaller than zaneha, 



has a broader, dentate oblique band on the forewing and on the hindwing 2 blackish macular longitudinal bands. 



cocana. It occurs in the eastern Andes from Colombia to Peru. — In the local form cocana Hsch., from the upper 



Napo in Ecuador, the two bands of the hindwing are united into a large spot, in which the veins still remain 



maenius. finely brownish. — In the local form maenius Heiv. the ground-colour is dark red-brown and the black bands 



iarapolensis. and patches are very large, partly comfluent. From the Upper Amazon (Teffe). — As tarapotensis form. nov. 



{Bang.-H. i. I.) I designate another form with duller ground-colour from Tarapoto on the Upper Amazon. Here 



the oblique band of the forewing is narrower; the dark bands of the hindwing are larger and diffuse. On the 



chincha. under surface the dark markings at the costal margin and in the disc of the hindwing are absent. — chincha Bruce 



is a form of menofhilus in which the yellow obhque band of the forewing is absent; it has already been mentioned 



with the similar forms under Lycorea concolor. It comes like these from eastern Peru, and has the black 



patches exactly as in menophilus. 



messenina. M. messetlina Fldr. has the appearance of Mechanitis messenoides Fldr. (33 f), the forewing similar to 



viencphilus, the hindwing is however black-brown except for a red-brown subapical spot. In eastern Colombia 

 moihone. and Ecuador. — mothone Heiv. (= cydippe Salv.) (32 e). Here the yellow oblique band is absent. The colour 

 cousequentl}' appears plain black-brown with broad red-brown oblique band with black spots in it. The following 

 from other genera have verj' similar markings: Mechanitis deceidus, Ceratinia hicolora and semifulva, Hyposcada 

 fallax, and also Heliconius aristiona and their varieties, mothone occurs on the eastern slopes of the Andes from 

 Colombia to Peru and Bolivia in slightlj^ differing forms. 



All the preceding species of Melinaea have a broad black apex to the forewing. The following forms 

 have all a j'ellow or brownish subapical macular band. 



marsaeus. M. marsaeus Hew., from the Amazons, is similar to menophilus, but has a narrower, curved yellow 



oblique band, which has proximally another spur behind the middle. The black spots at the end of the cell and 

 in the basal part are joined together. In the black apical part are placed 3 oblong red-brown spots. 



divisa. M. divisa Stgr. is similar to the preceding in the markings. The yellow oblique band is however suppressed 



by the red-brown ground-colour. Moreover a yellow macular band is placed in the apex. — In the first described 

 lucifer. lucifer Bates (83 a) the two longitudinal bands of the hindwing are confluent. Both forms occur on the Upper 

 Amazon. 



Ilarosiqnata M. flavosignata Stgr. (= egesta Godm. & Salr.) has a broader 3^ellow oblique band than menophilus and 



hicclas. a yellow macular band in the apex. The habitat is Colombia and East Peru. — In hicetas Godm. <& Salv. (32 e) 



the 3-ello\V obhque band is suppressed by the red-brow-n ground-colour. Examples, however, occur like the 



