HELICONIA I. 
would alight by it or fly about it. On examination this imago proved to be a 
male, and so did the captured butterflies. 
“ At the same time another chrysalis was suspended, and began to change color, 
October 4th, early in the afternoon. Soon male butterflies appeared, took hold 
of the chrysalis, as before, but were easily frightened away. By six o’clock, same 
afternoon, the color had .changed, and males came freely, attached themselves 
firmly, and would not let go, in fact, were utterly regardless of their safety. 
When picked off they would fly around and return at once. Two males remained 
all night. Before daybreak next morning, 1 was at my post, and there found 
the two males, opposite one another, .head down, abdomen curved towards the 
abdominal end of the chrysalis, both apparently exercising a pressure. Lighted 
matches held near them would not drive them away, shaking the twig did not 
loosen their hold, only picking them off bodily separated them from the chrys¬ 
alis. The latter was now almost black, and momentarily I expected the shell to 
burst. This happened, but the break was not at the usual place. Owing prob¬ 
ably to the pressure or weight of the butterflies, the shell burst at the abdom¬ 
inal end, and instantly one of the males made connection with the female imago, 
while the head and thorax of the latter were still enclosed. After about ten 
minutes, I determined to free the new insect, which was accomplished by a slight 
pressure on the shell, and I then removed the pair and suspended them to a leaf- 
stem. The wings of the female immediately began to expand, but they did not 
fully develop. Without my aid, the imago would not have been able to extricate 
itself from the shell, although copulation had been effected. 
u I suspended another chrysalis, well discolored, under same conditions, Octo¬ 
ber 7th, in the morning. Males flocked, circled about a few times, approached 
closely and then flew off again, none having alighted or actually touched the 
chrysalis. This went on for an hour, when a male emerged. The butterflies 
were mostly caught and all proved to be males. 
“ October 17th, another chrysalis was suspended under same conditions as the 
last mentioned. Males appeared, etc. Behavior just as before; none touching. 
The imago proved to be a male.” 
On November 1st, Dr. Wittfeld again wrote : “ To-day I made another corrob¬ 
orative observation on Heliconia chrysalis. At eight A. M., two males attached 
themselves to a female chrysalis, and acted as before reported. Four more males 
had appeared by nine o’clock, took hold as best they could, and the six made 
quite a bunch. Soon after others came, but had to be content with flying in 
close proximity, as there was no more holding room. At ten o’clock, I freed the 
female from the crowd, and found the abdomen exposed, but head and thorax 
still in the shell. I carried her to the house, allowed her to suspend from a 
