NYMPH ALIDiE, 
305 
An insect varying slightly in the coloring of the lower wings 
and having the veins margined with grayish white has been given 
the name of Danais stigosa. As these two forms blend into one 
Danais stigosa. 
another by insensible gradations, so that among a dozen specimens 
all collected in the same locality it may be impossible to state to 
which some of them belong, one would naturally conclude that they 
were the same species with slight color variations. 
Heliconia comprises many very beautiful insects of medium size, 
having very long and narrow upper wings, comparatively small 
lower wings, long bodies, and long, knobbed antennae. They give 
off a powerful odor when handled, and on account of their bitter 
taste are avoided by birds and other insect-eating animals. Their 
home is tropical America, where they abound in great numbers 
both in species and individuals, their bright colors of red, yellow, 
blue and green in sharply outlined patches and bars on a usually 
black ground enlivening the dark forests, and partly compensating 
for the lack of brilliant flowers in those regions. Their caterpillars 
are spiny, and their chrysalides are angular, and, according to various 
observers, emit a squeaking noise as they bend from side to side 
when disturbed. 
