IDÆA LYNCEA.Order: Lepidoptera. Section: Diurna. Family: NymphalidÆ, Swains. Genus. IdÆa, Fabr. God. Papilio (Dan. Fest. or Eq. Hel.), Drury. IdÆa Lyncea. Alis elongatis integerrimis cinerascentibus, venis maculisque permultis nigris; anticis subfalcatis. (Expans. Alar. 6 unc. 9 lin.) Syn. Papilio Lynceus, Drury, App. vol. 2. Papilio Idea, Stoll. Suppl. Cramer, pl. 42. f. 1. Idea Lyncea, Enc. MÉth. ix. p. 195. Habitat: The Island of Johanna, near Madagascar. Upper Side. AntennÆ black and subfiliform. Head, neck, and thorax black, spotted, and streaked with white. Abdomen black. Wings almost transparent, and of a glassy hue, much resembling common glass; having a great number of black spots like velvet on them of different shapes and sizes, some being round, some oblong, and others like streaks; there being on each of the anterior wings twenty-eight distinct ones, besides those placed next the anterior edges, which are not easily ascertained, from their running into one another. Posterior wings with thirty-three distinct spots like those on the anterior, whereof some appear double. Under Side. Palpi white. Tongue black, and spiral. Breast, sides, and legs streaked with black and white. Abdomen white. Wings coloured as on the upper side. Margins of the wings entire. The LinnÆan specific name of the type of the present genus was Papilio Idea, a name admirably expressive of the delicate transparent structure of these butterflies. As several closely-allied species were discovered in addition to the original type, all partaking of the same appearance, Fabricius transposed the original specific name into that of the genus; a new specific name, Agelia, being given to the original species, which is beautifully figured by Donovan, in his Insects of India, Pl. 24, and is by him considered identical with the insect figured by Drury. I have adopted the opinion of the authors of the EncyclopÉdie MÉthodique, who consider the two insects as distinct. ACRÆA CAMŒNA.Plate VII. fig. 2. Order: Lepidoptera. Section: Diurna. Family: NymphalidÆ, Sw. Genus. AcrÆa, Fabr. Latr. God. Papilio (Helicon.), Fabr. &c. AcrÆa Camoena. Alis oblongis fuscis, posticis basi nigro-punctatis ad extimum fasci flavescente transvers extus nigro-marginatÂ. (Expans. Alar. 2 unc. 9 lin.) Syn. Papilio (Eq. Helic.) Camoena, Drury, App. vol. 2. Herbst. Pap. t. 81. f. 3. Fabr. Ent. Syst. III. 1. p. 173. No. 539. Enc. MÉth. ix. p. 234. (AcrÆa C.) Habitat: Cape Coast, Africa. Upper Side. AntennÆ black. Neck, thorax, and abdomen black, spotted with white. Anterior wings dark snuff colour, immaculate. About two-thirds of the posterior wings (upwards) also snuff-coloured, having some faint black spots thereon, seen more distinctly on the other side; beneath this is a yellow clay-coloured bar, running from the abdominal corner and ending near the external edge by the upper corner; below this bar is a black indented margin running along the external edge, with some small faint spots thereon, which are much stronger on the other side. Abdominal groove clay-coloured; and on each wing next the shoulders is a small triangular clay spot. Under Side. Palpi clay-coloured. Breast and sides black, with white spots. Anterior wings coloured as on the upper side. Posterior wings clay-coloured, with twelve black distinct spots, two near the upper corners being small and round. These wings next the breast are black, with some white spots thereon; and along the external edges is a black indented margin, with eight small white spots on it, two of which next the abdominal corners are joined together. Margins of the wings entire. HELICONIA DIAPHANA.Plate VII. fig. 3. Order: Lepidoptera. Section: Diurna. Family: NymphalidÆ, Sw. Genus. Heliconia, Fabr. Latr. God. Papilio (Eq. Helicon.), Drury, &c. Heliconia Diaphana. Alis oblongis integerrimis hyalinis, margine omni fasciÂque transvers abbreviat anticarum fusco-nigris, posticis subtus cost baseos sulphureÂ. (Expans. Alar. 2 unc. 3 lin.) Syn. Papilio (Eq. Helic.) Diaphanus, Drury, App. vol. 2. Cramer, pl. 231. C. and pl. 315. D. E. Fabr. Ent. Syst. III. 1. p. 184. No. 570. Habitat: Jamaica, Brazil to Virginia (Enc. MÉth.). Upper Side. AntennÆ black, and very long. Thorax and abdomen dark brown. Wings transparent, vitreous. Anterior ones with the posterior edges bending as it were inwards. A small narrow border of dark brown runs entirely round the edges of these wings; and on the anterior edges, about a third from the tips, runs a dark brown streak towards the middle of the wing, close to which is a small white spot joining to the anterior edge. Posterior wings having also a very narrow border running about two-thirds round them, and stopping at the abdominal edges; some long yellowish hairs are placed on the anterior edges near the body. Under Side. Palpi, breast, sides, ash-coloured. The dark brown borders surrounding the wings appear on this side of an orange brown colour; the rest as on the upper side. Margins of the wings entire. |