Illustrations of Exotic Entomology, Volume 3

PLATE XIV.

BIBLIS HIARBAS.

Plate XIV. fig. 1, 2.

Order: Lepidoptera. Section: Diurna. Family: NymphalidÆ, Swains.

Genus. Biblis, Fabr. Latr. God. Papilio (Nymphal. Phal.), Drury.

Biblis Hiarbas. Alis dentatis, fuscis; fasciÂ utrinque communi albÂ, posticarum latiore, anticarum abbreviatÂ. (Expans. Alar. 2 unc. 6 lin.)

Syn. Papilio (Nymph. Ph.) Hiarbas, Drury, App. vol. 3. Donovan Ins. India, pl. 3. fig. 3. Fabr. Ent. Syst. III. 1. p. 128. No. 391.

Biblis Hiarba, Enc. MÉth. ix. p. 824. 2.

Habitat: Sierra Leone (Drury). Cape of Good Hope (J. O. W.).

Upper Side. AntennÆ, head, thorax, and abdomen black. Wings deep brown, almost black: a white bar rises on the anterior ones near the tips, and running parallel with the external edges crosses the posterior ones, and ends just below the abdomen, gradually widening. Posterior wings at the abdominal corners tipped with orange, and having a double row of narrow white crescents along the external edges; the anterior wings having only a single row.

Under Side. Palpi white. Breast and legs grey-brown. Abdomen yellowish. The white bar and row of crescents nearly as on the upper side, but all the brown parts are prettily spotted and variegated with red-brown spots of different shapes; the general colour of the wings being a greyish brown. Wings dentated.

Fabricius cites Drury's collection alone for this species, incorrectly giving India as its habitat. Drury had previously stated it to have been received from Sierra Leone. Donovan, relying upon the former rather than the latter, figured the insect in his "Epitome of the Insects of India."

NYMPHALIS SEMIRE.

Plate XIV. fig. 3, 4.

Order: Lepidoptera. Section: Diurna. Family: NymphalidÆ, Swains.

Genus. Nymphalis, Latr. Papilio (Nymph. Gemmat.), Drury.

Nymphalis Semire. Alis subdentatis fuscis, fasciÂ utrinque viridi interruptÂ, posticis ad angulum ani ferrugineo maculatis; subtus omnibus basi luteis, nigro punctatis. (Expans. Alar. 2 unc. 9 lin.)

Syn. Papilio (N.) Semire, Fabr. Spec. Ins. tom. 2. p. 88. Ent. Syst. III. 1. p. 114. No. 351. Cramer, pl. 194. fig. B. C.

Papilio (N. Ph.) Hippolyte, Drury, App. vol. 3.

Nymphalis Semire, Latr. & God. Enc. MÉth. ix. p. 392.

Habitat: Sierra Leone.

Upper Side. AntennÆ black. Thorax and abdomen yellowish brown. Wings dusky greenish brown, and spotted with round black spots at the base. Anterior having ten distinct spots of a pea-green, of different sizes and forms. Posterior wings with a large central patch of pea-green, which being divided by the tendons appear like six distinct long spots; below this patch is a row of faint reddish triangular spots.

Under Side. Palpi and legs pale yellow. Breast grey. Abdomen yellowish. Wings with the black spots much stronger, and the green spots more distinct than on the upper side. The general colour of the wings is much lighter, with a broadish cream-coloured bar running along the external edges, which, being separated by the tendons of the wings, appear like distinct streaks. Wings dentated.

VANESSA DELIUS.

Plate XIV. fig. 5, 6.

Order: Lepidoptera. Section: Diurna. Family: NymphalidÆ, Swains.

Genus. Vanessa, Fabr. Latr. God. Hamadryades, HÜbn. Papilio (Nymph. Phal.) Drury.

Vanessa Delius. Alis dentatis suprÀ fulvis basi extimoque fuscis, anticis apice strigÂ punctorum alborum; posticis maculÂ discoidali oblongÂ ocellisque duobus analibus nigris, his extus caudatis, illis falcatis. (Expans. Alar. 2 unc. 5 lin.)

Syn. Papilio (Nymph. Phal.) Delius, App. vol. 3. (1783.)

Papilio N. Eurocilia, Fabr. Ent. Syst. III. 1. p. 79. No. 247. (1793.)

Vanessa Demonica, Latr. & God. Enc. MÉth. ix. p. 301. No. 14. (1819.)

Habitat: Sierra Leone, with the two preceding (Drury). "In Indiis" (Fabr.). America? (Enc. MÉth.).

Upper Side. AntennÆ black. Thorax and abdomen red-brown. Anterior wings nearly black at the base, and also half of them next the tips, whereon are five small white spots, the middle of them being of a dark orange. Posterior wings also black at the base; each of them is furnished with two tails, the outward ones the longest; the external edges being bordered with dark brown, almost black, and all the middle part of the wing is dark orange.

Under Side. Palpi and legs yellowish. Breast dark brown. Abdomen yellowish. Wings with blackish and dark brown spots and marks, not to be distinctly described. Anterior wings with a broad yellowish bar crossing them from the anterior edges to the lower corners; while the posterior are also remarkable for a blueish patch placed between the outer tails and the abdominal corners.

The locality given by our author is evidently correct, because he was furnished with information respecting its habits by Mr. Smeathman, who stated that it breeds chiefly near open and cultivated spots, or in recent plantations, and sports in the sun like the AcrÆÆ.

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