The Butterfly Book Part 29

Genus PYRRHANaeA, Schatz

(The Leaf-wings)

_b.u.t.terfly._--Medium-sized b.u.t.terflies, on the upper side of the wings for the most part red or fulvous, on the under side of the wings obscurely mottled on the secondaries and the costal and apical tracts of the primaries in such a manner as to cause them to appear on this side like rusty and faded leaves. Structurally they are characterized by the somewhat falcate shape of the primaries and the strongly produced outer margin of the secondaries about the termination of the third median nervule. The first and second subcostal nervules coalesce with one another and with the costal vein. The costal margin of the fore wing at the base is strongly angulated, and the posterior margin of the primaries is straight. The cell of the secondaries is very feebly closed.

_Egg._--Spherical, flattened at the base and somewhat depressed at the apex, with a few parallel horizontal series of raised points about the summit.

_Caterpillar._--Head somewhat globular in appearance; the anterior portion of the first thoracic segment of the body is much smaller in diameter than the head; the body is cylindrical, tapering to a point.

_Chrysalis._--Short, stout, with transverse ridges above the wings on the middle of the abdomen, keeled on the sides. The cremaster is small and furnished with a globular tip, the face of which is on the same plane as the ventral surface of the body, causing the chrysalis to hang somewhat obliquely from the surface which supports it.

This is a large genus of mostly tropical species, possessed of rather singular habits. The caterpillars in the early stages of their existence have much the same habits as the caterpillars of the genus _Basilarchia_, which have been already described. After pa.s.sing the third moult they construct for themselves nests by weaving the edges of a leaf together, and thus conceal themselves from sight, emerging in the dusk to feed upon the food-plant. They live upon the _Euphorbiaceae_, the _Lauraceae_, and the _Piperaceae_. The insects are double-brooded in the cooler regions of the North, and are probably many-brooded in the tropics.

[Ill.u.s.tration FIG. 111.--Neuration of the genus _Pyrrhanaea_.]

(1) =Pyrrhanaea andria=, Scudder, Plate XXIV, Fig. 1, ? (The Goatweed b.u.t.terfly).

_b.u.t.terfly_, ?.--Solidly bright red above, the outer margins narrowly dusky on the borders. On the under side the wings are gray, dusted with brown scales, causing them to resemble the surface of a dried leaf.

?.--The female has the upper side paler and marked by pale fulvous bands, as shown in the plate. Expanse, ?, 2.50 inches; ?, 3.00 inches.

_Early Stages._--In Fig. 21, on p. 9, is a good representation of the mature caterpillar, the nest which it constructs for itself, and the chrysalis. A full account of the life-history may be found in the "Fifth Missouri Report" from the pen of the late C.V. Riley. The caterpillar feeds on _Croton capitatum_.

The insect ranges from Illinois and Nebraska to Texas.

(2) =Pyrrhanaea morrisoni=, Edwards, Plate XXIV, Fig. 2, ? (Morrison's Goatweed b.u.t.terfly).

_b.u.t.terfly_, ?.--Much like _P. andria_, but more brilliantly and l.u.s.trously red on the upper side, and marked with paler macular bands like the female.

?.--Differing from the female of _P. andria_ in the more macular, or spotted, arrangement of the light bands on the wings, as is well shown in the plate. Expanse, 2.25-2.50 inches.

_Early Stages._--Unknown.

This species occurs in Arizona and Mexico.

(3) =Pyrrhanaea portia=, Fabricius, Plate XXIV, Fig. 3, ? (Portia).

_b.u.t.terfly._--Splendid purplish-red on the upper side. On the under side the fore wings are laved with bright yellow on the basal and inner marginal tracts, and the secondaries are dark brown, irrorated with blackish scales arranged in spots and striae. Expanse, 2.75-3.00 inches.

_Early Stages._--Unknown.

_Portia_ occurs in the extreme southern part of Florida and in the Antilles.

Genus AGERONIA, Hubner

(The Calicoes)

[Ill.u.s.tration FIG. 112.--Neuration of the genus _Ageronia_.]

_b.u.t.terfly._--The antennae moderately long, delicate, terminated in a gradually thickened club. The eyes are naked; the palpi are compressed, only slightly porrect, not densely covered with scales. The neuration is alike in both s.e.xes, the costal and the median veins greatly thickened toward the base. The first and second subcostals arise from before the end of the cell; the fourth and fifth subcostals arise from a common stem emitted from the third subcostal beyond the end of the cell. The cells in both the fore and hind wings are closed. The b.u.t.terflies are of medium or large size, curiously marked with checkered spots, blue and white, with broad paler shades on the under side of the secondaries.

They are rapid fliers and are said to alight on the trunks of trees with their wings expanded and their heads down. When flying they emit a clicking sound with their wings.

_Early Stages._--Very little is known of these.

The chrysalids are slender and have two ear-like tubercles on the head.

This genus is, strictly speaking, neotropical. About twenty-five species have been described from Central and South America, some of them being exceedingly beautiful and rich in color. The two species credited to our fauna are reported as being occasionally found in Texas. I have specimens of one of the species which certainly came from Texas. I cannot be so sure of the other.

(1) =Ageronia feronia=, Linnaeus, Plate XXIV, Fig. 4, ? (The White-skirted Calico).

_b.u.t.terfly._--Easily distinguished from the only other species of the genus found in our fauna by the white ground-color of the under side of the hind wings. Expanse, 2.50 inches.

_Early Stages._--Unknown.

This remarkable insect is said to be occasionally found in Texas.

(2) =Ageronia fornax=, Hubner, Plate XXIV, Fig. 5, ?, _under side_ (The Orange-skirted Calico).

_b.u.t.terfly._--Closely resembling the preceding species on the upper side, but at once distinguished by the orange-yellow ground-color of the under side of the hind wing. Expanse, 2.60 inches.

_Early Stages._--Unknown.

Like its congener, _A. fornax_ is reported only from the hotter parts of Texas.

Genus VICTORINA, Blanchard

(The Malachites)

_b.u.t.terfly._--Large b.u.t.terflies, curiously and conspicuously marked with light-greenish spots upon a darker ground; wings upon the under side marbled with brown about the spots and having a satiny l.u.s.ter. The third median nervule of the fore wing is very strongly bowed upward. The cells of both wings are open. The hind wing is tailed at the end of the third median nervule. The two first subcostals arise before the end of the cell; the fourth and fifth spring from a common stem which is emitted from the third beyond the end of the cell, as the cut shows.

_Early Stages._--We know nothing of these.

This genus, in which are reckoned five species, all found in the tropics of the New World, is represented by but a single species in our fauna, which occurs in southwestern Texas and in Florida. It is very common in the West Indies and Central America.

[Ill.u.s.tration FIG. 113.--Neuration of the genus _Victorina_.]

(1) =Victorina steneles=, Linnaeus, Plate XXIV, Fig. 6, ? (The Pearly Malachite).

This splendid insect is occasionally found in southern Florida and the extreme southern part of Texas. It is common throughout tropical America. Nothing has ever been written upon its early stages.

FOSSIL INSECTS

Investigations within comparatively recent times have led to the discovery of a host of fossil insects. A few localities in Europe and in North America are rich in such remains, and the number of species that have been described amounts to several thousands. Strangely enough, some of these fossil insects are very closely allied in form to species that are living at the present time, showing the extreme antiquity of many of our genera. One of the comparatively recent discoveries has been the fossil remains of a b.u.t.terfly which Dr. Scudder, who has described it, declares to be very near to the African _Libythea labdaca_, which differs in certain minor anatomical respects from the American Libytheas which are figured in this work; and Dr. Scudder has therefore proposed a new generic name, _Dichora_, meaning "an inhabitant of two lands," which he applies to the African species because related to the extinct American b.u.t.terfly. The strange discoveries, which have been made by palaeontologists as to the huge character of many of the mammals, birds, and reptiles which at one time tenanted the globe, are paralleled by recent discoveries made in insect-bearing strata in France. M. Charles Brongniart of the Paris Museum is preparing an account of the collection which he has made at Commentry, and among the creatures which he proposes to figure is an insect which is regarded by Brongniart as one of the forerunners of our dragon-flies, which had an expanse of wing of two feet, a veritable giant in the insect world.