Zoological Illustrations Volume I Part 17

Pl. 40

[Ill.u.s.tration]

HESPERIA Cynisca.

GENERIC CHARACTER.--See Pl. 28.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

_Hesp. (Div. 2.) alis nigrescente-fuscis, subtus obscurioribus; anticis supra fascia flava trifissa (in feminis alba); posticis subtus immaculatis, castaneo-fuscis, margine exteriore flavo._

Hesp. (Div. 2.) Wings blackish-brown; anterior above with a three-cleft yellow band, which in the female is white; posterior beneath immaculate, chesnut-brown, margined externally with yellow.

The different s.e.xes of this insect will appear so strikingly dissimilar to those who are familiarised only with the nice distinctions that separate the species of European _Lepidoptera_, that this affinity by such may be doubted; nevertheless, observations in their native country, and the close examination of several specimens, will we are persuaded confirm the fact.

The male insect is distinguished (like all the _Hesperidae_) by having the eyes considerably larger, and the anterior wings more narrowed than in the other s.e.x: in this species the bands on their wings a.s.sume the form of three yellowish spots, adjoining which, on the inner side, is a semi-lunular villous mark, an almost constant indication (where it exists) of this s.e.x. The straw-coloured border beneath the posterior wings is narrower and darker than in the female; but in both it forms a slender marginal fringe on the upper surface. Legs deep rufous; antennae black; the club beneath and lunule round the eye straw-coloured.

Inhabits South Brazil, but is not common.

Pl. 41

[Ill.u.s.tration]

ACHATINA pallida,

_Pale Achatina._

GENERIC CHARACTER.--See Pl. 21.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

_A._ (div. 2.) _testa cinereo-alba, fasciis duabus angustis fuscis, spira elongata recta, anfractibus 7 sub-ventricosis, labio interiore roseo, columella basi recta, integra, apertura ovato-oblonga_.

A. Sh.e.l.l cinereous-white, with two narrow brown bands, spire elongated, straight; volutions seven, slightly ventricose, inner lip rosy, base of the columella straight, entire, aperture ovate-oblong.

OBS. another specimen of A. pallida quite agreeing with this, is in Mr.

Dubois' cabinet.

The species of this and one or two other genera of land-sh.e.l.ls are subject to such variability in their colouring, that it becomes extremely difficult to ascertain which are species and which varieties. The sh.e.l.l now figured might, on a cursory glance, very well pa.s.s for one of the Protean varieties of the Linnaean _Bulla fasciata_; but a comparison with that sh.e.l.l will at once point out the strong specific difference that exists between them in the formation of the mouth. In this, the lower half of the inner lip, or more properly the pillar, is nearly straight; the base entire, or without any notch or truncated appearance: whereas in the true _A. fasciata_, the inner lip at the base is very much curved inward, and notched before it joins the outer lip. The mouth is also short and broad: whereas in this it is much more oblong, and the base round. Other more obvious characters exist in the form of the whorls, spire, and more particularly in the colour, of these two sh.e.l.ls; but these are in comparison of minor importance.

I regret having but one example of this sh.e.l.l, as it prevents me from tracing how far the characters here detailed hold good in other specimens.

They are such, however, as, I think, fully to justify the propriety of considering it a species.

Its locality is unknown.

I have little doubt more than one species exist among the supposed varieties of the true _Bulla fasciata_ of Linn., which I take to be the sh.e.l.l figured by Lister.

Pl. 42

[Ill.u.s.tration]

OLIVA Braziliana,

_Brazilian Olive_

GENERIC CHARACTER.

_Testa cylindrica, polita; spira conica, ac.u.minata, brevissima; labium exterius simplex, interius incra.s.satum, tumidum; columella plicis numerosis gracilibus; apertura basi truncata, emarginata._

Typus Genericus _Voluta Porphyrea_ Lin.

Sh.e.l.l cylindrical, polished, spire conic ac.u.minated, very short; outer lip simple, inner lip thickened, tumid, columella with numerous slender plaits, aperture at the base truncatedly emarginate.

Generic Type _Voluta Porphyrea_ Lin.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

_O. testa coniformi, lata; apertura effusa, labio interiore tumida callositate super spiram extendente._

Sh.e.l.l coniform, broad; aperture effuse, tumid callosity on the inner lip large, and spreading over the spire.

Oliva Braziliensis. _Martini p._ 130, _tab._ 147 _&_ 8, 1367 _&_ 8.

Oliva Braziliana. _Lamarck._