Upper Side. Antennæ black. Head yellowish. Thorax and abdomen brown; the former having two white spots near the neck, and two more at a little distance. The latter having several white spots, placed in pairs down to the anus. Wings fine flesh-coloured; anterior tipped with black, and verged with the same colour along their anterior and external edges. They are also clouded with black next the body, and have eleven distinct black spots on each, one of which next the tips is very long. Posterior wings having a broad black fringe along the external edges, and eleven distinct black spots on each, some of which are very small.
Under Side. Palpi yellow brown. Legs black and yellow. Breast black, spotted with white on its side. Wings nearly coloured as on the upper side; the anterior being not quite so brilliant, nor so strongly tipped with black. All the black spots on the outside of these wings are also seen here; but the black clouds next the body are wanting. Posterior wings next the body tinged with orange, and the black spots are much larger and more distinct and numerous than on the outside. Black fringe on the external edges, with seven white spots placed regularly, close to each other.
According to Mr. Smeathman, this butterfly and that represented in figures 3 and 4 of this plate, and indeed all the "Heliconii," are found in great numbers in those places where they breed, and are observed to bask and sport as much as possible in the sunshine, retiring towards sunset in great crowds to particular bushes. They breed chiefly in recent plantations, and near towns in general, so that, comparatively speaking, few of them are found in the ancient forests. Such however as inhabit them fly about the tops of the highest trees, seeking the honey from their flowers, and are seldom seen below.
ACRÆA MENIPPE.
Plate [XIII]. fig. 3, 4.
Order: Lepidoptera. Section: Diurna. Family: Heliconiidæ.
Genus. Acræa, Fabr. Latr. God. Papilio (Helicon.), Drury.
Acræa Menippe. Alis oblongis integerrimis, anticis suprà fuscis nigro-punctatis; ad apicem fasciâ abbreviatâ maculisque marginalibus albidis; posticis fasciâ fulvâ latâ transversâ. (Expans. Alar. 3 unc. 3 lin.)
Syn. Papilio (Helic.) Menippe, Drury, App. vol. 3. Stoll. Suppl. Cram. pl. 28. fig. 1. Herbst. tab. 81. f. 4. 5.
Papilio H. Zetes? Linn. Syst. Nat. 2. 766. No. 110.