Lizars sc.
1. Heliconia Erato.
2. H. Cynisca.
3. H. Sylvana.
1 Surinam.
2 Guiana.
3 Surinam.
HELICONIA ERATO.
PLATE XI. Fig. 1.
Godart.—Pap. Erato, Linn.—Heb. Ricini (Mas.), Fabr.—-Pap. Amathusia, Cramer, Pl. 177, fig. F.
Extent of the wings about three inches; the ground colour deep black. Upper wings with three diverging rays of deep red at the base, the inferior one longest and extending rather beyond the middle; not far from the extremity of these rays there is a large discoidal patch of sulphur-yellow, unequally divided into two parts by a black bifurcated nervure; beyond this, near the apex, is a series of contiguous spots of the same colour, varying from two to five. Under wings with six deep red rays extending from the base towards the hinder margin, and behind the place where these terminate, an arched row of small blue spots. The colour beneath is dark brown; the upper wings marked nearly as on the surface, except that the costa at the base is alone tinged with red; under wings with eight diverging pale-red lines, and a row of whitish marks parallel with the hinder margin. Body black; the sides of the thorax and abdomen marked with small yellow spots. In the beautiful variety figured, the red lines on the secondary wings, as well as the discoidal nervure, are bordered with a narrow stripe of shining blue.
This species is a native of Surinam, where it occurs not unfrequently.
HELICONIA CYNISCA.
PLATE XI. Fig. 2.
Godart.—Pap. Ricini (Fem.), Linn.—H. Erato, Fabr.—Pap. Vesta, Cramer, Pl. 119, fig. A.
This species presents a considerable similarity to the preceding, both in size and distribution of colours. The surface is deep black; a large portion at the base of the anterior wings fulvous-red, traversed by three black nervures; near the middle a large spot of sulphur-yellow, and beyond it a circular series of smaller unequal spots of the same colour. The under wings have from five to seven red stripes, extending in a radiated form from the base towards the hinder margin. Beneath the design is similar, but the ground colour inclines to brown, and one of the yellow spots on the superior wings is prolonged nearly to the base. The body is black, the sides of the thorax spotted with yellow, and the breast marked with transverse lines of the same colour; there is likewise a yellow line along the under side of the abdomen.