“The chrysalis is elongated and pointed, scarcely angular, of a green colour with a transverse gilded band; the extremity, which is of a deeper green, is sprinkled with a great number of golden points.
“The perfect insect comes out in about three weeks. Exposed to the sun, it developes itself completely in two or three hours, while individuals born in the shade take nearly a day to develope themselves, and are usually less brilliant.”
Genus URANIA.
As already mentioned, Urania is distinguished from all other groups, except Thaliura, by the shape of the antennæ, and an obvious character for separating it from that is the presence of only a single tail. The palpi are short and project a little beyond the head, the terminal joint being nearly naked. The tibiæ of the anterior legs are furnished with spines in the middle; and the claws are minute. When at rest the anterior wings are kept in a horizontal position, or but slightly turned upwards, one peculiarity among many others in which they resemble the nocturnal lepidoptera. We are indebted to Mr. Macleay for an account of the metamorphoses of a species which he has named U. Fernandinæ, but which is probably synonymous with some previously known. The caterpillar feeds on a kind of Omphalea which grows abundantly on the sea-coast of Jamaica. It never appears during the heat of the day, but reposes in a torpid state within a thin transparent web on the under side of the leaves, in order to avoid the rays of the sun. Its only time of feeding is during the night. In its appearance and habits it shows more affinity to the larvæ of the Bombycidæ than to the diurnal Lepidoptera. When about to change to a chrysalis it spins an oval cocoon of yellow silk, the meshes of which are so lax as to allow the inmate to be easily seen. The pupa is not at all angular. “The perfect butterfly,” he adds, “is perfectly diurnal, and very swift in its flight. It is not found in the interior of the island, but it may be seen in plenty as far as two or even three leagues from the coast, sporting in the sun, and sucking the flowers of Cestrum diurnum, Ehretia tinifolia, and other odoriferous trees of small stature. In hot weather and about mid-day it flies particularly high, and may be even observed surmounting the tops of the highest members of the forest. In the afternoon I have often seen it sport about some capriciously chosen spot, such as a particular branch of Mango, where it would always return to alight on almost the same leaf, in a manner that has sometimes reminded me of a well known habit of the Musicapæ. Thus does our insect spend whole hours until sunset, when the bats usually terminate its diversion and its life. On the approach of winter it may be seen at times alighting on hedges, when specimens are more easily captured. The flight, however, of U. Fernandinæ is always strong, and it starts like the Fringillidæ. When it alights on a leaf, all the four wings are expanded horizontally; and rarely, if ever, take a vertical position, like those of the species of the Linnæan genus Papilio, when at rest[38].”
URANIA SLOANUS.
PLATE XXIX. Fig. 1.
Godart.—Pap. Sloanus, Cramer, Pl. 85, fig. E, F.—Pap. Leilius, Var. Fabr.—Leilius Occidentalis, Swainson, Illus. Pl. 129.
Expands about two inches and a half or three inches; surface deep black; the upper wings each with six or seven transverse lines of golden green, and near the middle a band of that colour bifid (sometimes trifid) anteriorly. Under wings with a central band of bright coppery red, irregularly indented, the abdominal margin more or less gilded green; the tail black with a few emerald green spots. Design on the under side corresponding to that on the surface, the green paler. Body black above, with a dorsal line of golden green, and another on each side; brownish beneath.
This handsome species bears the name of the celebrated Sir Hans Sloane, the early historian of Jamaica, who figured it in his work (Pl. 239, fig. 11, 12). It is accounted a rare insect, and, we believe, has hitherto been found only in the West Indian Islands.
PLATE 29.