Plate XVI. fig. 1. 2.
ORDER: Lepidoptera. SECTION: Hesperi Sphinges (_Latr._). FAMILY:
Castniidæ. _Westw._
GENUS. CASTNIA, _Fabricius, Latr. God. Dalman_. Papilio (Dan. Festiv.),
_Drury_.
CASTNIA LICUS. Alis integris, supra atris nitidis; anticis sesquifasciâ
albâ, posticis serie marginali punctorum rubrorum fasciâque obliquâ albâ.
(Expans. Alar. fere 4 unc.)
SYN. Papilio (Dan. Festiv.) Licus, _Drury, App. v._ 2. _Cramer, pl._ 223.
_fig._ A. B. _Fabr. Ent. Syst._ III. 1. _p._ 45. _No._ 137. (Licas.)
Papilio Lycus, _Herbst. Pap. tab._ 134. _f._ 1. 2. _Merian Surinam, tab._
36.
Castnia Licus, _Latr. et God. Enc. Méth._ ix. _p._ 797.
HABITAT: Surinam.
_Upper Side._ The antennæ are dark brown, at the tips paler; and
terminating in a point. The head, thorax, and base of the abdomen dark
chocolate brown; the extremity and sides of the latter dark. Anterior
wings of a fine deep chocolate brown. A narrow, irregular, and oblique
cream-coloured bar runs across the wing; between this and the tip, from
the anterior edge, runs another crooked irregular bar, of a much darker
colour, reaching almost half across the wing towards the interior angle,
the external margin being of a lighter shade. Posterior wings, having a
white bar running transversely across the wing, widening by degrees, and
ending at the anal angle. Six square orange spots also of different
sizes, are placed within the external margin of these wings.
_Under Side._ Anterior wings, in the middle, dark chocolate; the tips
dark fawn colour, lighter next the shoulders. The two irregular bars, on
the upper side, are here a little broader. Within the external edge are
three rather pearly white spots. Posterior wings greyish fawn colour,
with the {30}external edges darker. A pale pearl-coloured bar runs across
the wing beyond the middle, widening gradually; below this are some very
faint brown spots, and near the external edge some faint orange ones,
scarcely visible. The edges of all the wings are entire.
The genus Castnia is another of those curious anomalous forms, which
exhibit the characters of several groups. The general form of the wings is
that of a moth, whilst the variegated colours, indicating diurnal flight,
and the structure of the antennæ are those of a butterfly. It is much to be
regretted, that travellers in South America have not ascertained the
preparatory states of this extraordinary group, which alone will enable us
satisfactorily to ascertain its real relations.