PLATE XIX. Fig. 2.
Pap. Hippona, _Fabr._, _Donovan, Insects of India_.--Pap. Fabius,
_Drury’s Ins._ iii. Pl. 16, fig. 1, 2; _Cramer_, Pl. 90, fig. C, D;
_Stoll’s Supp._ (caterpillar and chrysalis.)
This species presents another remarkable form, bearing some analogy to
the preceding, but at once distinguished by having only one tail. The
hinder margin of the superior wings is dilated, in the middle, into an
acute angle; the same margin of the hinder pair is cut in a square form
towards the anal angle, and is furnished with an oblique lengthened
tail rounded at the extremity. The caterpillar tapers lightly towards
the hinder extremity, and has two short obtuse horns on the hinder part
of the head. The chrysalis is very short and thick, and without any
angular projections.
The butterfly expands from three to three and a half inches, and is
coloured somewhat in the manner of certain kinds of Heliconia. The
upper wings are black above with two broad bands, that next the base
tawny-red, the exterior one yellow, sinuated and oblique, extending
from the costa to the projecting angle on the hinder margin of the
wing; near the apex are likewise two or three yellow spots. Posterior
wings black, with a tawny-red stripe along the anterior border, and
a few white linear marks running transversely along the hinder margin
between the tail and anal angle. Beneath, the surface is rust-brown,
with pale clouds and transverse bands on the upper wings, and violet
reflections on the under pair. Body ferruginous above and brown beneath.
The caterpillar is accurately figured by Stoll, in his valuable
Supplement to Cramer’s work. It is of a dull green, with a brown or
nearly black ray on the back, and spots and short stripes of the same
colour on the sides. The head is black, with green rays; on the upper
part are two, and on each side of the anterior part of the first
segment, three small rounded yellow spots. It feeds on the leaves of
a species of Piperis, but only during the night, concealing itself
in the day by rolling a portion of the leaf round its body, in order
to protect it from the sun. The chrysalis is greyish, tinged with
flesh-colour, and marked with small brown spots.
The insect occurs in Guiana, Brazil, &c.
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