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Psyche 12:1-12, 1905.

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PSYCHE, VOL. XII,
PLATE 1,
Fig.' I.
Type of ,4mphichlorn poseidon n. sp., from El Valle, Margarita Island, Venezuela.




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LATE I,
PSYCHE
NOTES ON THE BUTTERFLIES OF 31-\RGA4RIrr.A ISLAND, CARACAS, AND CARUPANO, VENEZUELA.
BY AUSTIN H. CLARK, BOSTON, MASS.
IN 'The Ibis' for January, 1895, Dr. P. L. Sclater suggested to ornithologists the advisability of turning their attention to the Island of Margarita as a field hitherto unworked. As a result of this notice, Captain Wirt Robinson, U. S. A., visited this locality in the summer of 1895, bringing back an extensive collection of the birds of the island, a number of insects, and some mammals. Unfortu- nately, the butterflies were subsequently lost; but on working up the mammals and birds, no less than thirteen new species were discovered, two of the former, and eleven of the latter.
Having determined to spend the summer of 1901 in zodogical investigation in some little known part of South America, I communicated with Captain Rob- inson, with the result that I decided to visit this locality, and make a study of its fauna, as complete as time would allow, to form a sort of supplement to his work. Accordingly, on the I 5th. day of June, 1901, I left New York for La Guaira, en route for Margarita. At La Guaira I stayed a day and a half, leaving there for 'the more pleasant city of Caracas, to await the arrival of the steamer which was to take me to Carupano. During my stay of about a week at Caracas, I made daily excursions into the surrounding country for insects; but a combina- tion of circumstances prevented my making any captures while at La Guaira. At Carupano also, while hunting up a small boat in which to make the journey across the channel, I could not spare any time for collecting, but on my way back I obtained a few specimens here.
Reaching Porlamar, on the southern shore of the island, on July 3rd.;I at once proceeded to the little town of El Valle, situated about three miles from the sea, in a pleasant valley at the foot of the central mountain. This village is par- tially surrounded by groves of cocoanut palms, and is a very convenient place of residence, the climatic conditions being much more agreeable than in the towns nearer the coast, while it is easy of access both to the hot country near Porlamar, and the mountain forest. The region is peculiarly heathful, and too much cannot



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2 PS Era [February
be said of its inhabitants, who seem to consider it an honor to assist the collector in every way. In this town I resided until July zsth., when circumstances com- polled roe to leave suddenly, much against my will, as my collections were as yet far from complete. During my stay, however, I secured specimens of all the butterflies observed, with the exception of a Aforphu, an O;*s'p//a/tt!J-( ?), a Pa/i/io, a. Vrama, and Ciflaenisjufia; but I am confident that more extended re- searches, over parts of the island which I was unable to visit, will bring to light many additions to the following list, and it is much to be desired that sometime in the future, others, profiting by the experience of Captain Robinson and myself. will visit this interesting locality and make a much more exhaustive report on its entomological fauna.
The island of Margarita is situated midway between La Guaira and Trinidad, directly north of the town of Cumana, being about seventeen miles distant from the nearest point of the mainland. Its greatest length from east to west is forty- two miles. It consists of two portions, joined by a narrow swampy isthmus of about twelve miles in length, the eastern part being the larger, in the shape, roughly, of a pentagon, some twenty mites across, while the western is an irregu- lar quadrangle, twelve miles long by nine in width. In the eastern part there is a. mountain of 3,240 feet altitude, thickly wooded almost to the base; in the west- ern another rises to the height of 2,300 feet, but is practically barren.* At the time of my visit the only way of reaching the island was to take a small trading vessel from Carupano or Cumana, which ports could be easily reached by the boats of the French or Dutch West India Mail.
Now, however, the boats of the Royal
Mail Steam Packet Company, plying fortnightly between Barbados and La Guaira call in at both Carupano and Porlamar, Margarita. Maigarita is divisible into three well defined life zones, as follows: I.
The almost flat costal plain, which extends all about the island occupying a strip averaging two or three mites in width, hot and sandy, supporting only a very scanty vegetation, which consists of post and melon cactus, with patches of "tuna,"** and scattering thorn-trees. I saw no butterflies whatever in this region; but among birds the burrowing owls (Speo/r/o) are exclusively- found here, and the troupial f' Ictcrm), scaled Dove ( Scarditfefla) Buzzard (Biiteo j, and parrakeet (Conm-Hs) prefer it to any other. Here also I found the trail of a rattle-snake (Croid~t~j which appears to be quite rare, as all the natives assured me that they never had seen a snake on the island, and I found no trace of others in all my wanderings.
The armadillo is reported to occur in this district. I!.
The intermediate zone, consisting of a rough hilly country, with a large A nip of the istand was publi-ihed in the Prucefldlngs U. 5. U.itiona1 Museum, XV111, pi. XXXlil. small, lung-spined prickly pear. O#mifia twa.



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mstances coin-
ns were as yet
ns of all the
'//;aucs ( ? ), a
e extended re-
bring to light
;hat sometime
m and myself,
i report on its
and Trinidad.
distant from
west is forty-
py isthmus of
in the shape,
, is an irregu-
1 part there is
6; in the west-
re&* At the
small trading
!d by the boats
s of the Royal
and La Guaira
Ìöw3
1 occupying a
rig only a very
.th patches of
itever in this
.usively found
zard (Butto),
the trail of a
atives assured
trace of others
.istrict.
with a large
-
XXXIII.
19051 CLARA'å£ B UZ'TRRFLIES OF VENEZUELA 3 amount of scrubby growth, and many varieties of cacti, including also the cassava plantations. Here the specimens of Ajiodcmia were taken, and a single Uratnia was observed. The birds characterizing this region are the Spine-tail (Ji't~aZZaxis,) the cuckoos (D'//o//t-rus) and the honey creepers (Coereb<t}; while among mam- mals the rabbit (Leprcs) is practically confined to it. 111. The forest region, including the whole of the mountain proper, and the valley in which the little town of ElValle is situated. This is, entomologically, divisible into three sub-regions, thus : (a).
The forest proper, including the greater part of the mountain. This,
again is divisible into the drier portions, and the moist areas, in the immediate vicinity of water. Of the drier parts, the genus Aftw@o is the charactistic feature, which in the neighborhood of streams occur such forms as Ithamia and. Ettrema albula, and, in the lower portions, Heliconius. {b).
The intermediate ' forest region; where the little stream known as "El Rio," hardly more than a brook at the time of my visit, emerges from the thickly wooded area. This sub-region is the home of Amp/;ic/;/ora poseidon (see below), and in it Hditu~iitts welpoment is found in greatest abundance. (c).
The valley region;
consisting of cleared land with groves of cocoanut palms, interspersed with grassy patches, and the wooded borders of the river bed, which, at this season, is wholly without water. Here occur in abundance practi- ally all the Pieridas and Hesperidae of the island, and such genera as Suba@s, Apulis, Lyweua, Enptythiu, MCS~M, T/iec/ct, Aiwsia, and AmpliUhhra (feiw- ti@. It was in this region that I saw the only specimens of Papilw, Colaenis, and OpsIfAwes observed.
The whole fauna of Margarita is derived, as is that of the island of Trinidad, '
from South America, no purely West Indian forms being present, so far as known, among the birds, mammals, fresh-water fishes, or Lepidoptera. In fact, among the birds there seems to be a regular migration between the island and the main- land in the case of certain species ( as the parrakeet ) ; and I have seen numbers of Pieridte (Apftrissa, Phoeliih CiiHidrytts) in the channel, midway between the - island and the Venezuelan shore.
The summer of 1901 was very dry* on Margarita, due to the partial fail- ure of the spring rains. This may in some degree account for the paucity of the lepidopterous fauna, as represented by my collection. But it is true, without doubt, that there are many species, either local or erratic in occurence, which 'White in Barbailu<>, in January. 1401. Mr. L. T. Spencer. F, R.G. S.. who has lately spent considerable time on Mtrgartta. informed me that water was now scarcer [hiin ever: so much so indeed that the hgllsh pearl fisheries company at hlanwr w̤t force.! lo depend on JIflilkd sea water. The cuttln~ dwn of the forests to build ships Is without doubtthe cause [rf this.. as i: is on iht Enflish Writ Indian Man4 of Curriacou.



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PSYCHE
[February
y a long residence in the locality.
Captain
list of the lepidoptera he collected here. It con-
ten species, only two of which are represented in my lot, which brings out illy the difficulty of obtaining a complete list of the butterflies and moths of any given locality in the tropics.
PAPILIO~HD~E.
I
Papi/io thoas Linn.
rita I saw a butterfly apparently referable to this common species, !
below the average size, which I was unable to capture, owing-to the nature of the vegetation. Captain Robinson writes me that he collected here an undescribed dwarf variety of this insect. RERIDAF-
While approaching the coast of Venezuela, I saw large numbers of Pieridie, flying over the water in small scattered groups. On the mountain sides above La Gnaira I observed thousands of these insects, all moving, as were those over the water, toward the east. On the way from La Guak to Caracas, as well a 0 he mountain slopes in the vicinity of the latter city, they could be '
counted by hundreds, all, without exception, moving toward the east.* It seemed *
to be a miption, which was following the line of the coast, and going in the general direction whence came the trade winds.** Leftalis sp.
. ,
An undescribabte species oå this genus was collected by Captain Robinson on the island, but subsequently lost.
Poittia mowste Linn.
The most abundant butterfly on Margarita; it occurs in the cocoanut groves, and especially in the patches of rank grass about El Valle. The majority of the examples were in worn condition. In the early morning it is commonly found clinging to the grass-blades and leaves, where it is a conspicuous object. *Mr. W. E, bdway. Cutator of the Botanic Stationat Grenada. B. W. I., who lived formany years in Trinidad md who is
~nth~i~s~ic~tomol~~~$~, tdls me tbt Uwmh lcilw visi~s Trinidad every year from the mainland. emnineover by hodreds, fit movements being apprently comparable to thost here described as observed among



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[February
ICY. Captain
here. Itcon-
ich brings out
ies and moths
nrnon species,
:we, owing to
collected here
rs of Pieridse,
n sides above
ere those over
aracas, as well
they could be
t.* It seemed .
I going in the
itain Robinson
xoanut groves,
majority of the
mmonly found
bject.
my years in Trinidad
? from the mainland,
1 a% observed among
1905)
CLARK- B CrTTER FLIES OF VENEZUELA
C&llidryas eubuk Linn.
Common on Margarita.
Aphrtha sfafir(z Cramer.
Common, but not so much so as Cftllidq~zs eiibule. Phoebis argante Fabr.
Common at El Valle, associating with C. eubule and A. stafira. Gonepteryx clonkde God t.
Occurred about El Valle, but was not abundant. Knkogottia &side God t.
Two examples, a. male and a female, taken near El Valle. Obtained by Captain Robinson.
PynSifa yatiosa Doubl. &: Hew.
. ,
Four specimens obtained near El Valle.
They are all paler than that figured
by' Doubleday and Hewitson, and than others from Central America which I have examined.
. .
Eurema limhia Felder.
Fairly common.
The examples are smaller than Godman and Salvin's figure (Bioi. Cent. Am., Rhopalocera pi. 63, fig. 13) and the black border of the secondaries is not so broad, being generally reduced to a series of black points. Eu~emtz a/buZ(t Cramer;
Specimens from Margarita are rather more heavily bordered than those from Panama, and the tinge of sulphur at the base of the wings is more nronounced. This species was abundant in the deep forest in the vicinity of the water courses, but did not occur on the lower slopes of the mountain, nor about El Valle.
Eurema Qdia Felder.
One specimen obtained.




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6 PSYCHE
[February
E//rema riteHimz Felder.
Occurred about El Valle.
NYMPHALIDAE.
, ColaenIsju/ia Fabr.
Seen on two occasions near El Valle, but eluded capture. Ayaitlis va~:il/(ze Linn. \
With the exception of Pmth monuste, this was the commonest butterfly occuring most abundantly in the cocoanut groves, especially in the more shaded portions. In flight it closely resembles Colaenisjulia. Apodenzia emstratus Doubl. & Hew.
Specimens from Margarita have the black markings less extensive than in those figured by Doubleday and Hewitson, and by Staudinger. This butterfly was found on the scrubby hillsides about El Valle. It was
often seen in the hottest places, where there was practically no vegetation. It is
readily captured, resembling in its habits Eiiphy(i);~as phwton. Very common in the cocoanut groves and about the roadsides near El Valle. fund coenia Hubn.
Common in the cassava plantations, about the borders of the cocoanut groves, and in the hotter portions of the groves themselves. One battered example secured.
Eub@ agades Dalm.
Several specimens obtained about El Valle. Eztbay's theseus Felder.
Common in the cocoanut groves about El Valle, occuring with E. qach but more abundant than that species.
The contrasting black and white of it
wings make it a rather conspicious object, considering its size.



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shaded
than in
It was
I. It is
;I Valle.
groves,
e of its
WSl CtARK-BUTTERFLIES OF VENEZUELA 7
Amfhichhra fereniina Godt. [Plate I. fig. 2.1 Common in the cocoanut groves about El Valle. When flying it occasionally
produces the clicking sound so characteristic of the group, and it always alights head down.
When alarmed, it seldom goes far, often only to the next tree. Its flight is, as a rule, low, rather swift, and in a straight line, reminding one of the flight of Aqy~nis Zuthnia or of Euptoieta claudia, but is more hurried than that of either of these.
Specimens from Margarha differ from the continental examples which I have examined in being uniformly smaller, with a greater amount of white in the ground color of the wings, particularly of the secondaries. Am~hichlora poseidon, new species. [Plate I. fig. I.] 7-
Type locality, El Valle, Island of Margarita, Venezuela. Expanse, 2.6 in.
General ground color of the secondaries and basal third of primaries, a uni- form pale dusty bluish gray, with reflections of reddish bronze. Primaries.
Outside of a crenulate line beginning two-thirds of the distance from the base of the wings to the end of the cell, and extending in a direction almost at right angles to the costal margin to a point onequarter of an inch from the outer edge of the wing, on the posterior border, chalky white, with a narrow line of gray in the cell near its distal ex~remity, and a wavy gray line par- allel to the outer border of the wing, beginning a quarter of an inch from the distal end of its inferior margin, and extending to the vein passing from the middle the distal end of the cell to the edge of the wing, then turning and running to the costal margin in a direction at right angles to it. The distal border of the pri-
mary is light gray, interrupted in seven places by white streaks, the sixth from the apex being almost as wide as the distance apart of the veins between which it occurs. Just inside this border is a row of five white spots, separated from the general ground color by irregular borders of light bluish gray. The first two of these spots are small, and are situated at the apex of the wing; the third, which is larger,
is separated from the second by two veins. The fourth, which is the largest of all, is separated from the third by one vein, and the fifth, which is small, is one vein beyond the fourth. Midway between the two apical spots and the wavy line mentioned above, there is a patch of light gray, which extends as far as the second vein from the costal margin. The part of the wing proximal to



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8 $3 Yam , [February
the erenulate line before mentioned is bluish gray, with two brownish zigzag
lines running parallel to the outer margin of the wing, from the cell to the inferior border. In the cell there is a faintly enclosed median spot, in the middle of which there is a tinge of rufous,
Secondaries.
Ground color bluish gray, with a slightly darker border, sepa- rated off by a wavy line of brown. Inside of this border are four ocelli, the two anterior being rather smaller than the others, and having white centres bounded proximally by crescents of dark brown. The two posterior ocelli have a median transverse band of black, with a hate spot of white in the distal, and a corres- ponding patch of rufous in the proximal half. Inside of the row of ocelli is an irregular line of brown. Inside this line there are a few spots separated off from the ground color by narrow dusky lines, as follows: in the cell, about one quarter of an inch from the proximal end there is a double spot, extending trans- versely across the cell, and anterior to this a small circular spot. just distal to
this aeries, is a row of four spots, the most anterior of brown, and close to the small circular spot just mentioned; the next gray, and just the size of the anterior circular spot of the series proximal to this; the third small, and wholly brown, and the last, which closes the cell, long and narrow, with a gray centre. The under surface resembles that of A. /tmt/im, but the brown markings are narrower, the rufous centre of the spot which occupies the middle of the central cell on the primaries lighter, and the whole surface shows a more pronounced coppery reflection. The tips and under surface of the antennae are light rufous. This species is readily distinguished from A, ferefttina by the great amount of white on the primaries, and its lighter bluish color, bronzy reflections, small size, and finer markings on the lower surface. The two are easily recognizable in life at a considerable distance.
From all others of the genus it is distinguished by the colors as described. Messrs. Godman and Saivin mention ( Biologia Centr. Amer. Rhopalmera p. 269) a peculiar specimen of A;ero~fia glaucomme which was taken at Manaure in northern Colombia, in which the cretaceous white of the primaries is more extensive, and more broken up with the gray marks than in the normal form. They state further that "the discrepancies are in the direction of A. ferfn- fins, and the specimen may prove to be an extreme form of that insect, or a new species." From this very meagre description, it would seem that the butterfly referred to was A. poseition; but we cannot be entirely sure; however, it is very possible that this species will be found to occur in suitable localities throughout Venezuela and Colombia.
On Margarita, as has been mentioned above, .4.foseIt//ttt is found in the damper spots on the border of the forest, and does not seem to frequent the open



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[February
vnish zigzag
3 the inferior
e middle of
border, sepa-
elli, the two
res bounded
ve a median
nd a corres-
ocelli is an
ted off from
1, about one
nding trans-
lust distal to
close to the
' the anterior
y brown, and
markings are
F the central
pronounced
light rufous.
pat amount
ctions, small
recognizable
described.
Rhopalocera
at Manaure
primaries is
i the normal
n of A. fem-
sect, or a new
the butterfly
er, it is very
s throughout
found in the
uent the open
so much as does A. ferentim, prefering, as a rule, the same kind of situations as those in which Penitrod a~~/////'/m/te commonly is found. While on the beach at Carupno I saw what I was positive was an example of this species, coming in over the sea from the direction of Margarita. It pas-
sed within a few feet of me, but I was unable to secure it. Captain Robinson
tells me he secured an "Ayaftisfhos" on the island, which might possibly have been of this species.
Ettp/;di /IZ ///trres God t.
\
The commonest of the genus of Margarita, occurring abundantly in the cocoa- -- nut groves, especially in the more shaded portions underneath the mango or other thick trees. Godman and Salvin say that this species is nowhere abundant, though having a very extensive range.
One specimen obtained, in company with E. fiares. '
Eu//vch/a odn-hoe Fab r.
Two worn and faded examples obtained near El Valle.