Genus Megathymus 



by the late Professor C. V. Riley, and the student who is curious 

 to know more about this remarkable insect will do well to con- 

 sult the "Eighth Annual Report of the State Entomologist of 



Fig. 182. — Megathymus yuccce: a, egg, magnified; b, egg from which larva has 

 escaped; bb, bbb, unhatched eggs, natural size; c, newly hatched larva, magnified; 

 cc, larva, natural size; d, head, enlarged to show the mouth-parts; e, maxillary 

 palpi; /, antenna; g, labial palpi; h, spinneret. 



Missouri " (p. 169), or the "Transactions of the St. Louis Acad- 

 emy of Science " (vol. iii, p. )2)), in which, with great learning, 

 the author has patiently set forth what is known in reference to 

 the insect. 



The genus Megathymus is referred by some writers to the 

 Castniidce, a genus of day-flying moths, which seem to connect 

 the moths with the butterflies; but the consideration of the ana- 

 tomical structure of this insect makes such a reference impos- 

 sible. The genus properly 

 represents a subfamily of the 

 Hesperiidcv, which might be 

 named the MesathyminoR. The 

 species represented in our cuts 

 is Megathymus yucca:, Boisdu- 

 val and Leconte. There are a 

 number of other species of 

 Megathymus that are found in our Southern States, principally in 

 Texas and Arizona. They are interesting insects, the life-history 

 of which is, however, in many cases obscure, as yet. 



Fig. 183. — Chrysalis of Megathymus 

 yuccce. 



368 



