Ithomiinae (the Long-wings) 
protected like the Euploeids and the Heliconians. In flight they 
are said to somewhat resemble the dragon-flies of the genus 
Agrion, their narrow wings, greatly elongated bodies, and slow, 
flitting motion recalling these insects, which are known by school¬ 
boys as “darning-needles.” 
Three genera are said to be represented in the extreme south¬ 
western portion of the United States. I myself have never re¬ 
ceived specimens of any of them which indisputably came from 
localities within our limits, and no such specimens are found in 
the great collection of Mr. W. H. Edwards, which is now in my 
possession. A paratype of Reakirt’s species, Mecbanitis calif or- 
nica , is contained in the collection of Theodore L. Mead, which I 
also possess. Mr. Mead obtained it from Elerman Strecker of 
Reading, Pennsylvania. Reakirt gives Los Angeles as the locality 
from which his type came; but whether he was right in this is open 
to question, inasmuch, so far as is known, the species has not been 
found in that neighborhood since described by Reakirt. 
Genus MECHANITIS, Fabricius 
Butterfly .—Butterflies of moderate size, with the fore wings 
greatly produced, the inner margin bowed out just beyond the 
base, and deeply excavated between this 
projection and the inner angle. The lower 
discocellular vein in the hind wings is 
apparently continuous with the median 
vein, and the lower radial vein being 
parallel with the median nervules, the 
median vein has in consequence the ap¬ 
pearance of being four-branched. The 
submedian vein of the fore wings is 
forked at the base. The costal margin 
of the hind wings is clothed with tufted 
erect hairs in the male sex. The f ore 
legs of the male are greatly atrophru,. 
the tarsi and the tibia being fused anc 
reduced to a small knob-like appendage. 
The fore legs of the female are also 
greatly reduced, but the tarsi and tibia are still recognizable as 
slender, thread-like organs. 
Fig. 8o. —Neuration of the 
genus Mecbanitis. The letters 
refer to the names of the veins. 
(See Fig 40.) 
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