KEY TO THE SUPERFAMILIES OF BUTTERFLIES 



a\ Head of moderate width or narrow; front less than twice as 

 broad as high; antennae separated at their base by about 

 their width or less; no eyelashes Papilionoidea (p. 62). 



a'. Head very broad ; front twice as wide as high ; antennae sepa- 

 rated at their base by from 2 to 4 times their width ; a 

 strong but slender tuft of lashes in front of the eyes. 



Hesperioidea (p. 200). 



Superfamily PAPILIONOIDEA: The True Butterflies 



KEY TO THE FAMILIES 



a*. Forelegs, or at least the forefeet, imperfect in the male or 



in both sexes ; colors never white, yellow, or orange ; hind 



wings rounded, angled, or with one or two very slender 



hairlike tails, never with broad and conspicuous tails. 



6\ Forelegs in both sexes greatly reduced and brushlike, held 



tightly appressed against the body so that the insects 



appear to have only four legs ; bases of the antennae not 



encroaching on the eyes Nymphalidae (p. 62). 



&^ Forelegs normal in the female ; bases of the antennae en- 

 croaching on the eyes. 

 o\ Eyes surrounded by a conspicuous white ring ; forelegs of 

 males nearly perfect, but the foot without normal ter- 

 minal claws; wings when at rest held together above 



the back Lycaenidae (p. 128). 



tr". No white ring about the eyes ; forelegs of males greatly 

 reduced and brushlike, held against the body ; wings 

 when at rest spread out and flattened against the 



supporting surface Riodinidae (p. 128). 



a?. Forelegs perfect in both sexes ; hind wings with broad tails, 

 or rounded ; if the hind wings are rounded, the color above 

 is white, almost plain or more or less spotted with black, 

 clear yellow, or white, bright yellow, or bright orange with 

 a black border Papilionidae (p. 147). 



Family NYMPHALIDAE 



KEY TO THE SUBFAMILIES 



a^. Palpi not longer than the thorax 



6\ Some of the veins of the fore wings swollen for a greater or 

 lesser distance from the base ; outer border of the fore 

 wings markedly convex, the apex never produced; under 

 surface of the wings with a greater or lesser number of 

 eye spots in the outer portion, which may be repeated on 

 the upper surface; color grayish brown, or brown with a 

 broad yellow band containing two large eye spots on the 

 . fore wings Satyrinae (p. 63). 



62 



