134 • LEPIDOPTERA. 



Linn6 divided the Lepidoptera into three genera only, — Papllio 

 SpUna, and Plmloena, or Butterflies, Hawk-Moths, and Moths. 

 These he divided into sub-genera and sections, most of which 

 represent families, in the arrangements followed by modern authors. 



SECTION I. — Ehopalocera, or Butterflies. 

 Antennae terminating in a more or less gradually-formed club ; 

 fore and hind wings not linked together by a bristle at the base ; 

 flight generally diurnal. 



Family I. — Nymphalidce. 



Front pair of legs more or less rudimentary ; pupa attached by 

 the tail only. 



This is by far the largest of the five families of Butterflies, and 

 includes nearly half of all the known species. It is divided into 

 several sub-families. 



Sub-Family I. — Danaince. 



Discoidal cells of the wings closed ; costal nervure short, not 

 extending to the tip of the wing ; hind wing-cells large, and irre- 

 gular in shape ; wings rounded, or very slightly scalloped, never 

 ocellated ; head small ; palpi slender ; larvae not spiny, but furnished 

 with fleshy tubercles, or with two or three pairs of long, slender 

 filaments ; imago frequently provided with scent-producing organs. 



The typical Danaince are inhabitants of Asia and Africa ; most 

 of the American species are rather diff'erent. The largest species 

 belong to the genus Hestia, Hiibn., which is confined to India and 

 the Eastern Islands. They are butterflies with very slender bodies 

 and broad greyish-white wings, with black lines and markings. 

 They often measure six inches across the wings, and their flight is 

 said to be very elegant. Some Anglo-Indians give them the name 

 of Spectre Butterflies. 



Danaus Chrysippus, Linn., is the only European species of this 

 family. It is tawny, with black borders, spotted with white ; the 

 apical half of the fore wings is black, with a white transverse 

 macular band. The cell of the hind wing is marked with three 

 black spots, and, besides these, the male is provided with a dense 

 patch of raised scales nearer to the inner margin, which is con 

 sidered to be a scent-producing ajiparatus. Most of the species of 

 Danaus are either coloured like this, or else are black, with longi- 



