latter name. I am however, of opinion, that there are quite enough names 

 and divisions already. 



The Hesperidae however, belong unquestionabl}- to a form not so far differ- 

 entiated from the Heterocera as the other Rhopalocera and therefore in some 

 respects they still stand between these two groups. This is very marked as 

 regards their manner of flying and the time at which they usually fly. For 

 while the great body of the Rhopalocera, as I observed above, are real diurnals, 

 the reverse is probably true of the Hesperidae. Some species of this family 

 fly by day, a few even in the blazing sun. Among these diurnals there are 

 some that have a peculiar custom in their flight, a custom which is especially 

 found in another family likewise of the Rhopalocera, viz. in that of the Erycinidae, 

 and which, if I be not mistaken, also occurs in some Geometrae. We refer 

 to their custom to disappear suddenly from sight, after they have flown up, 

 by placing themselves with outspread wings against the under-side of a leaf. 

 This is probably a means of defence, for he who is not acquainted with this 

 custom, has absolutely no idea what has become of such a butterfly and will 

 not easily find it again. Others, on the contrarjs fly most certainly in the 

 evening. Thus for instance the large and very common Erionota Thrax 

 Clerck ; it is often roused in the day time by people approaching banana-trees 

 (Musa) on which its larva feeds, but when so roused it immediately setdes 

 down again on some other object ; in the evening, however, one may see it flying 

 about of its own accord in banana-gardens. This is also the Ccise with some 

 species, such as Hasora Mvra Hew. and Matapa Druna Moore, which in 

 the evening-twilight may often be seen flying on flowers exactly in the same 

 manner as the Sphingidae are accustomed to do, suddenly darting from one 

 flower to another or flying away, or sometimes also coming back and whilst 

 continually fluttering about sucking honey from the flowers with their long 

 trunk. But the time and the opportunity to observe this is very limited, and 

 so I have been unable to ascertain about most species of Hesperidae in Java 

 whether they usually fly in the evening or at night ; but if we take into 

 consideration that I have never seen them fly by day either, though I have 

 had every opportunity to observe them, and that when roused by day they 

 immediately settle down again in the same manner as we have just stated of 

 the Erionota Thrax Clercq, which manner is also characteristic of evening-fliers 

 in other families, for instance of the well-known Cyllo Leda L., then it 

 becomes very probable that these Hesperidae-species also do not belong to 

 such as normally fly by day. 



Hence in this respect the Hesperidae are again more nearly allied to the group 

 of Heterocera than to that of Rhopalocera. In fact those Hesperidae that visit 



