Genus Megathymus 



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

 to know more about this remari<able insect will do well to con- 

 sult the " Eighth Annual Report of the State Entomologist of 



Fig. 182. — Megathymus yuccce: a, egg, magnified; h, egg from wliich larva has 

 escaped; bb, bbb, unhatched eggs, natural size; c, newly liatched 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. 323), 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 

 HesperiidiV, which might be 

 named the Mcgathvmina\ The 

 species represented in our cuts 

 is Megathymus yucca:, Boisdu- 

 val and Leconte. There are a 

 number of other species of 

 Megaflymus 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 oi Mcgatbjiinis 

 yucccc. 



368 



