5UG HESPERID/E. 



tibins, wbich are not found in any other butterflies.* The simple structure of the chrysalis, and the habit of the caterpillar of rolling 

 up leaves, are also peculiarities at variance with the general characters of the Diurna, and agreeing with the nocturnal species. 



In some species, as we are informed by Mr. Swainson, all the wings lie in a horizontal position when the insect is at rest (Tamyris 

 Zeleucus Fabr. Swains. Zool. III. v. i. pi. .33.). ; but, in most of the species, the hind wings are horizontal, whilst the fore ones are 

 more or less perpendicular. It is on this account that Dr. Agassiz {Smithsonian Contrib. to Knowledge, ii.) regards the Hesperidae as a 

 lower type than the majority of butterflies (which, on accoimt of their resting with their wings in a position opposed to that which they 

 occupied in the chrysalis state, are considered not only as higher than the rest of the Lepidoptera, but also than all other insects). The 

 veins of the wings offer several remarkable particulars : thus, the four branches of the postcostal vein of the fore wings arise at nearly 

 equal distances apart, before the anterior extremity of the discoidal cell, closely followed by the two discoidal veins and the branches of 

 the median vein ; the whole forming a series radiating from the discoidal cell in so regular a manner, that Dr. Herrick Schiitter regards 

 this group as the type of the Diurnal Lepidoptera on this account. The more or less obsolete character of the discoidal vein of the 

 hind wings, and the arrangement of the basal portion of the veins, are further peculiarities of the family. 



The Hesperidaj are generally of small, or but moderate, size ; their colours are generally obscure, and their wings are often marked 

 with transparent spots. The peculiar distinction indicative of the sexes, aSbrded by the structure of the fore legs in many of the 

 preceding groups, is here wanting ; and it is consequently difficult, except in those species where the wings afford sexual distinctions, 

 to determine the sexes of different individuals. In some groups, however, the fore margin of the fore wings is recurved in the males, 

 the enclosed space being thickly clothed with pale-coloured down (H. lihetus Latr., costalis W., malvarum, Tages, &c. ; in other species 

 (Ismene Qildipodea, &c.), the males have a large velvety patch near the base of the fore wings; and, in others in the same sex, there is 

 a thickened and oblique ridge on the middle of the fore wings (H. Linea, Comma, Sylvanus, &c.). In others (H. Zeleucus, &c.), the 

 males have the club of the antennas linear and obtuse, whilst it is moi-e slender and attenuated in the females. 



The species are very numerous : probably not fewer than six or seven hundred exist in our collections ; and of this number at least 

 half are natives of tropical America. iSIany fine species occur in India, and but few in Australia, Africa, and Europe. In the last- 

 named quarter of the globe there are scarcely more than thirty species. Their flight is extremely rapid, the eye being scarcely able to 

 follow their movements. They delight in the liottest sunshine ; and their small, powerful wings and robust bodies enable them to rival 

 the hawk moths in swiftness. Their peculiar flitting movements have caused them to be named "skippers" by our English collectors. 

 By Dr. Horsfield they were united with the Erj'cinidie into one of the five stirpes of butterflies, and by Latreille the genus Urania was 

 added to thein to form the second great division of the butterflies. A glance at the characters of the Erycinidaj given above, and an 

 examination of the arrangenjcnt of the veins of the wings of the Urania;, will show the impropriety of both these plans of arrangement. 



Eeaumur {Mem. i. pi. 11.), Stoll, Iliibner, Abbott and Smith, Poey {Ccntur. des Lep. de Cuba, pi. 4.), and Swainson {Zool. III. v. i.), 

 &c., have represented the transformations of various species of the family, which exhibit an uniform type in the form of the larva;, which 

 are often clothed with numcrovis short hairs. The chrysalis is elongated, and genei-ally smooth and finely hairy. It is attached by the 

 t.ail, and girt round the thorax by a transverse thread, the transformation being effected under the cover of a leaf. The head case, in 

 the chrysalides of a few of the species, is pointed.f The transformations of H. Tityrus have formed the subject of a remarkable memoir 

 by Professor Agassiz, above referred to. M. Boisduval observes, respecting the habits of certain species in the larva state : " Nous 

 eonnaissons plusieurs Hesperia qui vivcnt dans I'interieur des racines" {Icon. Hist Lep. d'Eur. ii. p. 173. note). Of some of the 

 European species there are two broods in the course of a year. 



The species are very closely allied together; and many of them, which have a wide geographical range, appear to be subject to 

 considerable variation. According to M. Rambur {Faune Entomol. de V Andalousie), good specific distinctions exist in the structure of 

 the male organs of generation of nearly allied species. This character is, however, of such diflSoult application, as not to be practicably 

 available. 



As regards the distribution of the species into subordinate groups or genera, we are also met by equal difficulties ; for instance, with 

 reference to our indigenous species, the antenna; in H. Malvie (or Alveolus) and Tages have the club differently formed, and the 

 jiosition of the wings in repose is different, although they agree in tlie folded costa of the fore wings of the males, and in the curved 

 clava of the antenna;. Again, the club of the antenna; differs in its form in each of the British species composing the genus Pamphila, 

 in ^Ir. Stephens's Illustrations, whilst, if we refer to the exotic species, our difficulty is still moi-e increased. The form of the wings, 

 the arrangement of the markings and vitreous spots, where present, the form of the club of the antenna;, and of the labial pal[)i, are tlie 

 chief characters employed by Iliibner in his Verzrirhniss bekannter Sclunetterlinf/e, I^atreille and Boisduval, Swainson and Zeller {Isis, 

 1849), whilst Dr. Herrick SchiiflFer's classification of the European species {S>/st. Bearh.) is founded entirely on the coloration and 

 markings of the wings, all the species being referred to the single genus Hesperia. 



Admitting these difficulties, and finding it impossible to propose a satisfactory generic distribution of the entire family, or to refer the 

 numerous described species to their legitimate position in the family, I am under the necessity of confining their generic elaboration to 

 the descrij)tion of some of the more evident groups, and to an enumeration of the species, which I shall precede by an abstract of the 

 classifications proposed by Hiibner and Latreille. 



Iliibner divides the Hesjieridse {Asti/ci) into eight families, as follows : 



* Spcyer, in the Imn, 1839i P- 91 •> notices that some of the species want this character ; and Erichson's Jnhrhcricht for lcS39, p. 7.').. mentions H. Panisous 

 anil Sylvius, with the American group represented hy Pcleus and Gentius, as well as Nelcus, Talaus, and Ilesychius, as heinp; deprived of the middle spurs. 

 The same circumstance also takes place in the charming Ph. Cccleste (jd. 78. f. 4.) and some allied species. The Cape of Good Hope H. Metis, which is 

 so closely allied to Paniscus, possesses them, ai'd in H. malva? they are short but distinct, although only found on denuding the tibia. I possess, however, 

 a very remarkable new species from Mexico, of large size, in whicli all the legs appear to be destitute of spurs. 



■f The chrysalides of the species observed by Stoll and Agassiz have the body girt in the middle with transverse threads, but Lewin {Brit. Ins. pi. 4(5. f. 7-) 

 represents that of the spotted skipper without tlic transverse girth. It is impossible to determine from Hiibner's figure whether the pupa of H. linea in its 

 slender silken cocoon is girt or not, just as it is equally impossible to ascertain whether the pupa of Parnassius AjioIIo, also figured in its cocoon of loose 

 threads by the same author, is girt or not. As the pupiv of the Papilioncs, and that of the genus Thais, as represented by Iliibner, are clearly girt, 1 appre- 

 heml the same takes place in Doritis, and that Hesperia linea also forms no exception to the general character of the family ; and, consequently, that there is 

 no lourth type of ])up!e enclosed in a cocoon without any brace, as suggested by Mr. Swainson {^"at. Arrtinymirnt of Inserts, p. 7'>.). 



