HANDBOOK OF BUTTERFLIES. 7/ 



bodies, and the antennae, which are sometimes hooked, inserted 

 widely apart instead of close together. The Grizzled Skipper 

 (Hesperia Malvtz} is dark brown, tessellated with white spots ; 

 and the Large Skipper (Pamphila Sylvanus) is greenish brown 

 with fulvous markings, and a broad black streak at the base of 



Small Skipper (Tliyinelicus Thamnas). 



the fore wings in the male. The Small Skipper (Thymelicuc. 

 77iaumas) is fulvous, with blackish borders, and a black streak 

 on the fore wings in the male. None of these species measure 

 much more than an inch in expanse ; and they are all very com- 

 mon in woods, etc. 



The moths are divided into numerous families, and these are 

 sometimes arranged in larger sections, called Sphinges, Bombyces, 

 Noctncs, Geometrce, Py rales, Tort rices, Tinea, Pterophori, and 

 A Incite. But the first two sections are generally used to include 

 very discordant groups, and had better be dropped. 



The first four of these nine groups are often included with the 

 butterflies under the general term Macro-Lepidoptera, while the 

 last five groups of moths, which include small species only, are 

 called Micro- Lepidoptera. 



We will now speak of the principal families included under 

 the terms Sphinges and Bombyces. The Sphinges are usually 

 employed to denote the families Sphingidce, sEgeriidig, and Zyga- 

 nidce ; but the second of these is widely different from the first, 

 while the third should more properly be included with the Bom- 

 byces. 



The Sphingidof, or Hawk-Moths, include our largest moths. 

 They have stout bodies, long narrow wings, more or less pointed, 

 and their flight is generally very rapid. Our smallest species are 

 the Humming-Bird Hawk-Moth (Macroglossa Stellatarum} and 

 the Broad-Bordered and Narrow-Bordered Bee Hawk-Moths 

 (Heniaris Fnciformis xb&Bombyliformis}. The Humming Bird 

 Hawk-Moth has brown fore wings, and brownish-red hind wings, 

 and may be seen hovering over flowers during the day or at dusk 

 during a great part of the summer. The Bee Hawks may be 

 known by their transparent wings, with brown borders, and are 



