LEP1D OP TERA . 365 



are thread-like, and enlarged toward the tip; but in most 

 cases the extreme tip is pointed and recurved, forming a 

 hook. The abdomen is usually stout, resembling that of 

 a moth rather than that of a butterfly. The skippers are 

 most easily distinguished by the peculiar venation of the 

 fore wings, vein III being five-branched, and all the 

 branches arising from the discal cell (Fig. 445). In some 

 butterflies all the branches of vein III appear to arise from 

 the discal cell ; but this is because two of the branches 

 coalesce to the margin of the wing. In such butterflies vein 

 III appears to be only four-branched. 



This superfamily includes two families — the Giant Skip- 

 pers, Megathynnidce, and the Common Skippers, Hesperiidee. 

 These can be distinguished as follows : — 



A. Head of moderate size ; club of antenna large, neither drawn out 

 at the tip nor recurved. Large skippers, with wing expanse of 

 two inches or more. p. 365 Megathymid^. 



AA. Head very large ; club of antenna usually drawn out at the 

 tip, and with a distinct recurved apical crook. In a few forms 

 the crook of the antennae is wanting; such forms can be distin- 

 guished from the Megathymidse by their smaller size, the wing 

 expanse being less than one and one fourth inches, p. 368. 



HESPERIID/E. 



Family MEGATHYMID^l (Meg-a-thym'i-dae). 

 The Giant Skippers. 



This family includes a small number of large skippers, 

 which are found in the South and far West. In the 

 idult insect the head is of moderate size, the width, includ- 

 ing the eyes, being much less than that of the metathorax. 

 The club of the antennae is large ; and, although the tip is 

 turned slightly to one side, it is neither drawn out to a 

 point nor recurved. The body is very robust, even more 

 so than in the Hesperiidae. These insects fly in the day- 

 time and with a rapid, darting flight. When at rest they 

 fold their wings in a vertical position. 



In the more general features of their venation the wings 



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