24 i A NCESTR Y AND CLA SSI PICA TIOJST. 



different stages becomes better known there is 

 an increasing proof of the intimate connection of 

 many of the groups formerly believed very dis- 

 tinct ; and it is generally conceded by the better 

 class of recent writers that there are only about 

 half a dozen principal groups. My own study of 

 their structure and transformations leads me to 

 divide them primarily into four families :* 



The Brush -footed butterflies, or Nymphales. 



The Gossamer- winged butterflies, or Rurales. 



The Typical butterflies, or Papilionides. 



The Skippers or Urbicolae. 



The family nature of the last group has never 

 been questioned by any who look upon the but- 

 terflies as composed of more than one family ; in- 

 deed their distinction from the others is so marked 

 that some have considered the remainder of the 

 butterflies their equivalent in value ; that is, they 

 divide all butterflies into only two families. 

 Doubtless these skippers first separated from the 

 common stock, and never developed to a high 

 degree, since they still remain by far the lowest 

 of the group, and are in many points more closely 

 ;allied to some of the higher moths than they are 

 to any other butterflies. They are peculiar for 

 their robust body, broad head, such as we have 

 given our archaic butterfly, hooked antennae, 



* For the subdivisions of these groups, see the list at the end 

 of this book (Appendix II.). 



