262 LEPIDOPTERA. 



spending to the genera Papilio, Sphinx, and Phalcena of 

 Linnaeus. 4 



The BUTTERFLIES {Papiliones) have threadlike antennae, 

 which are knobbed at the end ; the fore wings in some, and 

 all the wings in the greater number, are elevated perpen- 

 dicularly, and turned back to back, when at rest ; they have 

 generally two little spurs on the hind legs ; and they fly 

 by day only. 



The HAWK-MOTHS (Sphinges) generally have the an- 

 tennae thickened in the middle, and tapering at each end, 

 and most often hooked at the tip ; the wings are narrow 

 in proportion to their length, and are confined together by 

 a bristle or bunch of stiff hairs on the shoulder of each hind 

 wing, which is retained by a corresponding hook on the 

 under side of each fore wing ; all the wings, when at rest, 

 are more or less inclined like a roof, the upper ones cover- 

 ing the lower wings ; there are two pairs of spurs on the 

 hind legs. A few fly by day, but the greater number in the 

 morning and evening twilight. 



In the MOTHS (Phalcence) the antennas are neither knobbed 

 at the end nor thickened in the middle, but taper from the 

 base' to the extremity, and are either naked, like a bristle, 

 or are feathered on each side ; the wings are confined to- 

 gether by bristles and hooks, the first pair covering the hind 

 wings, and are more or less sloping when at rest ; and there 

 are two pairs of spurs to the hind legs. These insects fly 

 mostly by night. 



I. BUTTERFLIES. (PapiUones.) 



Besides the characters already given, which distinguish 

 this section of the Lepidoptera, it may be stated that their 



[* Modern writers divide them into two great divisions: 1st, Rhopalocera. with 

 filiform antennae, terminating in a club or knob, from pdiraXov, club, and /'paj, 

 honi; and 2d, Helerocera, with antennas of variable form, sometimes prismatic, 

 linear, pectinated, plumose, &c., c., from irtpos, variable, and tetpas, horn. 

 MORRIS.] 



