189I.] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. I97 



are provided with a lanceolate appendage upon the fore tibiae, but 

 this also occurs in the Hesperidae. The caterpillars are naked, 

 and the chrysalis is attached by the tail and has a loose girth 

 around the middle and the head points upward. The family is 

 divided into the Papilioninae and the Pierinae, and they may be 

 separated as follows: In the Pierinae the antennae are straight, 

 median nervure of fore wings with three branches, hind wings 

 partially enclosing abdomen, fore tibiae with no epiphysis, claws 

 bifid. The Papilioninae have the antennae more or less arcuate, 

 median nervure of fore wings with four branches, hind wings not 

 enclosing the abdomen, fore tibiae with a distinct epiphysis on the 

 inner side, claws simple and long. The last family, the Hesper- 

 idae, are generally small butterflies, and sombre in appearance. 

 The body is robust, and the head broad, the antennae are widely 

 separated at the base and curved or crooked at the tip; their 

 flight is peculiar, and they are often called " skippers" on account 

 ■of its jerky character. When at rest the front pair of wings are 

 more elevated than the hind pair, and this gives them an odd and 

 characteristic appearance. The character of the antennae, their 

 peculiar flight and the drooping of the inferior wings enable this 

 family to be readily recognized. The Hesperidae are well repre- 

 sented in this country, but their true home seems to be tropical 

 America, where the species are very numerous. — Ed. 



A Tachinid Parasite of Chrysophanus dione. 

 Exorista chrysophani n. sp. 



By C. H. Tyler Townsend, Las Cruces, N. Mex. 



The following is a description of a Tachinid received from Mr. 

 Chas. W. Johnson, of Philadelphia, and which bears the label: 

 " From chrysalis of Chrysophanus dione ]une 9, Iowa." 



Generic characters. — Eyes thickly hairy; front and face of 9 

 about one-third width of head, which is a little wider than the 

 thorax and abdomen ; frontal bristles extending a little below base 

 of antennae; two orbital bristles in 9- Antennae about as long 

 as face; second joint hardly elongate, third joint two or three 

 times as long as second; arista thickened half its length, micro- 

 scopically pubescent, distinctly 3-jointed, the second joint quite 

 strongly elongated; front hardly prominent, face receding; sides 



