P E L E U S T^acus. 



Family Hesperida. 

 Generic Character. 



Antennae not liooked, the club formed into a long, slender, fuciform 

 arch. Wings with both suriaces alike, hoiizontally divaricated 

 when at restj posterior rounded, entire; broader from the base 

 to the anal angle, than to the exterior margin. 



Type. Hesp. Pelcus. Fub. 



Specific Character. 



Wings deep broivnish black ; anterior uuth a reiUsh transverse band, 

 united to a spot of the same, and tipt icith a sub-hyaline band 

 of redish orange. 



Hesp. Peleus. Fab. Cramer, pi. 284, /. F. 



Entomologists, from being acquainted only with the 

 habits of the European species of this family, represent the 

 Hesperidw as resting with only the hinder wings elevated : 

 This is altogether a mistake. Some groups, indeed, assume 

 this position when basking in the sun, or taking food ; but 

 even these, when fairly at rest, erect their wings in the 

 ordinary manner : a fact we have repeatedly witnessed. 

 Not so, however, with the group we now illustrate; and 

 which is peculiar to South America. These insects rest 

 witJt all the four wings expanded; and hide themselves 

 during the meridian heat, on the under side of broad leaves, 

 in the deep forests. From never appearing exposed, this 

 species long escaped our search, but having once dis- 

 covered this singular part of its economy, we captured it in 

 abundance. It probably feeds, like many of the Sphingides, 

 or Hawk Moths, in the morning and evening, but its 

 haunts were too far from our habitation, to allow of 

 ascertaining this point. 



PELEUS Gentius. 

 Anterior wings black, tcilh three yellow bars, posterior yellow, 



with a simple black border. 

 Hesp. Gentius. Fab. Cramer, pi. 179, /. C 



Our specimens of this very rare insect were captured by 

 Dr. Langsdorff, in the interior of Southern Brazil, the 

 colours of the under surface of the wings are the same as 

 those of the upper. 



7o. 



