183 



HELICOPIS GNIDUS*. 



PLATE XXIV. Figs. 1 and 2, Fern. 



Hesperia Gnidus, Fair Pap. Endymion, Cramer^ PI. 224, 



C, D, (Male,) E," F, (Fern) Erycina Gnidus, Godart ,- 



StoWs Supp. PI. 4; fig. 5, A, (Cater), 5, B, (Chrysalis). 



The genus Helicopis was proposed by Fabricius in 

 his Systema Glossatarum, and lie refers to the species 

 above mentioned as one of its typical forms. Although 

 its characters are sufficiently distinctive, it was long 

 confounded with other groups to which it has little 

 relation. It belongs to that section of the diurnal 

 lepidoptera in which the caterpillars are short and 

 depressed, having some resemblance to an oniscus, 

 whence they are called onisciform. The palpi are 

 rather long and slender, and the terminal joint is 

 nearly naked or free from scales. In Helicopis the 

 antennae terminate in a slightly curved club : the 

 anterior legs are much shorter than the others and 

 clothed with hairs ; hinder margin of the anterior 

 wings convex and entire, the corresponding margin 

 of the posterior with six linear tails, the central one 

 much longer than the rest ; discoidal cell of the 

 posterior wings open behind ; claws very - minute. 



* Owing to the resemblance which this species bears to 

 //. Cupido, the latter name has been inadvertently attached to 

 the figure on the adjoining Plate, 



