THE SKIPPERS. 



415 



The accompanying line engraving represents the magnificent insect called the Neoptole- 

 mus. It belongs to the genus Morpho, in which are contained some of the most resplendent 

 beings to be found in the world, all being 

 beautiful, and some endowed with a gorgeous- 

 ness of coloring that is almost inconceivable. 

 In the present species the upper wings are of 

 the richest azure, glittering like burnished 

 metal, and iridescent as the opal, but with 

 far greater intensity of hue. In some lights 

 the colors are sombre enough, being only pale 

 gray and darkish brown ; but when the light 

 falls favorably upon the wings, their colors are 

 truly magnificent. Around the edges of the 

 wings is a broad belt of black, very deep 

 towards the tips, and narrowing towards the 

 angle. The under side is soft brown, decorated 

 with many irregular stripes of yellowish gray. 

 and besprinkled with a number of eye-like 

 spots arranged in a tolerably regular row, three 

 on each of the upper wings, and of nearly 

 equal size, and four on each of the lower wings, 

 one being very large and separate from the 

 rest, and the remaining three small and close 

 together. In the centre of each eye there is a 

 little white spot, round which is a broad ring 

 of black, then a narrower ring of buff, then a 

 line of black, and lastly a gray line. 



NEOPTULEJH'S. 



-Marpho neoptotemua. 



(Natural size.) 



Just above the left-hand corner of the Thoas' wing in the illustration on page 405, may 

 be seen a little butterfly of simple coloring. This is one of the Hair-streak butterflies, 

 belonging to another family called the Lycsenidge. In this family are contained the beautiful 

 blue butterflies so common in the fields, and whose exquisitely spotted under surface never 

 fails to attract admiration. All the Copper Butterflies belong to the same family. 



The present species is a native of Demerara, and is very scarce, not yet having received a 

 name in the scientific catalogue. The color of the upper wings is brown, with light streaks of 

 blue radiating from the bases, and that of the lower wings is blue, edged with brown. Below 

 it is brownish-gray, with a single narrow line of rusty-red crossing both pairs of wings, and a 

 dash of the same color on the hinder edges. 



Before taking a final leave of the butterflies, it is necessary to mention a family of 

 Lepidoptera, which possess so many of the characteristics belonging to the butterflies, and so 

 many of those belonging to the moths, that entomologists find some difficulty in placing them, 

 in their proper position, some considering them as members of the Rhopalocera, and others as 

 belonging to the Heterocera. These insects are popularly known by the name of Skippers, 

 on account of their short and irregular flight. Several of these insects may be found mostly 

 along hedge-banks towards the end of the day. They do not seem to fly very high, but 

 pass in their peculiar jerking fashion along the banks, flitting in and out of the herbage 

 with restless, eager movements which can never be mistaken for the flight of any other 

 insect. All these creatures have rather large heads, their antenna? have a slight hook at the 

 tip, and their wings are small when compared with the dimensions of the body, thus producing 

 the peculiar flight. 



The second great division of the Lepidoptera is that of the Moths, distinguishable by 

 means of the pointed tips of their antennae, which are often furnished with a row of projections 

 on either side, like the teeth of a comb ; and in the males are sometimes supplied with branching 



