PART III 



THE SKIPPERS 



Superfamily Hesperioidea (Hes-per-i-oi'de-a) 



The skippers are commonly classed with the butterflies ; 

 for this reason they are discussed here, although the writer 



believes that they consti- 

 tute a superfamily distinct 

 from the butterflies. 



The skippers are so called 

 on account of their peculiar 

 mode of flight. They fly 

 in the daytime and dart 

 suddenly from place to 

 place. When at rest most 

 species hold the wings erect 

 in a vertical position like 

 butterflies ; in some the 

 fore wings are thus held 

 while the hind wings are 

 extended horizontally; and 

 a few extend both pairs of 

 wings horizontally. The 

 antennae are threadlike, 

 and enlarged toward the 



,. , tip; but in most cases the 



rio. 41. — Venation of the wings of 



Epargyreus lilyrus. extreme tip is pointed and 



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