THE SKIPPERS 



recurved, forming a hook. The abdomen is usually stout, re- 

 sembling that of a moth rather than that of a butterfly. The 

 skippers are most easily distinguished by the peculiar venation 

 of the fore wings, radius being five-branched, and all the 

 branches arising from cell R + M (Fig. 41). In some but- 

 terflies all the branches of radius appear to arise from the 

 cell R + M; but this is because two of the branches coalesce 

 to the margin of the wing. In such butterflies radius appears 

 to be only four-branched. 



This superfamily includes two families — the Giant Skippers, 

 MegathymidcR, and the Common Skippers, Hesperiidce. These 

 can be distinguished as follows : 



A. Head of moderate size ; club of antenna large, neither 

 drawn out at the tip nor recurved. Large skippers, with 

 wing expanse of two inches or more, p. 258. 



The Giant Skippers. 



AA. Head very large ; club of antenna usually drawn out at 

 the tip, and with a distinct recurved apical crook. In a 

 few forms the crook of the antenna; is wanting ; such forms 

 can be distinguished from the Megathymidse by their 

 smaller size, the wing expanse being less than one and 

 one-fourth inches, p. 260. The Common Skippers. 



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