IS8 ARTHROPODS: INSECTS. 



Skippers. 



Skippers are butterflies ^vhich have a short body, 

 large head, and large eyes; and the antennae have the 

 knob at the end either curved like a 

 hook or ending in a little point bent 

 to one side. They are called Skippers 

 because they fly with a jerking mo- 

 tion. They are generally of a rich 



Fig. 270. — Skipper. -' 1 J Vu * f 



brown color, marked with spots 01 

 yellow, and expand from an inch and a half to two 

 inches and a half. 



The Tityrus Skipper is one of the largest and most 

 beautiful species. Its wings are brown ; the for\\ard 

 wings ha\'e a yellow band across the middle and 

 yellow spots near the tips, and the hind wings have a 

 broad, silver-colored band across the middle of the 

 under side. It is found about clover and other flow- 

 ers in June and July. The females lay their eggs on 

 the leaves of the locust trees. The caterpillar, when 

 full grown, is about two inches long, pale green, with 

 cross streaks of darker green ; the head and neck are 

 red, with a yellow spot on each side of the mouth. 



Hawk Moths, or Sphingidae. 



These Moths are large, and have the antennae thick- 

 est in the middle and usually hooked at the tip, and 

 the wings long and narrow. During the morning and 

 evening twilight, they may be seen flying from flower 

 to flower with great swiftness, and are easily mistaken 

 for Humming Birds. A few kinds fly by day and in 

 bright sunshine. The caterpillars are very large, and 

 are remarkable for their curious attitudes, which re- 



