Ithomiinae (the Long-wings) 



protected like the Euploeids and the Heliconians. In flight they 

 are said to somewhat resemble the dragon-flies of the genus 

 Agrion, their narrow wings, greatly elongated bodies, and slow, 

 flitting motion recalling these insects, which are known by school- 

 boys as "darning-needles." 



Three genera are said to be represented in the extreme south- 

 western portion of the United States. 1 myself have never re- 

 ceived specimens of any of them which indisputably came from 

 localities within our limits, and no such specimens are found in 

 the great collection of Mr. W. H. Edwards, which is now in my 

 possession. A paratype of Reakirt's species, Mecbanitis califor- 

 nica, is contained in the collection of Theodore L Mead, which 1 

 also possess. Mr. Mead obtained it from Herman Strecker of 

 Reading, Pennsylvania. Reakirt gives Los Angeles as the locality 

 from which his type came ; but whether he was right in this is open 

 to question, inasmuch, so far as is known, the species has not been 

 found in that neighborhood since described by Reakirt. 



Genus MECHANITIS, Fabricius 



Butterfly. — Butterflies of moderate size, with the fore wings 

 greatly produced, the inner margin bowed out just beyond the 



base, and deeply excavated between this 

 projection and the inner angle. The lower 

 discocellular vein in the hind wings is 

 apparently continuous with the median 

 vein, and the lower radial vein being 

 parallel with the median nervules, the 

 median vein has in consequence the ap- 

 pearance of being four-branched. The 

 submedian vein of the fore wings is 

 forked at the base. The costal margin 

 of the hind wings is clothed with tufted 

 erect hairs in the male sex. The fore 

 legs of the male are greatly atrophied, 

 the tarsi and the tibia being fused and 

 reduced to a small knob-like appendage. 

 The fore legs of the female are also 

 greatly reduced, but the tarsi and tibia are still recognizable as 

 slender, thread-like organs. 



86 



Fig. 80.— Neuration of the 

 genus Mecbanitis. The letters 

 refer to the names of the veins. 

 (See Fig. 40.) 



