Genus Megathymus 



by the late Professor C. V. Riley, and the student who is curious 

 to know more about this remarkable insect will do well to con- 

 sult the " Eighth Annual Report of the State Entomologist of 



Fig. 182. — Megathymus yucca;: a, egg, magnified; b, egg from which larva has 

 escaped; bb, bbb, unmatched eggs, natural size; c, newly hatched larva, magnified; 

 cc, larva, natural size; d, head, enlarged to show the mouth-parts; e, maxillary 

 palpi; /, antenna; g, labial palpi; b, spinneret. 



Missouri " (p. 169), or the "Transactions of the St. Louis Acad- 

 emy of Science " (vol. iii, p. 323), in which, with great learning, 

 the author has patiently set forth what is known 'in reference to 

 the insect.* 



The genus Megathymus is referred by some writers to the 

 Castniidce, a genus of day-flying moths, which seem to connect 

 the moths with the butterflies; but the consideration of the ana- 

 tomical structure of this insect makes such a reference impos- 

 sible. The genus properly 

 represents a subfamily of the 

 Hesperiidce, which might be 

 named the Megatbymince. The 

 species represented in our cuts 

 is Megathymus yuccce, Boisdu- 

 val and Leconte. There are a 

 number of other species of 

 Megathymus that are found in our Southern States, principally in 

 Texas and Arizona. They are interesting insects, the life-history 

 of which is, however, in many cases obscure, as yet. 



Fio. 183. — Chrysalis of Megathymus 

 yuccce. 



368 



