LhPIDOPTERA. 389 



the female the front legs are like the other legs, in the male 

 they are shorter, without tarsal claws, and with the tarsi 

 more or less aborted. This reduction of the fore legs is 

 carried even farther in the next family, where it extends to 

 both sexes, and the fore legs are unused. 



The caterpillars of the Lycaenidae present a very unusual 

 form, being more or less slug-like, reminding one of the 

 larvae of the Eucleidae. The body is short and broad ; 

 the legs and prolegs are short and small, allowing the body 

 to be closely pressed to the object upon which the insect is 

 moving — in fact some of the species glide rather than creep ; 

 and the head is small, and can be retracted more or less 

 within the prothorax. The body is armed with no conspic- 

 uous appendages ; but some of the species are remarkable 

 for having honey-tubes which can be pushed out from the 

 seventh and eighth abdominal segments, and through which 

 honey-dew is excreted for the use of ants. Certain other 

 species are remarkable in being carnivorous ; one American 

 species feeds exclusively upon plant-lice. 



The chrysalids are short, broad, ovate, and without angu- 

 lations. They are attached by the caudal extremity, and by 

 a loop passing over the body near its middle. The ventral 

 aspect of the body is straight and often closely pressed to 

 the object to which the chrysalis is attached. 



The Lycaenidae include two subfamilies ; these can be 

 be separated as follows : — 



A. Vein II of the hind wings without a branch near the base of the 

 wing (Fig. 465) Lyc^enin^e. 



AA. Vein II of the hind wings giving off a spur (the tip of vein I) 

 near the base of the wing. p. 394 Lemoniin^e. 



Subfamily LYC^ENIN^E (Ly-cae-ni'nae). 



The Common Gossamer-wmged Butterflies. 



This subfamily includes all of our common members of 

 the Lycaenidae ; it is composed of three well-marked groups 



