HESPERIA MALVjE. 221 



general appearance, markings, and habits of its species, but in the <? s 

 certain conspicuous differences separate ihem readily, and, in the 

 matter of the tibial tuft and metasternal appendages, there appear to 

 be no transitional forms. The species are extremely difficult to 

 separate, and the specific or varietal value of many species is very 

 uncertain. The genus appears to be practically confined to the 

 Palaaarctic and Nearctic regions. 



Scudder observes (Butts. New Eng., ii., p. 1530) that the butterflies 

 are of small size, and may be readily distinguished by their chequered 

 markings of white upon a dark brown ground, the markings generally 

 disposed in transverse series, especially across the middle and outer 

 half of the wing .... the undersurface of the hindwings 

 peculiarly variegated, lacking the regularity of the markings of the 

 other parts, different shades of brown, olive and yellowish-green 

 serving to enliven the general design, while an interrupted fringe to 

 all the wings adds to their tesselated appearance. He further notes 

 that the group is one of the most numerous in species among the 

 Hesperiidae, and finds its maximum of development in the north 

 temperate regions of the Old World, most of the species found in 

 North America being confined to the western part, whose fauna bears 

 a closer resemblance to that of the Old World than it does to that of 

 eastern North America. In the Old World, it extends from about 

 60° N. lat. to nearly 30° N. lat., and, in the central Alps of Europe, 

 one species (Hesperia alveus) at least goes up to 7500ft. In the New 

 World it extends on the east coast, including the Antilles, at least 

 from below the equator to 55° N. lat., and on the western coast nearly 

 as high. 



The butterflies choose a variety of situations in which to live — dry 

 meadows, open places in woods, roadsides, mountain valleys, and high 

 upland pastures ; they rest on flowers, their wings expanded flatly when 

 flying actively in the sun, although, when quite at rest, they are drawn 

 up vertically over their backs. Some of the species are exceedingly fond 

 of drinking at muddy puddles and runnels of water ; we have seen 

 near Simplon, and elsewhere, a bank, through which water was oozing, 

 steaming in the hot sun, so covered with specimens of Hesperia alveus, 

 of both sexes, that it would have been possible to cover several dozens 

 with a net had one been so disposed. 



Hesperia mai/ve, Linne. 

 Synonymy. — Species: Malyae, Linn., " Syst. Nat.," 10th ed., p. 485, no. 167 

 nee larv. (1758); 12th ed., p. 795, no. 267 (1767); "Faun. Suec," p. 285, no. 1081 

 (1761) ; Mull., "Faun. Frid.," p. 37 (1764) ; Fab., " Sys. Ent.," p. 535, nee larv. 

 (1775); Fuess., " Verz.," p. 32, no. 609, nee references (1775) ; Goeze, "Ent. 

 Beit.," ii., pt. 3, p. 108 {in part) (1780) ; Fab., " Spec. Ins.," pt. ii., p. 136 {nee 

 larva et pupa) (1781); Ketz., " Gen. et Spec," p. 31(1783); Schneid., " Sys. Besch. 

 Eur. Schmett.," p. 277 (1785); Geoff., "Fourc. Ent. Paris.," p. 247 (1785); 

 Brahm, "Ins. Kal.," ii., p. 363 (1791) ; Lewin, " Insects," etc., p. 96, pi. xlvi., 

 figs. 8-9 (1775) ; Cuv., " Tabl. Elem.," p. 592 (1798) ; Haw., "Lep. Brit.," p. 52 

 (1803) ; Don., " Brit. Ins.," xv., p. 71, pi. 567, exc. larv. et pup. (1813) ; Leach, 

 " Edin. Encycl.," ix., p. 130 (1815) ; Dalm., " Vet. Ak. Handl.," xxxvii., p. 202 

 (1816); Sam., "Ent. Comp.," p. 242 (1819); Bdv., "Icones," p. 231 (1832); Zett., 

 " Ins. Lapp.," p. 915 (1840) ; Humph, and Westwd., " Brit. Butts.," p. 120, pi. 

 xxxviii., figs. 1-6 (1841); Kirby, "Eur. Butts.," p. 119 (1862); Wallgrn., " Skand. 

 Dagf.," p. 274 (1853); Nolck., "Lep. Fn. Estl.," p. 82 (1868): Butl., "Cat. 

 Diurn. Lep.," p. 282 (1869) ; Newm., " Brit. Butts.," p. 170 (1869) ; Kirby, " Syn. 

 Cat.," p. 614 (1871) ; Staud., " Cat.," 2nd ed., p. 34 (1871) ; Curo, " Bull. Soc. 

 Ent. Ital.," vi., p. 215 (1874); Kirby, "Eur. Butts.," p. 63 (1882); Lang, " Butts. 



