6 INTRODUCTION. By Dr. A. Seitz. 



it is also rich in examples of mimicr}', in which Erycinids copy members of the Nymphalids, Ithomiids and 

 even protected Heterocera. Thus Themone pais mimics a Mechaiiitis, Themone poecila a Phi/ciodes, Itlwmcln and 

 Compsotheria copy Neotropids, Lyropteryx oUvia resembles in flight a Calodesma of quite the same colouring, 

 and the little Syrmatia, with their quick, buzzing flight, bear, as they dash past one, more resemblance to 

 flies than to butterflies. 



The Lycaenids show, in the northern Nearctic region, man}' forms belonging to the genus Lycaena 

 or nearly related thereto ; but as one proceeds further south Theda-YikQ forms increase, much as in the Old 

 World. These Neotropical forms greatly exceed in size and brilliance the Indian Arhopala. 



The most interesting American group is unquestionably the Hesperids, which in manj' South 

 American localities occur in such a wealth of forms and individuals as to surpass, in variety and abundance, 

 all the rest of the Lepidoptera. The long-tongued species appear to be the sole fertihsing agents for some 

 plants, and the picture of the white-flowered bushes thickly covered with black Eantis abides vividly in the 

 memorj' of everyone who has collected in South America. 



Among the Heterocera the Zygaenids are far less prevalent than the Syntomids, which are 

 extremely well represented and often lavishh' adorned with metallic colours. Here a wide field is opened 

 for mimicry. The moths which are still commonly designated "Glaucopids" appear in the most wonderful 

 garb, some copying the predacious Hemiptera, others beetles, but the largest number Hj'raenoptera. The 

 strongest Hymenoptera in the world, the species of Pepsis, which wound bird-spiders with their sting and 

 carry them otf as food for their offspring, are copied by a very large number of Syntomid species. Under 

 the name of "Marimbondo" this wasp is dreaded in America both by men and animals, on account of its 

 terrible sting, so that in fact no better model could be found for protective resemblance. Entire genera of 

 Syntomids, such as Macrocneiiie, almost exclusively copy these giant wasps. 



The Castniids present, in some measure, a transition from the moths to the Hesperids. The true 

 Gastniids, such as the genera Castnia, Gazer a, etc., are absolute^ confined to America and indeed to its 

 tropical and subtropical parts. We see in them moths with entirely the habits of butterflies, which not 

 only feed, like many day-fliers, at flowers which grow in the sun, but also station themselves on points of 

 vantage at the extremities of the foliage where they drive off their enemies, play with their own kind, and 

 lay wait for the passing females. 



The Arctiids of North America pi'esent many similar forms to those of the Old World, several 

 genei'a and some species, such as Arctia caja, Parasemia plantagiriis, Phragmatobia fuKginosa, being common 

 to both hemispheres, without belonging to the holarctic polar fauna. The specifically American forms do 

 not make their appearance in numbers till further south , where they appear of an entirely different build 

 and colour; as Ecpantheria and Hulesidotu, which are specialh' developed in Central America, and the 

 curious Palustra, whose larva is aquatic. But although the most singular forms of "tiger-moths" live in the 

 tropics , the gayest and most beautifully marked are found in temperate North America , such as Apantesis, 

 Platyprepiu, Haploa^ etc. 



The Lithosiids, which in America, as in the Old World, are represented mostly by small forms, 

 are often, especialh' in tropical America, brightly coloured and of diurnal habits. In North America itself 

 scarcely 50 forms occur, they seem to reach the height of their development in the warm valleys of the 

 Andes, just as in the East the slopes of the Himalayas have been shown to be particularly favourable to 

 their production. No species are known which are common to both hemispheres; indeed hardly any genera, 

 if we follow Ha.mpson (as against Kirby and Dyar) in removing Utetheisa from the family Lithosiidae. 



The Liparids of America, in so far as we accept the present composition of this family, are 

 considerably less prevalent than those of the eastern world. Ocneria dispar, the "gypsy-moth", is an 

 introduced species, whereas Orgyja antiqua, which is widely distributed in the west of the Old World, and 

 reaches far north, is to be regarded as indigenous. We assume this to be so, although the species is 

 common at some of the European ports (particularly Hamburg) and the larva is fond of spinning up on 

 bales of merchandise, where the sluggish female also lays its eggs, so that every year large numbers are 

 probably dispersed to the four winds. In the genus Gynaephora the Liparids of America possess the species 

 G. groenla)idlca and rossii, which reach the farthest north of all the Heterocera ~ perhaps of all Lepidoptera. 



The Limacodids, a family of universal distribution, are verj' plentifully represented in South and 

 Central America, and develop elegantlj- marked, though small forms, man\- of them with a silkj' or metallic 

 gloss on the wings. From temperate America about 50 forms are known, which is about '/i" of the total 

 of known species. From the whole of America perhaps three times as many are known, or over '/s of th^ 

 total of known forms. It is remarkable that the northern part of America produces a far larger number 

 of forms than that of the Palaearctic Region, which in many districts is very poor in Limacodids; thus in 

 the whole of Europe only two species occur, i. e. less than '/a per cent, of the known species. 



The Psychids as still constituted at present, do not form a homogeneous family. The case-making 

 of the larvae and the degeneracy of the female are due to convergence, though they have repeatedly been 

 taken to indicate i-elationship. In America the Psychids play only a small role; only 15 per cent, of the 



