366 



HIIOPALOCERA .If A LA VAX A. 



vibration of its transparent wings strongly reminded me of the dragon-fly, and it is possible 

 that it sometimes hovers in its flight, after the manner of the latter, though I did not 

 see it do so." 



Subsequent to the above, and with reference to another species, Mr. Forbes has published 

 similar observations made in Sumatra :— "By the margin of a small stream I caught Lepioeircus 

 vircscens, which derives protection from mimicking the habits and appearance of a dragon-fly, 

 in a crowd of which it is often to be found. In form it reminded me of the European genus 

 .W mop tern* It flits over the top of the water, fluttering its tails, jerking up and down just as 

 dragon-flies do when flicking the water with the tip of their abdomens. "When it settles on 

 the ground it is difficult to see, as it vibrates in constant motion its tail and wings, so that 

 a mere haze, as it were, exists where it rests."* 



2, Leptocircus curius. (Tab. XLIL, fig* 1.) 



Papiliu Curim, Fabricius, Umt Ins. ii. p. 0, n, 71 U7B7) ; Enfc. Syet. iii p. 28, u. 81 {1793) ; Don, Ins. Ind. 



t. 41, I I (1800). 

 Enjcina Citnit*, Godt. Enc M£th. ix. p. 664, n. 6 (1823). 



Leptocircus Curius, Gray, Cat. Lap. FapiL p, 78, n, &8G (1852) ; Horsf. & Moore, Cat. Lap. Maa, E. I. C. vol. L 

 p. 85, n. 172 (1857); Feld. Spec. Lepid. Pap. p. 1, n. 5 {ISM) ; Moore, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1865, p. 758 ; 

 Wall. Trans. Linn. Soc. vol. xxv. p. 69 t n. 128 1 1865] ; BntL Cat. Fabr. Lep. p. 259, n. 1 (1869) ; 

 Kheil, Rhop. der bisel Nias. p. 97, n. 144 (1884). 



Male and Female. Differs from L. megea by the smaller size, less elongated caudate appendages to 

 the posterior wings, the greater expanse of the opaque hlack urea to the anterior wings, and by the green 

 fasciae to the wings of L. meyes being replaced by much narrower and white fascire in L. curios. 



Exp. wings, 38 to 40 niillim. 



Hab. — Continental India; Cherra Poonjee (Horsf. & Moore); Silhet, Assam (Feld.). — Jiurma; 

 Moulmein (Feld.). — Malay Peninsula ; Perak (coll. God fery) ; Malacca (Feld.J. -Siam (Fold.),— Sumatra 

 (Forbes — coll, DiBt.); Nias Island {Kheil). — Java (Wallace and Brit. Mus.), — Borneo; Sarawak 

 (coll. Dist.). 



Id Bengal this species has been described by Mr. A* Grote, as "Found only on the slopes 

 of the hills to the eastward and north- eastward." f 



Hc*pcritl<c t Lench, Sam. Comp. p. 242 (1810) ; Westw. Gen. Diurci. Lep. p. 605 (18G2) ; Bates, Journ. Entomol. 



vol. i. p, St? (1661); ib. vol.ii. p.177 |1804|; Trimen, Rhop. Afr.Auatr, p.285 (I860); Marsh. & De Nic. 



Butt. IntL, Bnrm, & Coyi. vol i. p. 18'(1882j, 

 Hmeriidai Weatw. Introd. Mod. Class. Ins. vol. ii. p. SG0 (1840) ; Moore, Lep. Ceyl, vol. i. p. 156 (1881]. 

 Urhicd<s t Scada. Trans. Anier. Eat, Soc. vol. vi. p. 69 (1877). 



Six perfect legs in both sexes ; posterior tibiffi, with few exceptions, having two pairs of spurs. Antenna- 

 generally curved or hooked at apices. Pupa secured by many threads, or enclosed in a slight cocoon. 



The classifieatory position of this family is unequivocal, anil forms a connecting link- 

 between the Papilioninous portion of the Khopalocera anil the Heteroeera or Moths. J When 



* *Nftt. Wand. East. Archipel./ p. 130. f Proc. Zool. Soo. 1865, p. 756. 



betwfon the Heteroeera ami tlm Rhopalnrcni. in iJnil they jxjkhchh, in particular caxoti, two characteristic^ physiological and 

 anatomical peculiariiieH— thu [wsiiion °* wing* when at rent t and the catch -bristle {ha/tborsU} of the hind wings (Stett. 

 Ent. Zt-it. 1878, pp. NS7— 1U3, ami Eng. Transl. Cnuml. Eut. vol, x. p. 128 (1878). 



Fam, HESPERIIDiE. 



