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LYCLENW.E. 
Fam. 3. — LYC-^NIDy^^, Stephens. 
Chakactees. — Small-sized butterflies, with the anterior pair of 
legs perfectly formed in both sexes. Antenna straight, with the 
clubs elongated and not curved. Palpi fully developed. Hind 
margins of fore wings without angular projections ; inner margins 
of hind wings never concave, but forming a shallow groove to 
receive the abdomen. 
The larvffi are onisciform or woodlouse-shaped, being short 
and thick, the middle segments having a larger diameter than 
those near the extremity. The head is small and retractile. 
The pupae are short, thick and rather rounded, entirely 
without points or angular projections. They are attached by the 
tail and girt by a belt round the middle, as in the last two families. 
Next to Nyinplialtdo}, this is the most extensive of butterflies ; 
it contains more than 1200 species, and is found in every region of 
the earth. The “blues,” “coppers,” and “ hair-streaks,” which 
represent this family in our own country and in Europe generally, 
are remarkable for their extreme beauty, though small size ; the 
Oriental and Neotropical regions, however, are where the Lyccmiidcc 
chiefly abound, and are most magnificent in colouring and design ; 
some of those from South America, for instance, may be fairly said 
to constitute some of the most beautiful objects in Nature. 
Five genera are represented in Europe — Thecla, LiEosopis, 
Thestok, Polyommatus, and LvoiENA. The total number of species 
does not amount to more than seventy. 
Every description of country furnishes examples. Woods, 
downs, fields, roadsides, and marshes, all have their inhabitants 
belonging to this family ; some are peculiar to mountainous 
districts, and others are content with the cold sunshine of the 
Arctic Eegions. 
Their flight is generally fast and jerky, seldom continuous, 
and they most frequently settle on low-growing flowers ; some 
species, however, especially those of the genus Theda, are fond of 
flyiug about the Ijrancbes of ti'ces, often in groups ; their habit 
