42 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE VICTORIA INSTITUTE. 
damage to bananas. This insect was also long regarded as a 
butterfly, but is now placed among the moths in the family 
Castniidce next to the Urctniidce. 
Many other examples of day flying moths with thickened or 
clubbed antennae might be given, e.g., several of the Sphinges or 
Hawk moths and the beautiful little Burnet moths often seen in 
English pastures. 
The second distinction also does not separate butterflies from 
moths, for in many moths the fore and hind wings are not linked 
together by a bristle at the base. 
It is thus evident that there is no hard and fast line between 
these two groups, but for the present it is convenient to include 
the first five families of Lepidoptera under the term Butterflies. 
We may now briefly consider these five families as they 
occur in Trinidad. 
The first and lowest family of butterflies is known as the 
JTymphalidce, and is distinguished by the fact that the front pair 
of legs is more or less rudimentary. This is by far the largest 
family of butterflies and includes nearly half the known species. 
It is therefore not surprising that in Trinidad we find it very 
largely represented. 
In the lowest sub-family is the common Danais or Marti- 
nique Soldier as it is called locally. This butterfly may often 
be seen flitting lazily over grass land. It has a very slender body 
and broad, tawny wings. Two species arc at present known in 
Trinidad. 
Other genera belonging to this sub-family and well repre- 
sented here are Ithomia and Tithorea. The former includes those 
small delicate butterflies with narrow wings so often seen flit- 
ting feebly through woods and shady places. One species is 
quite transparent and is seen with difficulty against the dark 
foliage and under-growth where it- is usually found. Tithorea 
includes two species — harmonia and flavescens. The latter was 
