1028 
GRYPOCERA. General Topics. By Dr. A. Seitz. 
some leaves turn autumnally yellow, dozens of Padraona, Parnara, and Suastus swarm around the Lantana- 
bushes covering the slopes of the mountains and the roadsides. 
Some Indian species, such as Gangara thyrsis, excel in size even the large American species, though 
they are considerably inferior to certain African species, such as Pyrrhochalcia iphis. By far most of the Indian 
species are of medium size, and quite diminutive species such as the American Ancyloxypha manus are likewise 
hardly to be found in the Indian Region. The greatest number of the Indo-Australian Hesperidae, like the 
Americans, have an average expanse of about 3 cm. 
The predominant scheme of colouring is double like in the other faunae: oblique bands of different 
colours are situate before the apical third of the forewing, the ground-colour being dark brown, or the upper 
surface appears speckled black and golden yellow. More than three fourths of all the Indo-Australian Hesperidae 
fall to either of these designs. Besides we meet just as frequently as in other faunae with the colour of the 
wings being pierced by hyaline dots and small spots, the position of which, as a rule, evidently corresponds 
to the oblique bands mentioned above. In the genus Hasora we notice distinctly the oblique band being still 
coherent in If. chuza to be pierced in modatta-Q, whilst in H. inermis or gnaeus it is only yet marked by some 
punctiform spots, finally disappearing altogether (in the of many species). This marking is the most typical 
in the Notocrypta and Charmion being white on black, and in Sancus and Koruthaiolos being red on dark brown; 
the tendency towards this colouring is so energetic that among systematically quite remote species so great 
a resemblance is produced as is generally only effected by mimicry. 
It is easily comprehended that this phase of mimicry can hardly anywhere be expected in so old a 
family as that of the Hesperidae. We must regard this family to be merely a kind of preliminary stage of the 
other groups of butterflies, and as they existed before them, they can be just as little copyists of them, as a 
portrait can be made before the person to be portraited exists. The Hesperidae could therefore only be models, 
but not copyists. But as they evidently are without any internal protection, they have neither been copied 
anywhere. The members of the family amongst themselves at most may have developed mimetic relations, 
and it is not impossible that some resemblances, such as between the American Thracides and certain Thymele 
flying together with them, are to he explained thereby; but it would be absolutely wrong to think of an expediency 
of mimicry with a family being so much bound to certain primary forms in every case of resemblance (as for 
instance in the genera Padraona and Telicota, Parnara and Halpe). Similar cases among American Hesperidae 
have been mentioned in Vol. V, p. 835. 
At the same place we also pointed out that an adaptation to dead objects such as rocks, bark, or to 
plants (leaves, blossoms) is nowhere distinctly noticeable. On the contrary, many species are of exceedingly 
bright and conspicuous colours, and it is strange that just the quite black species being visible from afar to 
every eye in nature prefer settling down on white or very variegated flowers; in the Indian Region we see this 
behaviour with the jet-black Notocrypta in the same way as in America with the Achlyodes. Also the numerous 
yellow-speckled species are very conspicuous and are neither very timid nor do they try to conceal themselves. 
The principal protection of the Hesperidae is also in India undoubtedly their excellent ability of flying. 
Badamia exclamationis is decidedly a match for any Sphingid in the swiftness of its flight, and only the parti¬ 
cularly broad-winged species such as Abaratha and Netrocoryne are more easily to be followed with the eyes, 
when they are flying, though they can hardly be overtaken. 
A remarkable fact is the decided nocturnal life of numerous Indian Hesperidae. In some of them this 
peculiar habit has already produced a distinct Heterocera-like exterior. The body being at any rate strong in 
the Hesperidae almost attains in the $$ of Ismene the dimensions of unwieldy Lasiocampidae or Notodontidae, 
and also the almost quite monotonous colouring corresponds with the dark brown colour being so very common 
in the Heterocera. These Ismene are so very fond of nocturnal life, that in daytime they can be easily taken 
away with the hands, instead of flying off, and that is why we find among them the only species that have 
adapted themselves to the foliage, where they rest during the day, by a green protective colour, as for instance 
in I. benjamini. 
Beside these Ismene quite a number of other Hesperidae are nocturnal, flying even frequently at a very 
late hoiu\ The gigantic Erionotus mostly begin flying already in the dusk, but bustle about with the greatest 
liveliness between 8 and 9 p. m., when it is already totally dark in the tropics; standing under banana-shrubs, 
one may then see them chasing around their tojis, their figures standing out against the lighter sky of the night. 
The Hasora often came yet flying to the lantern after 11 p. m., after the dusk-loving Satyridae, the Melanitis 
and Lethe, had q^ready ceased flying. 
Probably all the Hesperidae are fond of flowers and hard at work at nearly every hour of the day. That 
they also take other food than the honey of blossoms, we have already stated in Vol. V, p. 834, and at the 
