LEPIDOPTERA. 
365 
are thread-like, and enlarged toward the tip; but in most 
cases the extreme tip is pointed and recurved, forming a 
hook. The abdomen is usually stout, resembling that of 
a moth rather than that of a butterfly. The skippers are 
most easily distinguished by the peculiar venation of the 
fore wings, vein III being five-branched, and all the 
branches arising from the discal cell (Fig. 445). In some 
butterflies all the branches of vein III appear to arise from 
the discal cell; but this is because two of the branches 
coalesce to the margin of the wing. In such butterflies vein 
III appears to be only four-branched. 
This superfamily includes two families—the Giant Skip¬ 
pers, Megathymidce , and the Common Skippers, Hesperiidce. 
These can be distinguished as follows:— 
A. Head of moderate size ; club of antenna large, neither drawn out 
at the tip nor recurved. Large skippers, with wing expanse of 
two inches or more. p. 365. Megathymidce. 
AA. Head very large; club of antenna usually drawn out at the 
tip, and with a distinct recurved apical crook. In a few forms 
the crook of the antennae is wanting; such forms can be distin¬ 
guished from the Mcgathymidas by their smaller size, the wing 
expanse being less than one and one fourth inches, p. 368. 
Hesperiidce. 
Family Megathymid^e (Meg-a-thym'i-dae). 
The Giant Skippers. 
This family includes a small number of large skippers, 
which are found in the South and far West. In the 
idult insect the head is of moderate size, the width, includ¬ 
ing the eyes, being much less than that of the metathorax. 
The club of the antennae is large ; and, although the tip is 
turned slightly to one side, it is neither drawn out to a 
point nor recurved. The body is very robust, even more 
so than in the Hesperiidae. These insects fly in the day¬ 
time and with a rapid, darting flight. When at rest they 
fold their wings in a vertical position. 
In the more general features of their venation the wings 
