"Head rough-haired. Ocelli absent. Tongue developed. Antennæ slender, dilated apically, forming a gradual or abrupt club. Labial palpi moderately long, more or less rough-haired, terminal joint rather pointed. Maxillary palpi obsolete. Thorax more or less hairy. Fore-wings with 1_b_ simple, 1_c_ absent, 5 usually from or above middle of transverse vein. Hind-wings without frenulum, 1_c_ absent, 3 and 4 usually connate, 8 rising out of cell near base, rapidly diverging."--(Meyrick.) (See Plate I., figs. 7, 8, 15, 16, 25, 26, 27.) This is one of the most interesting groups of the Lepidoptera. The insects comprised in it are popularly known as butterflies, and from their bright colouring and conspicuous appearance are always favourites with beginners. The _Papilionina_ attain great development in the tropics, especially in South America, where, it is said, a single valley sometimes contains as many species as the whole of Europe. In New Zealand there are only fifteen species of butterflies, the group being extremely poorly represented both here and in the South Pacific Islands. Formerly the _Papilionina_ was known as the _Rhopalocera_, and was regarded as constituting a division of equivalent value to the remainder of the Lepidoptera, which was termed the _Heterocera_. For some time past entomologists have, however, practically abandoned this classification of the order, the _Heterocera_, or moths, being clearly composed of several groups each of equivalent value to the _Rhopalocera_, or butterflies. Mr. Meyrick states in his 'Handbook of British Lepidoptera' that the _Papilionina_ "stands rather conspicuously isolated at the present day, but there is little doubt that its origin must be traced to the _Thyrididæ_, a family of the _Pyralidina_." In this group the wings are generally held erect in repose, the under surface of the hind-wings and the apical portion of the under surface of the fore-wings being nearly always protectively coloured, these being portions of the wings exposed to view when the insect is at rest. There is an unusual amount of ornamental colouring on the upper surface. The flight is invariably diurnal. The larva has ten prolegs. The three following families of _Papilionina_ are represented in New Zealand:-- 1. NYMPHALIDÆ. 2. SATYRIDÆ. 3. LYCÆNIDÆ. {102}Family 1.--NYMPHALIDÆ. "Anterior legs in both sexes much reduced, useless for walking; posterior tibiæ without middle spurs. Fore-wings with veins 8 and 9 out of 7. Hind-wings with præcostal spur." (Plate I., figs. 7 and 8.) "An extremely large family, mainly tropical. The species are of large or moderate size, usually dark-coloured, with light or bright bands or rows of spots.