Medium-sized butterflies. Palpi well clothed with scales, the second and third joints very nearly of the same size, the latter blunt. Fore wings square at the apex, slightly excavated about the middle, the cell being closed by a stout lower discocellular vein, more or less continuous with the third median nervule. Hind wing strongly produced at the end of the third median nervule, rounded at the outer angle, with two short tooth-like projections before the anal angle.
There are less than a dozen species of the genus, most of which are South American, but there are two in Africa and one in Madagascar. Only one occurs within the United States, and is confined to the extreme south.
(1) Hypanartia lethe (Fabricius), [Plate LI], ♂ (The Orange-banded Red).
Occurs as a straggler in our fauna in the extreme southern part of Texas, but is very abundant farther south. Expanse 2.00 inches.
Genus SMYRNA Hübner
PL. LII
There are only two species of this genus and they closely resemble each other, so that it is hard to tell them apart. The one which occurs in our borders has the hind wing rounded at the anal angle, the other, S. blomfildi, has the anal angle of the hind wing squared, with a slight tail-like prolongation. On the under side both species are marked in much the same way.
(1) Smyrna karwinskii Hübner, [Plate LII], ♀ (Karwinski’s Beauty).
The insect may be at once recognized by the figure we give. Expanse 3.00-3.25 inches.