SUBFAMILY NYMPHALINAE (THE NYMPHS)

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"Entomology extends the limits of being in new directions, so that I walk in nature with a sense of greater space and freedom. It suggests, besides, that the universe is not rough-hewn, but perfect in its details. Nature will bear the closest inspection; she invites us to lay our eye level with the smallest leaf and take an insect view of its plane."—Thoreau.

"My butterfly-net and pocket magnifying-glass are rare companions for a walk in the country."—William Hamilton Gibson, Sharp Eyes, p. 117.

Butterfly.—The butterflies of this subfamily are mainly of moderate or large size, though some of the genera contain quite small species. The antennÆ are always more or less heavily clothed with scales, and are usually as long as the abdomen, and in a few cases even longer. The club is always well developed; it is usually long, but in some genera is short and stout. The palpi are short and stout, densely clothed with scales and hairs. The thorax is relatively stout, in some genera exceedingly so. The fore wings are relatively broad, the length being to the breadth in most cases in the ratio of 5 to 3, or 3 to 2, though in a few mimetic forms these wings are greatly produced, and narrow, patterning after the outline of the Heliconians and Ithomiids, which they mimic. The fore wings are in most genera produced at the apex, and more or less strongly excavated on the outer margin below the apex. The discoidal cell is usually less than half the length of the wing from base to tip. It is occasionally open, but is more generally closed at its outer extremity by discocellular veins diminishing in thickness from the upper to the lower outer angle of the cell. The costal nervure usually terminates midway between the end of the cell and the tip. The two inner subcostal nervules usually arise before the end of the cell; the outer subcostal nervules invariably arise beyond the end of the cell.

The hind wings are rounded or angulated, with the outer border scalloped or tailed; the inner border always affords a channel for the reception of the abdomen. The costal nervule invariably terminates at the external angle of this wing. The discoidal cell is frequently open, or simply closed by a slender veinlet, which it is not always easy to detect; the anal vein is never lacking.

The fore legs are greatly reduced in the male, less so in the female.

Egg.—The egg is either somewhat globular, or else barrel-shaped, with the sides marked with net-like elevations, or vertically ribbed (see Figs. 1, 8, 10).

Caterpillar.—When first emerging from the egg the caterpillar is generally furnished with long hairs rising singly from wart-like elevations which are arranged either in longitudinal rows or in geometric patterns (Fig. 85). As the caterpillars pass their successive moults the hairs are transformed into branching spines or tubercles (see Plate III, Figs. 28-38).

Fig. 85.—Caterpillar of Vanessa antiopa, just hatched. (Greatly magnified.) (After Scudder.)

Chrysalis.—The chrysalis invariably hangs suspended from a button of silk, and is frequently furnished, especially on the dorsal or upper surface, with a number of prominences; the head is usually bifurcate, or cleft (see Plate IV, Figs. 21, 39, etc.).

This is the largest of all the subfamilies of the butterflies, and is widely distributed, including many of the most beautifully colored and most vigorous species which are known. There are twenty-six genera represented in our fauna, containing about one hundred and seventy species.

Genus COLÆNIS, Doubleday

Butterfly.—Butterflies of moderately large size, the fore wings greatly produced and relatively narrow; the hind wings evenly rounded and relatively small, of bright reddish-brown color, with darker markings. The species are mimics, and in the elongation of their wings reveal the influence of the Heliconians, protected species, which abound in the regions in which the genus attains its greatest development. The median vein in the upper wing is characterized by the presence at the base of a minute, thorn-like, external projection; the second subcostal nervule is emitted beyond the cell; the cell of the hind wing is open.

The life-history of the two species found within our fauna has not as yet been carefully worked out, and aside from a knowledge of the fact that the caterpillars closely resemble in many respects the caterpillars of the two succeeding genera, being provided with branching spines on their bodies, we do not know as yet enough to give any complete account of the early stages of these insects.

Fig. 86.—Neuration of the genus Coloenis, slightly less than natural size.

(1) ColÆnis julia, Fabricius, Plate VIII, Fig. 6, ? (Julia).

The upper side is dark reddish-orange, the borders are black, a black band extends from the costa at the end of the cell to the outer margin on the line of the third median nervule; the costal area on the hind wings is silver-gray; the wings on the under side are pale rusty-red, mottled with a few darker spots, principally on the costa, at the end of the cell, and at the apex of the primaries. There are a few crimson marks at the base of the hind wings, and two light-colored lunules near the inner angle of the hind wings. Expanse of wing, 3.50 inches.

This butterfly, which mimics the genus Heliconius in the outline of the wings, is very common in the tropics of America, and only appears as an occasional visitant in southern Texas.

(2) ColÆnis delila, Fabricius, Plate VIII, Fig. 4, ? (Delila).

The Delila Butterfly very closely resembles Julia, and principally differs in being paler in color and without the black band extending from the costa to the outer margin of the primaries. This species has nearly the same form and the same size as the preceding, and, like it, is occasionally found in southern Texas. It is very common in Central America and the West Indies. One of the earliest memories of my childhood relates to a collection of Jamaican butterflies in which were a number of specimens of this butterfly, which I have always much admired.

Genus DIONE, HÜbner (Agraulis, Boisd.-Lec.)

Butterfly.—Head large, the antennÆ moderately long, with the club flattened; the tip of the abdomen does not extend beyond the inner margin of the hind wings; the cell of the hind wings is open; the primaries are elongated, nearly twice as long as broad, with the exterior margin excavated; the secondaries at the outer margin denticulate. The prevalent color of the upper side of the wings is fulvous, adorned with black spots and lines, the under side of the wings paler brown, in some of the species laved with pink and brilliantly adorned with large silvery spots, as in the genus Argynnis.

Egg.—Conoidal, truncated on top, with fourteen ribs running from the apex to the base, between which are rows of elevated striÆ, causing the surface to appear to be covered with quadrangular pits.

Larva.—The caterpillar is cylindrical in its mature stage, tapering a little from the middle toward the head, which is somewhat smaller than the body. The head and each segment of the body are adorned with branching spines.

Fig. 87.—Neuration of the genus Dione.

Chrysalis.—The chrysalis is suspended, and has on the dorsal surface of the abdomen a number of small projections. At the point where the abdominal and thoracic segments unite on the dorsal side there is a deep depression, succeeded on the middle of the thorax by a rounded elevation composed of the wing-cases. At the vertex of the chrysalis there is a conical projection; on the ventral side the chrysalis is bowed outwardly.

This genus is confined to the New World, and contains five species. It is closely related to the genus Coloenis on the one hand and to the genus Argynnis on the other. It is distinguished from Coloenis by the more robust structure of the palpi, which closely approximate in form the palpi of the genus Argynnis. It is distinguished from the species of the genus Argynnis by the form of the wings and by the open cell of the secondaries. The larva feeds upon the different species of the genus Passiflora. I cannot at all agree with those who have recently classed this butterfly with the Heliconians. In spite of certain resemblances in the early stages between the insect we are considering and the early stages of some of the Heliconians, and in spite of the shape of the wings, which are remarkably elongated, there are structural peculiarities enough to compel us to keep this insect in the ranks of the NymphalinÆ, where it has been placed for sixty years by very competent and critical observers. In a popular work like this it manifestly is out of place to enter into a lengthy discussion of a question of this character, but it seems proper to call attention to the fact that in the judgment of the writer the location of this genus in the preceding subfamily does violence to obvious anatomical facts.

(1) Dione vanillÆ, LinnÆus, Plate VIII, Fig. 7, ? (The Gulf Fritillary).

Butterfly.—The upper side is bright fulvous; the veins on the fore wings are black, very heavy near the tip; there are four black spots on the outer border, and three discal spots of the same color; there are three irregular black spots toward the end of the cell, pupiled with white; the hind wings have a black border inclosing rounded spots of the ground-color; between the base and the outer margin there are three or four black spots; the under side of the fore wings is light orange, the markings of the upper side showing through upon the under side; the apex of the front wing is brown, inclosing light silvery spots; the secondaries are brown, with numerous elongated bright silver spots and patches. The female does not differ from the male, except that she is darker and the markings are heavier. Expanse, 2.50-3.25 inches.

Caterpillar.—The caterpillar is cylindrical, with the head somewhat smaller than the body, pale yellowish-brown in color, marked with longitudinal dark-brown bands, of which the two upon the side are deeper in color than the one upon the back, which latter is sometimes almost entirely effaced; the base is slaty-black. There are orange spots about the spiracles. There are six rows of black branching spines upon the body, and two similar spines upon the head, these latter somewhat recurved. The feet and legs are black. The caterpillar feeds upon the various species of passion-flower which are found in the Southern States.

Chrysalis.—The chrysalis is dark brown, marked with a few small pale spots.

This species ranges from the latitude of southern Virginia southward to Arizona and California. It is abundant also in the Antilles and Mexico.

Genus EUPTOIETA, Doubleday

Butterfly.—Butterflies of medium size, having wings of a yellowish-brown color, marked with black, the under side of the wings devoid of silvery spots such as are found in the genera Dione and Argynnis. The palpi have the second joint strongly developed, increasing in thickness from behind forward, and thickly covered with long hair; the third joint is very small and pointed; the antennÆ are terminated by a conspicuous pear-shaped club. The cell of the fore wing is closed by a very feeble lower discocellular vein, which unites with the median vein at the origin of the second median nervule; the cell of the hind wing is open, though occasionally there are traces of a feebly developed lower discocellular vein on this wing. The outer margin of the fore wing is slightly excavated below the apex; the outer margin of the hind wing is somewhat strongly produced at the end of the third median nervule.

Egg.—Short, subconical, with from thirty to forty vertical ribs, pale green in color.

Caterpillar.—The caterpillar is cylindrical, with short branching spines arranged in longitudinal rows upon the body, the spines on the first segment being bent forward over the head. The head is somewhat smaller in the mature stage than the body.

Chrysalis.—The chrysalis is suspended, marked upon its dorsal side with a number of small angular eminences, with the head and the ventral side evenly rounded.

The larva of these insects feeds upon the various species of passion-flower. It is also said to feed upon violets. The butterflies frequent open fields, and are sometimes exceedingly abundant in worn-out lands in the Southern States.

There are two species of this genus, both of which are found within the United States, and range southwardly over the greater portion of Central and South America.

(1) Euptoieta claudia, Cramer, Plate VIII, Fig. 9, ? (The Variegated Fritillary).

Butterfly.—The upper side of both wings is dull ferruginous, darker toward the base, crossed by an irregular black median line, which is darker, broader, and more zigzag on the fore wing than on the hind wing. This line is followed outwardly on both wings by a pair of more or less wavy limbal lines, inclosing between them a series of round blackish spots. The outer margin is black, with the fringes pale fulvous, checkered with black at the end of each nervule. At the end of the cell in the fore wing there are two black lines inclosing paler fulvous spots, and both wings near the base have some curved black lines. On the under side the fore wings are marked somewhat as on the upper side, but paler in color, with a large apical patch of brownish-gray broken by a transverse band of darker brown. The hind wings are dark brown, with the markings of the upper side obscurely repeated; they are mottled with gray and crossed by a broad central band of pale buff.

The species varies very much, according to locality, both in size and in the depth of the markings. Expanse, 1.75-2.75 inches.

Egg.—The egg is conoidal, relatively taller than the eggs of the genus Argynnis, which closely resemble it. There is a depression at the apex, surrounded by a serrated rim, formed by the ends of the vertical ribs, of which there are about twenty, some longer and some shorter, about half of them reaching from the apex to the base. Between these vertical ribs there are a multitude of smaller cross-ridges.

Caterpillar.—The caterpillar is cylindrical, reddish-yellow in color, marked with two brown lateral bands and a series of white spots upon the back. There are six rows of short branching spines upon the body, which are black in color; the two uppermost of these spines on the first segment are much elongated and are directed forward. The head is smaller than the body in the mature caterpillar, and is black. On the under side the caterpillar is pale or whitish; the legs are blackish-brown. It feeds upon the passion-flower.

Chrysalis.—The chrysalis is pearly-white, marked with black spots and longitudinal streaks.

This species has been taken as far north as Long Island and Connecticut, though it is a very rare visitant in New England; it is quite common in Virginia and thence southward, and occurs not infrequently in southern Illinois and Indiana, ranging westward and southward over the entire continent to the Isthmus of Panama, and thence extending over the South American continent, wherever favorable conditions occur.

(2) Euptoieta hegesia, Cramer, Plate VIII, Fig. 8, ? (The Mexican Fritillary).

The upper side is marked very much as in the preceding species, but all the lines are finer and somewhat more regular, and the basal and discal areas of the hind wings are without dark spots in most specimens. The under side is less mottled and more uniformly dark rusty-brown than in E. claudia. Expanse, about 2 inches.

The life-history of this species has not as yet been thoroughly worked out, but there is every reason to believe that the insect in its early stages very closely approaches the Variegated Fritillary. It is a Southern form, and only occasionally is taken in Arizona and southern California. It is common in Central and South America.

LUTHER'S SADDEST EXPERIENCE

"Luther, he was persecuted, Excommunicated, hooted, Disappointed, egged, and booted; Yelled at by minutest boys, Waked up by nocturnal noise, Scratched and torn by fiendish cats, Highwayed by voracious rats.
"Oft upon his locks so hoary Water fell from upper story; Oft a turnip or potato Struck upon his back or pate, Oh! And wherever he betook him, A papal bull was sure to hook him.
"But the saddest of all I am forced to relate: Of a diet of worms He was forced to partake— Of a diet of worms For the Protestants' sake; Munching crawling caterpillars, Beetles mixed with moths and millers; Instead of butter, on his bread, A sauce of butterflies was spread. Was not this a horrid feast For a Christian and a priest?
"Now, if you do not credit me, Consult D'AubignÉ's history. You'll find what I have told you Most fearfully and sternly true." Yale Literary Magazine, 1852.

Genus ARGYNNIS, Fabricius

(The Fritillaries, the Silver-spots)

"July is the gala-time of butterflies. Most of them have just left the chrysalis, and their wings are perfect and very fresh in color. All the sunny places are bright with them, yellow and red and white and brown, and great gorgeous fellows in rich velvet-like dresses of blue-black, orange, green, and maroon. Some of them have their wings scalloped, some fringed, and some plain; and they are ornamented with brilliant borders and fawn-colored spots and rows of silver crescents.... They circle about the flowers, fly across from field to field, and rise swiftly in the air; little ones and big ones, common ones and rare ones, but all bright and airy and joyous—a midsummer carnival of butterflies."—Frank H. Sweet.

Butterfly.—Butterflies of medium or large size, generally with the upper surface of the wings reddish-fulvous, with well-defined black markings consisting of waved transverse lines, and rounded discal and sagittate black markings near the outer borders. On the under side of the wings the design of the fore wings is generally somewhat indistinctly repeated, and the hind wings are marked more or less profusely with large silvery spots. In a few cases there is wide dissimilarity in color between the male and the female sex; generally the male sex is marked by the brighter red of the upper surface, and the female by the broader black markings, the paler ground-color, and the sometimes almost white lunules, which are arranged outwardly at the base of the sagittate spots along the border.

Fig. 89.—Neuration of the genus Argynnis.

The eyes are naked; the palpi strongly developed, heavily clothed with hair rising above the front, with the last joint very small and pointed. The antennÆ are moderately long, with a well-defined, flattened club. The abdomen is shorter than the hind wings; the wings are more or less denticulate. The subcostal vein is provided with five nervules, of which the two innermost are invariably given forth before the end of the cell; the third subcostal nervule always is nearer the fourth than the second. The cell of the fore wing is closed by a fine lower discocellular vein, which invariably joins the median vein beyond the origin of the second nervule. The hind wing has a well-defined precostal nervule; the cell in this wing is closed by a moderately thick lower discocellular vein, which joins the median exactly at the origin of the second median nervule. The fore feet of the males are slender, long, and finely clothed with hair. The fore feet of the females are of the same size as those of the males, but thin, covered with scales, and only on the inner side of the tibiÆ clothed with moderately long hair.

Egg.—The eggs are conoidal, truncated, and inwardly depressed at the apex, rounded at the base, and ornamented on the sides by parallel raised ridges, not all of which reach the apex. Between these ridges there are a number of small raised cross-ridges.

Caterpillar.—The caterpillar is cylindrical, covered with spines, the first segment always bearing a pair of spines somewhat longer than the others. All of the species in North America, so far as their habits are known, feed upon violets at night. During the daytime the caterpillars lie concealed.

Chrysalis.—The chrysalis is angular, adorned with more or less prominent projections. The head is bifid.

The genus Argynnis is one of the largest genera of the brush-footed butterflies. It is well represented in Europe and in the temperate regions of Asia, some magnificent species being found in the Himalayas and in China and Japan. It even extends to Australia, and recently two species have been discovered in the vicinity of the great volcanic peak, Kilima-Njaro, in Africa. But it has found its greatest development upon the continent of North America. The species composing this genus are among our most beautiful butterflies. Owing to the fact that there is a great tendency in many of the forms closely to approximate one another, the accurate distinction of many of the species has troubled naturalists, and it is quite probable that some of the so-called species will ultimately be discovered to be merely local races or varietal forms. The species that are found in the eastern part of the United States have been studied very carefully, and their life-history has been worked out so thoroughly that little difficulty is found in accurately determining them. The greatest perplexity occurs in connection with those species which are found in the region of the Rocky Mountains. While silvery spots are characteristic of the under side of most of the fritillaries, in some species the silvery spots are not found; in others they are more or less evanescent, occurring in the case of some individuals, and being absent in the case of others.

(1) Argynnis idalia, Drury, Plate X, Fig. 3, ?; Plate V, Fig. 4, chrysalis (The Regal Fritillary).

Butterfly.—The upper side of the fore wings of the male is bright fulvous, marked very much as in other species of the genus. The upper side of the hind wings is black, glossed with blue, having a marginal row of fulvous and a submarginal row of cream-colored spots. On the under side the fore wings are fulvous, with a marginal row of silver crescents, and some silvery spots on and near the costa. The hind wings are dark olive-brown, marked with three rows of large irregular spots of a dull greenish-silvery color. The female is at once distinguished from the male by having the marginal row of spots on the hind wings cream-colored, like the submarginal row, and by the presence of a similar row of light spots on the fore wings. Expanse, 2.75-4.00 inches.

Egg.—The egg in form is like those of other species of Argynnis.

Caterpillar.—The caterpillar moults five times before attaining to maturity. When fully developed it is 1.75 inches long, black, banded and striped with ochreous and orange-red, and adorned with six rows of fleshy spines surmounted by several black bristles. The spines composing the two dorsal rows are white, tipped with black; those on the sides black, tinted with orange at the point where they join the body. The caterpillar feeds on violets, and is nocturnal in its habits.

Chrysalis.—The chrysalis is brown, mottled with yellow and tinted on the wing-cases with pinkish. It is about an inch long, and in outline does not depart from the other species of the genus.

This exceedingly beautiful insect ranges from Maine to Nebraska. It is found in northern New Jersey, the mountainous parts of New York and northern Pennsylvania, and is reported from Arkansas and Nebraska. It is rather local, and frequents open spots on the borders of woodlands. At times it is apparently common, and then for a succession of seasons is scarce. It flies from the end of June to the beginning of September.

(2) Argynnis diana, Cramer, Plate IX, Fig. 1, ?; Fig. 2, ? (Diana).

Butterfly.—The male on the upper side has both wings deep rich brown, bordered with fulvous, this border being more or less interrupted by rays of brown along the nervules and two rows of circular brown spots, larger on the fore wings than on the hind wings. The wings on the under side are pale buff, deeply marked with black on the base and middle of the fore wings, and clouded with grayish-fulvous on the inner two thirds of the hind wings. A blue spot is located near the end of the cell in the fore wings, and the hind wings are adorned by a marginal and submarginal row of narrow silvery crescents and a few silvery spots toward the base. The female on the upper side is a rich bluish-black, with the outer border of the fore wings marked by three rows of bluish-white quadrate spots, the outer row being the palest, and often quite white. The hind wings are adorned by three more or less complete rows of bright-blue spots, the inner row composed of large subquadrate spots, each having a circular spot of black at its inner extremity. On the under side the female has the ground-color slaty-brown, paler on the hind wings than on the fore wings, which latter are richly marked with blue and black spots. The silvery crescents found on the under side of the hind wings of the male reappear on the under side of the female, and are most conspicuous on the outer margins. Expanse, 3.25-4.00 inches.

Egg.—The egg is pale greenish-white, and conformed in outline to type.

Caterpillar.—The larva is velvety-black, adorned with six rows of fleshy spines armed with bristles. The spines are orange-red at the base. The head is dull brown.

Chrysalis.—The chrysalis is dusky-brown, with lighter-colored short projections on the dorsal side.

This splendid butterfly, which is the most magnificent species of the genus, is confined to the southern portion of the Appalachian region, occurring in the two Virginias and Carolinas, northern Georgia, Tennessee, and Kentucky, and being occasionally found in the southern portion of Ohio and Indiana, and in Missouri and Arkansas.

(3) Argynnis nokomis, Edwards, Plate X, Fig. 1, ?; Fig. 2, ? (Nokomis).

Butterfly.—The male on the upper side is bright fulvous, with the characteristic black markings of the genus. On the under side the wings are pale greenish-yellow, with the fore wings laved with bright pink at the base and on the inner margin. The spots of the upper side reappear on the under side as spots of silver bordered narrowly with black. The female has the ground-color of the upper side yellow, shaded outwardly with fulvous. All the dark markings of the male sex reappear in this sex, but are much broader, and tend to fuse and run into one another, so as to leave the yellow ground-color as small subquadrate or circular spots, and wholly to obliterate them at the base of the wings. On the under side this sex is marked like the male, but with all the markings broader. Expanse, 3.40-3.60 inches.

This species, the male of which resembles the male of A. leto, and the female the same sex of A. diana, is as yet quite rare in collections. It has been taken in Arizona and southern Utah. We have no knowledge of the life-history of the species.

(4) Argynnis nitocris, Edwards, Plate XIII, Fig. 4, ?, under side (Nitocris).

Butterfly.—The male is bright reddish-fulvous, marked like A. nokomis. The under side of the fore wings is cinnamon-red, ochre-yellow at the tip. The hind wings are deep rusty-red, with a broad yellowish-red submarginal belt. The silver spots are as in A. nokomis. The female on the upper side is blackish-brown, darker than A. nokomis. The extradiscal spots in the transverse rows are pale yellow, and the submarginal spots whitish. The under side of the fore wings is bright red, with the tip yellow. The hind wings on this side are dark brown, with a submarginal yellow belt. Expanse, 3.25-3.75 inches.

This species, like the preceding, is from Arizona, and nothing is known of its egg, caterpillar, or chrysalis.

(5) Argynnis leto, Edwards, Plate IX, Fig. 5, ?; Fig. 6, ? (Leto).

Butterfly.—The male on the upper side is marked much as A. nokomis, but the ground-color is duller red, and the basal area is much darker. The under side of the fore wings is pale fulvous, upon which the markings of the upper side reappear; but there are no marginal silver crescents. Both wings on the under side are shaded with brown toward the base; the hind wings are traversed by a submarginal band of light straw-yellow. The female is marked as the male, but the ground-color is pale straw-yellow, and all the darker markings are deep blackish-brown, those at the base of both wings being broad and running into one another, so that the inner half of the wings appears to be broadly brownish-black. On the under side this sex is marked as the male, but with the dark portions blacker and the lighter portions pale yellow. Expanse, 2.50-3.25 inches.

The life-history of this insect remains to be worked out. It is one of our most beautiful species, and occurs in California and Oregon.

(6) Argynnis cybele, Fabricius, Plate IX, Fig. 3, ?; Fig. 4, ?; Plate XIII, Fig. 1, ?, under side; Plate V, Figs. 1-3, chrysalis (The Great Spangled Fritillary).

Butterfly.—The male is much like the male of A. leto, but the dark markings of the upper surface are heavier, and the under sides of the hind wings are more heavily silvered. The yellowish-buff submarginal band on the under side of the hind wings is never obliterated by being invaded by the darker ferruginous of the marginal and discal tracts of the wing. The female has the ground-color of the wings paler than the male, and both wings from the base to the angled median band on the upper side are dark chocolate-brown. All the markings of the upper side in this sex are heavier than in the male. On the under side the female is like the male. Expanse, 3.00-4.00 inches.

Egg.—Short, conoidal, ribbed like those of other species, and honey-yellow.

Caterpillar.—The larva in the mature state is black. The head is blackish, shaded with chestnut behind. The body is ornamented with six rows of shining black branching spines, generally marked with orange-red at their base. The caterpillar, which is nocturnal, feeds on violets, hibernating immediately after being hatched from the egg, and feeding to maturity in the following spring.

Chrysalis.-The chrysalis is dark brown, mottled with reddish-brown or slaty-gray.

This species, which ranges over the Atlantic States and the valley of the Mississippi as far as the plains of Nebraska, appears to be single-brooded in the North and double-brooded in Virginia, the Carolinas, and the Western States having the same geographical latitude. A small variety of this species, called A. carpenteri by Mr. W.H. Edwards, is found in New Mexico upon the top of Taos Peak, and is believed to be isolated here in a colony, as Œneis semidea is isolated upon the summit of Mount Washington. Specimens of cybele much like those of this New Mexican variety are found in eastern Maine and Nova Scotia, and on the high mountains of North Carolina.

(7) Argynnis aphrodite, Fabricius, Plate XIV, Fig. 11, ?, under side; Plate V, Fig. 5, chrysalis (Aphrodite).

Butterfly.—This species closely resembles cybele, but is generally smaller, and the yellow submarginal band on the hind wings is narrower than in cybele, and often wholly wanting, the hind wings being broadly brown, particularly in the female sex. The under side of the fore wings at the base and on the inner margin is also brighter red.

The caterpillar, chrysalis, and egg of this species closely resemble those of cybele. The caterpillar has, however, a velvety-black spot at the base of each spine, the chrysalis has the tubercles on the back shorter than in cybele, and the basal segments are party-colored, and not uniformly colored as in cybele.

(8) Argynnis cipris, Edwards, Plate XII, Fig. 3, ?; Fig. 4, ? (The New Mexican Silver-spot).

Butterfly.—This species, which belongs to the Aphrodite-group, may be distinguished by the fact that the fore wings are relatively longer and narrower than in aphrodite. The black markings on the upper side of the wings in both sexes are narrower, the dusky clouding at the base of the wings is less pronounced, and the ground-color is brighter reddish-fulvous than in aphrodite. On the under side the fore wings lack in the male the pinkish shade at the base and on the inner margin which appears in aphrodite, and both the male and the female have the inner two thirds of the hind wings deep cinnamon-red, with only a very narrow buff submarginal band, deeply invaded on the side of the base by rays of the deeper brown color of the inner portion of the wing. Expanse, 2.75-3.15 inches. The insect flies from late June to the end of August.

Caterpillar, etc.—We know nothing of the larval stages of this insect. The specimens contained in the Edwards collection came from Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico, and these localities approximately represent the range of the species.

(9) Argynnis alcestis, Edwards, Plate X, Fig. 6, ?, under side (The Ruddy Silver-spot).

Butterfly.—Very much like aphrodite, from which it may be most easily distinguished by the fact that the hind wings are uniformly dark cinnamon-brown, without any band of buff on the outer margin. Expanse, 2.50-3.00 inches. The insect flies from late June to the end of August.

Egg.—Greenish, conoidal, with about eighteen vertical ribs.

Caterpillar.—Head black, yellowish behind. The body velvety-black, ornamented with black spines which are yellowish at their basal ends. The caterpillar feeds on violets.

Chrysalis.—Reddish-brown or gray, irregularly mottled and striped with black, the abdominal segments slaty-gray, marked with black on the edges where the short angular projections are located.

This butterfly is found in the Western States, extending from the prairie lands of northwestern Ohio to Montana. It largely replaces aphrodite in these regions.

(10) Argynnis nausicaÄ, Edwards, Plate XI, Fig. 9, ? (The Arizona Silver-spot).

Butterfly.—The species is related to the foregoing, but is rather smaller in size. The upper side of the wings is dusky reddish-brown, with the characteristic markings of the genus. On the under side the fore wings are pink, laved with buff at the tip. The hind wings on this side are deep cinnamon-brown, mottled with buff on the inner two thirds; a narrow but clearly defined submarginal band of bright yellowish-buff surrounds them. The silvery spots are clearly marked. The female has the black markings broader and more conspicuous than the male. Expanse, 2.25-2.50 inches.

This insect is quite common in the mountain valleys of Arizona, at an elevation of from six to seven thousand feet above the level of the sea, and flies in July and August. We have no knowledge of the early stages, but it probably does not differ greatly in its larval state from the allied species of the genus.

(11)Argynnis atlantis, Edwards, Plate X, Fig. 9, ?; Plate V, Fig. 6, chrysalis (The Mountain Silver-spot).

Butterfly.—This insect, which resembles aphrodite, is distinguished from that species by its smaller size, its somewhat narrower wings, the deeper brown color of the base of the wings on the upper side, and their darker color on the under side. The submarginal band is pale yellow, narrow, but distinct and always present. Expanse, 2.50 inches.

Egg.—Conoidal, with twelve to fourteen ribs, honey-yellow. The caterpillars are hatched in the fall, and hibernate without feeding until the following spring.

Caterpillar.—The head is dark blackish-brown. The body is velvety-purple above, a little paler on the under side. The usual spines occur on the body, and are black, grayish at the base. The larva feeds on violets.

Chrysalis.—The chrysalis is light brown, speckled, except on the abdominal segments, with black.

This species ranges from Maine to the mountains of western Pennsylvania, and thence southward along the central ridges of the Alleghanies into West Virginia. It is also found in Canada, and extends westward into the region of the Rocky Mountains. It is especially common in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and the Adirondacks.

(12) Argynnis lais, Edwards, Plate XIV, Fig. 12, ?; Fig. 13, ? (The Northwestern Silver-spot).

Butterfly.—The male is bright reddish-fulvous on the upper side, slightly obscured by fuscous at the base. The discal band of spots common to both wings is broken and irregular, and the spots on the hind wings are quite small. The fore wings on the under side are buff at the tips and pale red at the base and on the inner margin, lighter at the inner angle. The under side of the hind wings as far as the outer margin of the discal row of silvery spots is dark brown, mottling a yellowish ground. The submarginal band of the hind wings is pale yellow and moderately broad. The female is marked much as the male, but the discal band of spots on the upper side of the fore wings is confluent and broader, the fringes whitish, and the spots included between the sagittate marginal spots and the marginal lines paler than in the male sex. Expanse, 2.00-2.20 inches.

Caterpillar, etc.—The early stages are unknown.

This species is found in the territories of Alberta and Assiniboia, and in British Columbia among the foot-hills and the lower slopes of the mountain-ranges.

(13) Argynnis oweni, Edwards, Plate XII, Fig. 5, ?; Fig. 6, ?, under side (Owen's Silver-spot).

Butterfly, ?.—The wings on the upper side are dull reddish-fulvous, not much obscured with brown on the base, the black markings moderately heavy, the two marginal lines tending to flow together. The fore wings on the under side are yellowish-buff from the base to the outer row of spots, or in some specimens with the buff lightly laved with reddish; the nerves reddish-brown. The subapical patch is dark brown, with a small silvered spot; the five submarginal spots are small and obscurely silvered. The hind wings are dark brown on the discal area and outer margin, with a rather narrow grayish-buff submarginal band, strongly invaded by projections of the dark brown of the discal area. The spots of the outer discal row are generally well silvered; the inner spots less so in most cases.

?.—The female has the wings more or less mottled with yellowish outside of the mesial band. The black markings are very heavy in this sex. On the under side the spots are well silvered.

The dark markings on the upper side of the wings of the male are much heavier than in A. behrensi. On the under side of the wings in both sexes it may be distinguished from behrensi by the fact that the ground-color toward the base is mottled with yellow, and not solid brown as in behrensi. Expanse, 2.25-2.40 inches.

This species abounds on Mount Shasta, in California, at an elevation of seven to eight thousand feet above sea-level.

(14) Argynnis cornelia, Edwards. Plate XI, Fig. 8, ? (Miss Owen's Fritillary).

Butterfly, ?.—The upper side of both wings is dark brown from the base to the mesial band of spots, with the exception of the outer end of the cell. The space beyond the band is reddish-fulvous; the dark markings are not very heavy; the two marginal lines are fine, and confluent at the ends of the nervules. The under side of the fore wings is reddish-brown from the base to the outer margin on the inner half of the wing; the outer spaces toward the apex are yellowish; the subapical patch is reddish-brown, inclosing a small silvery spot; the outer margin is reddish-brown, adorned with five small silvery spots toward the apex. The hind wings on the under side are almost solid reddish-brown to the clear yellow submarginal belt, only slightly mottled on the discal area with buff. The spots are small and well silvered.

?.—The female on the upper side is duller red, with the dark markings heavier; the marginal spots on the fore wings are pale yellowish, and the marginal lines are confluent on the upper half of these wings. The wings on the under side in this sex are as in the male, but the ground-color on the inner half of the wings is darker, and the spots are more brilliantly silvered. Expanse, 2.30-2.50 inches.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

This pretty species is found with A. electa and A. hesperis in Colorado. It was originally described from specimens taken at Manitou and Ouray, and named by Edwards in honor of a deceased daughter of Professor Owen of the University of Wisconsin.

(15) Argynnis electa, Edwards, Plate X, Fig. 8, ? (Electa).

Butterfly.—The male is dull reddish-fulvous on the upper side. The black markings are narrow. The base of both wings is slightly obscured. On the under side the fore wings are pale cinnamon-red, with the tip dark cinnamon-red. The hind wings are broadly dark cinnamon-red, mottled on the disk with a little buff. The submarginal band is buff, quite narrow, and often invaded by the ground-color of the inner area. The silvery spots are usually very well marked and distinct, though in a few instances the silvery color is somewhat obscured. The female has the black markings a little heavier than in the male; otherwise there is but little difference between the sexes. Expanse, 2.00-2.25 inches.

Caterpillar, etc.—The early stages are unknown.

This species has been confounded with A. atlantis, from which it is wholly distinct, being much smaller in size, the fore wings relatively broader, and the markings not so dark on the upper surface. It is found in Colorado and Montana, among the mountains.

(16) Argynnis columbia, Henry Edwards, Plate XIV, Fig. 3, ? (The Columbian Silver-spot).

Butterfly.—The male has the upper side of the fore wings pale reddish-fulvous. In the median band of both wings the spots do not flow together, but are separate and moderately heavy. The under side of the fore wings is pale fulvous, buff at the tip; spots silvered. The hind wings on the under side are light rusty-red, but little mottled with buff on the disk; the submarginal band is narrow, buff, and sometimes almost wholly obscured by the darker ground-color. The spots, which are small, are well silvered. The female is much lighter than the male, and, as usual, the dark lines are heavier than in that sex. The spots of the median band are bent and partly lanceolate, and the light spots of the outer border are whitish. Expanse, 2.25-2.50 inches.

Caterpillar, etc.—The early stages have not as yet been worked out.

This species, which is related to electa, may easily be distinguished from it by the pale marginal series of light spots, in the male, between the sagittate spots and the dark outer marginal lines, which latter are confluent, forming a solid dark outer border to the wing, while in electa they are separated by a narrow band of light-brown spots. The female is also much lighter and larger than in electa, as has been pointed out. The types which came from the Caribou mining region of British Columbia are in my possession, as are those of most of the other North American species of the genus.

(17) Argynnis hesperis, Edwards, Plate XII, Fig. 1, ?; Fig. 2, ? (Hesperis).

Butterfly.—The male on the upper side of the wings is fulvous, shaded with dark fuscous for a short distance from the base. The black spots of the median band are rather broad, and seem to coalesce through dark markings along the nervules. The under side of the fore wings is pale ferruginous, tinged with a little buff at the tips, which, together with the outer margin, are somewhat heavily clouded with dark ferruginous. The under side of the hind wings is dark ferruginous, with a narrow buff submarginal band, which in some specimens is almost lost. The female is paler than the male in the ground-color of the upper side, the black markings are heavier, the marginal lines fuse, as do also the sagittate marginal markings, leaving the marginal spots between them, which are quite light in color, deeply bordered on all sides by black. The under side is like that of the male, but darker and richer in color. In neither sex are the light spots marked with silver; they are opaque, yellowish-white. Expanse, 2.25-2.40 inches.

Caterpillar, etc.—The life-history remains to be learned.

This insect is not uncommon among the mountains of Colorado.

(18) Argynnis hippolyta, Edwards, Plate XII, Fig. 10, ? (Hippolyta).

Butterfly.—The male is fulvous upon the upper side, all the dark markings being heavy and black, and the basal areas of the wings clouded with fuscous, this dark clouding on the hind wings reaching down and nearly covering the inner angle. The fore wings on the under side are buff, laved with pale red at the base, marked with ferruginous on the outer margin and about the subapical spots. The submarginal and subapical spots are silvered, especially the latter. The hind wings are deep ferruginous, mottled with buff. The submarginal band is buff, narrow, and dusted with more or less ferruginous. All the spots are well silvered. The female has the basal area of the fore wings bright pinkish-fulvous, and the belt of the secondaries almost lost in the deep ground-color.

(19) Argynnis bremneri, Edwards, Plate X, Fig. 7, ? (Bremner's Silver-spot).

Butterfly.—The male on the upper side is bright fulvous. The black markings, especially those about the middle of the wing, are heavy. Both wings at the base are clouded with fuscous, the under side of the primaries red toward the base, buff on the apical area; the subapical and the upper marginal spots well silvered; the hind wings with the inner two thirds more or less deeply ferruginous, a little mottled with buff, very rarely encroached upon by the dark color of the inner area, except occasionally near the anal angle. Expanse, ?, 2.40 inches; ?, 2.70 inches.

Early Stages.—The early stages have not as yet been described.

This species is found in Oregon, Washington, Montana, and in the southern portions of British Columbia and Vancouver's Island.

(20) Argynnis zerene, Boisduval, Plate XIV, Fig. 9, ?, under side (Zerene).

Butterfly.—The male on the upper side is reddish-fulvous, with rather heavy black markings, the mesial band of spots being confluent. The under side of the fore wings is reddish, inclining to pink, with the apex laved with buff. The hind wings have the ground-color purplish-gray, mottled on the inner two thirds with ferruginous. The spots are not silvered, but are a delicate gray color. The female is colored like the male, but the red at the base of the fore wings in this sex is much deeper, and the yellow at the apex of the primaries contrasts much more strongly. The spots on the under side in the female sex are frequently well silvered, though in many specimens they are colored exactly as in the male sex. Expanse of wing, ?, 2.17 inches; ?, 2.50 inches.

Early Stages.—The early stages of this species have not as yet been ascertained.

This beautiful butterfly, which is somewhat inclined to variation, is found in northern California, being quite common about Mount Shasta. It is also found in Oregon and Nevada. One of the varietal forms was named Argynnis purpurescens by the late Henry Edwards, because of the decided purplish tint which prevails on the under side of the secondaries, extending over the entire surface of the hind wings and covering likewise the apex of the fore wings. This purplish-brown is very marked in specimens collected about the town of Soda Springs, in northern California.

(21) Argynnis monticola, Behr, Plate XIII, Fig. 7, ?, under side; Fig. 8, ?; Plate XIV, Fig. 17, ? (Behr's Fritillary).

Butterfly.—This species is very closely allied to the preceding in some respects; the upper surface, however, of the wings in both sexes is brighter than in zerene, and the dark markings stand forth more clearly upon the lighter ground-color. The wings are not shaded with fuscous toward the base as much as in A. zerene. While the markings on the upper side are almost identical with those of Dr. Boisduval's species, they are much brighter and clearer, giving the insects quite a different aspect. On the under side the wings are colored as in zerene, the primaries in the male being ferruginous, laved with a little red toward the base, marked with purplish-gray toward the apex, the light spots near the end of the cell on this wing being pale buff. The hind wings are very uniformly purplish-gray, mottled with dark brown, the spots very little, if at all, silvered in the male. In the female the fore wings are bright red at the base, and the hind wings are colored as in the male; but all the spots in both the fore wings and hind wings are broadly and brightly silvered.

Early Stages.—The early stages have not been ascertained, and there remains something here for young entomologists to accomplish.

This species is quite common in the same localities as the last, and some authors are inclined to regard it as being a mere variety, which is a belief that can only be verified by careful breeding from the egg.

(22) Argynnis rhodope, Edwards, Plate XI, Fig. 6, ?, under side (Rhodope).

Butterfly.—In the male sex the upper side is bright fulvous, with both wings on the inner half heavily clouded with dark fuscous. The black markings are very heavy and confluent. The outer border is solid black, very slightly, if at all, interrupted by a narrow marginal brown line, in this respect resembling A. atlantis. On the under side the fore wings are dark ferruginous, on the outer margin rich dark brown. Between the spots at the end of the cell and the nervules below the apex are some clear, bright straw-yellow spots. The upper spots of the marginal series are silvered. The hind wings are dark reddish-brown, very slightly paler on the line of the marginal band. The spots are pale straw-yellow, except those of the marginal series, which are distinctly silvered. The female on the upper side is of a lighter and brighter red, with the markings dark and heavy as in the male sex. On the under side the markings in the female do not differ from those in the male, except that the primaries on the inner half and at the base are bright pinkish-red. Expanse, ?, 2.20 inches; ?, 2.40 inches.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

This striking species has been heretofore only found in British Columbia.

(23) Argynnis behrensi, Edwards, Plate XIV, Fig. 10, ?, under side, (Behrens' Fritillary).

Butterfly.—The male on the upper side is dull fulvous, clouded with fuscous at the base, the black markings much narrower and lighter than in the preceding species. The primaries on the under side are pale fulvous, clouded with dark brown at the apex. The subapical spots and the upper spots of the marginal series on this wing are well silvered. The hind wings on the under side are deep reddish-brown, with the marginal band only faintly indicated. All the spots are distinctly well silvered. The female does not differ materially from the male, except in the larger size and the somewhat paler ground-color of the upper side of the wings. On the under side the wings are exactly as in the male, with the marginal band even less distinct than in that sex.

Early Stages.—Not yet ascertained.

The type specimens upon which the foregoing description is founded came from Mendocino, in California.

(24) Argynnis halcyone,, Edwards, Plate XIII, Fig. 5, ?; Fig. 6, ?, under side, (Halcyone).

Butterfly, ?.—The primaries are produced and relatively narrower than in the preceding species, fulvous on the upper side, with the black markings distinct, the mesial band of the secondaries confluent. The fore wings on the under side are pale fulvous, reddish at the base, pale buff at the end of the cell and on the costal margin before the apex. The subapical spots and the pale spots of the marginal series are very little silvered. The hind wings have the inner two thirds deep reddish-brown, slightly mottled with buff. The marginal band is buff, and all the spots are well silvered.

?.—The female, which is considerably larger than the male, is marked much as in that sex; but all the black markings are heavier, and on the under side of the primaries the base and inner margin are laved with red. The marginal band on the hind wings is not as distinct in this sex as in the male, in many specimens being somewhat obscured by olive-brown. Expanse, ?, 2.50 inches; ?, 2.90-3.10 inches.

Early Stages.—Not known.

This species, which is still rare in collections, is found in southern Colorado and the adjacent parts of Utah and Arizona.

(25) Argynnis chitone, Edwards, Plate XIV, Fig. 16, ? (Chitone).

Butterfly, ?.—The wings on the upper side are dull fulvous, greatly obscured by brown at the base of the wings. The dark spots and markings are not heavy. The fore wings on the under side are yellowish-fulvous at the base and on the inner half of the wing; the apical patch and the nervules on the apical area are heavy ferruginous; the marginal spots are buff, with no silver. The hind wings on the under side are light ferruginous, mottled with buff; the belt is broad, clear buff; the outer margin is brown. All the spots are small and imperfectly silvered.

?.—The female is nearly the same shade as the male, with the marginal spots on the under side always silvered, the remainder without silver, or only now and then with a few silvery scales. Expanse, 2.25-2.50 inches.

Early Stages.—Not ascertained.

This species occurs in southern Utah and Arizona.

(26) Argynnis platina,, Skinner, Plate XVIII, Fig. 7, ? (Skinner's Fritillary).

Butterfly, ?.—The original description of this species, contained in the "Canadian Entomologist," vol. xxix, p. 154, is as follows:

"?.—Expands two and a half inches. Upper side: Rather light tawny or even light buff. Black markings dense and wide, with outer halves of wings looking rather clear or open, with rows of round spots not very large; marginal border light; bases of wings not much obscured. Under side: Superiors have the two subapical silver spots and silver spots on margin well defined; color of inner half of wing rosy. The silver spots on the inferiors are large and well defined, and placed on a very light greenish-gray ground. The intermediate buff band is well defined, comparatively wide, and very light in color. ?.—The ground-color on the inferiors below is reddish-brown in the female."

Early Stages.—Unknown.

This species occurs in Utah and Idaho, and is possibly a varietal form of A. coronis, specimens agreeing very nearly with the type figured in the plate being contained in the Edwards collection under the name of A. coronis.

(27) Argynnis coronis, Behr, Plate XI, Fig. 10, ?; Fig. 11, ? (Coronis).

Butterfly, ?.—The wings on the upper side are yellowish-brown, with but little brown obscuring the base. The dark markings are not heavy, but distinct. The fore wings on the under side are buff, with the basal area orange-fulvous. The subapical and submarginal spots are more or less imperfectly silvered. The hind wings are brown, mottled with reddish. The discal area is buff, and the belt is pale yellowish-buff. All the spots are large and well silvered on these wings.

?.—The female is paler than the male, with the markings on the upper side a little heavier. The wings on the under side are much as in the male sex. Expanse, ?, 2.10-2.50 inches; ?, 2.50-3.00 inches.

Early Stages.—The early stages remain to be ascertained.

This species ranges from southern California northward to the southern part of British Columbia, and is found as far east as Utah.

(28) Argynnis snyderi, Skinner, Plate XVIII, Fig. 6, ? (Snyder's Fritillary).

Butterfly, ?.—The wings on the upper side are light tawny, but little obscured by fuscous at the base. The black markings are moderately heavy and very sharply defined against the lighter ground-color. The outer margin is distinctly but not heavily marked. On the under side of the fore wings there are two subapical and five marginal silver spots. The ground-color of the under side of the hind wings is grayish-green, with a narrow pale-buff marginal belt. The spots are large and well silvered.

?.—The female is much like the male, but on the hind wings the ground-color from the base to the outer belt is brownish. Expanse, ?, 3.00 inches; ?, 3.30 inches.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

This species, which is very closely allied to A. coronis, is found in Utah.

(29) Argynnis callippe, Boisduval, Plate XI, Fig. 1, ?; Fig. 2, ?; Fig. 3, ?, under side (Callippe).

Butterfly,.—This species may easily be recognized by the general obscuration of the basal area of the wings, the light-buff quadrate spots on the discal area of the fore wings, and the clear oval spots of the same color on the hind wings, as well as by the light triangular marginal spots, all standing out distinctly on the darker ground. The wings on the under side are quite pale buff, with the spots large and well silvered. Expanse, 2.30-3.00 inches.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

Callippe is abundant in California.

(30) Argynnis nevadensis, Edwards, Plate X, Fig. 4, ?, under side (The Nevada Fritillary).

Butterfly, ?.—The ground-color is pale fulvous, but little obscured with fuscous at the base. The outer margins are heavily bordered with black. The dark markings of the discal area are not heavy. The fore wings on the under side are pale buff, the spots well silvered; the hind wings are greenish; the belt is narrow and clear, and the spots are large and well silvered.

?.—The female is much like the male, but larger and paler. The outer margin of the fore wings in this sex is more heavily marked with black, and the marginal spots are light buff in color. Expanse, ?, 2.50-3.00 inches; ?, 3.00-3.50 inches.

Early Stages.—These remain to be discovered.

This species is found in the Rocky Mountains of Utah, Nevada, Montana, and British America.

(31) Argynnis meadi, Edwards, Plate XIV, Fig. 1, ?; Fig. 2, ?, under side (Mead's Silver-spot).

Butterfly.—This species is very closely allied to the preceding, of which it may be an extreme variation, characterized by the darker color of the fore wings on the upper side, the nervules being heavily bordered with blackish, and the deeper, more solid green of the under side of the wings. All the specimens I have seen are considerably smaller in size than A. nevadensis.

Early Stages.—Wholly unknown.

This species or variety is found from Utah northward to the province of Alberta, in British America.

(32) Argynnis edwardsi, Reakirt, Plate XI, Fig. 4, ?; Fig. 5, ? (Edwards' Fritillary).

Butterfly.—This beautiful insect is closely related to the Nevada Fritillary, from which it may be distinguished by the brighter color of the upper side, the heavier black borders, especially in the female sex, and the olive-brown color of the under side of the hind wings. The olivaceous of these wings greatly encroaches upon the marginal belt. Expanse, 3.00-3.25 inches.

Early Stages.—These have been carefully and minutely described by Edwards in the "Canadian Entomologist," vol. xx, p. 3. They are not unlike those of A. atlantis in many respects.

This species is not uncommon in Colorado and Montana.

(33) Argynnis liliana, Henry Edwards, Plate XIII, Fig. 11, ? (Liliana).

Butterfly, ?.—The wings on the upper side are reddish-fulvous. The black markings and the spots are slight. The fore wings on the under side are yellowish-buff; the base and the hind margin to below the cell, brown, with buff on the median interspaces. The outer end of the cell is yellowish-buff. The subapical patch is brown, adorned by two or three well-silvered spots. The five upper marginal spots are well silvered. The hind wings are brown, but little mottled with buff. The spots are well silvered. The marginal belt is narrow, ochreous-brown.

?.—The female is much paler than the male, and the marginal spots on both wings are much lighter. On the under side the wings are as in the male sex, with the basal area and the nervules of the fore wings red. Expanse, ?, 2.20 inches; ?, 2.35 inches.

Egg.—W.H. Edwards gives the following description: "Conoidal, truncated, depressed at summit, marked vertically by twenty-two or twenty-three ribs, which are as in other species of the genus; the outline of this egg is much as in eurynome, the base being broad, the top narrow, and the height not much more than the breadth; color yellow."

Caterpillar.—The same author has given us a description of the caterpillar immediately after hatching; but as the young larvÆ were lost after being sent to Maine to be kept over winter we do not yet know the full life-history.

The range of this species is northern California and Utah, so far as is known at present.

(34) Argynnis rupestris, Behr, Plate XII, Fig. 8, ?. Fig. 9, ?, under side (The Cliff-dwelling Fritillary).

Butterfly, ?.—The upper side of the fore wings is deep reddish-fulvous, with the black markings very heavy. The fore wings on the under side are buff, shaded with red at the base and on the inner margin. The spots are buff, without any silver. The hind wings are buff, mottled with cinnamon-red, sometimes dark, sometimes lighter. The marginal belt is narrow, buff, encroached upon by the darker color of the median area at the ends of the oval spots. None of the spots is silvered, except very lightly in exceptional cases.

?.—The female is much like the male on the upper side, with the dark markings much heavier, the ground-color somewhat paler, and the marginal row of spots quite light. The wings on the under side are more brightly tinted than in the male, and the marginal spots are more or less silvered. Expanse, ?, 2.00 inches; ?, 2.20 inches.

Early Stages.—Nothing is as yet known about the egg and larva.

This species is quite abundant at a considerable elevation upon Mount Shasta, Mount Bradley, and in the Weber Mountains in Utah.

(35) Argynnis laura, Edwards, Plate XII, Fig. 11, ?; Fig. 12, ? (Laura).

Butterfly, ?.—The upper side is deep reddish-fulvous, with both wings somewhat obscured at the base by fuscous. The black markings on the upper side of the wings are heavy; the outer margin is also heavily banded with dark brown, the marginal lines being fulvous. The four spots on the hind wings are lighter in color than the ground. The fore wings on the under side are reddish-orange, with the apex and the hind margin yellowish-buff. The apical and upper marginal spots are more or less well silvered. The hind wings are pale yellow, the marginal belt very broad and clear yellow. All the spots are large and well silvered.

?.—The female is much paler than the male, but otherwise closely resembles that sex. Expanse, ?, 2.20 inches; ?, 2.35 inches.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

This species is found in northern California, Oregon, Washington, and Nevada.

(36) Argynnis macaria, Edwards, Plate XIII, Fig. 9, ? (Macaria).

Butterfly, ?.—The upper side of the wings is yellowish-fulvous, the black markings very light. The fore wings on the under side are orange-red, at the apex yellowish-buff. The subapical upper marginal spots are lightly silvered. The hind wings are yellowish-buff on the outer third, mottled with brown on the basal and median areas. The marginal belt is clear buff. The spots are large and well silvered.

?.—The female is paler than the male. On the upper side of the hind wings the second row of silver spots is indicated by spots much paler than the ground. The black markings are lighter than in the male. Expanse, ?, 2.00 inches; ?, 2.20 inches.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

This species, which is somewhat like A. coronis, but smaller, and brighter fulvous, is found in California, but is still quite rare in collections.

(37) Argynnis semiramis, Edwards, Plate XIII, Fig. 2, ?, under side; Fig. 3, ? (Semiramis).

Butterfly, ?.—The wings are bright fulvous on the upper side, with the black markings much as in A. adiante, slight on the fore wings and even slighter on the hind wings. The under side of the fore wings is cinnamon-red at the base and on the inner half of the wing, beyond this buff. The apical patch and the outer margin are brown. The upper marginal spots and two spots on the subapical patch are well silvered. The hind wings are rusty-brown from the base to the second row of spots, mottled with lighter brown. The marginal belt is clear brownish-buff. All the spots are well silvered.

?.—The female on the upper side is colored like the male, with the dark markings somewhat heavier. On the under side the fore wings are laved over almost their entire surface with red, the upper angle of the cell alone being buff. The hind wings are in many specimens fawn-colored throughout, except that the marginal band is paler. In a few specimens the ground is darker and the band more distinct. All the spots are well silvered. Expanse, ?, 2.60 inches; ?, 2.75-3.00 inches.

Early Stages.—The life-history of this butterfly has not been ascertained.

The species appears to be very common at San Bernardino, California, and vicinity, and resembles A. adiante on the upper side and A. coronis upon the lower side.

(38) Argynnis inornata, Edwards, Plate XIII, Fig. 10, ?, under side (The Plain Fritillary).

Butterfly, ?.—This species resembles A. rupestris in its markings, but is somewhat paler, the black margins are heavy and the black markings on the disk comparatively light; the base of the wings is obscured with fuscous. On the under side the fore wings are cinnamon-brown, with the apical area buff. The hind wings are reddish-brown, with the marginal band clear buff. All the spots are buff, and completely devoid of silvery scales.

?.—Paler than the male on the upper side. The fore wings on the under side are orange-fulvous; the hind wings are pale greenish-brown, mottled with buff. In some specimens a few silver scales are found on the submarginal spots. Expanse, ?, 2.50 inches; ?, 2.70 inches.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

This butterfly, which is as yet not very common in collections, is found in California and Nevada.

(39) Argynnis atossa, Edwards, Plate XIII, Fig. 12, ? (Atossa).

Butterfly, ?.—The upper side is bright yellowish-fulvous, with the wings at the base slightly dusted with brown. The margins of both wings are bordered by a single line, there being no trace of the outer line usually found in other species of the genus. The dark markings of the outer margin are almost entirely absent, and those of the discal and basil areas very greatly reduced. On the under side both wings are very pale, the spots entirely without silver, in some specimens even their location being but faintly indicated. The fore wings at the base and on the inner margin are laved with bright red.

?.—The female resembles the male, except that the red on the under side of the fore wings is in many specimens very bright and fiery. Expanse, ?, 2.50 inches; ?, 2.75-3.00 inches.

Early Stages.—Entirely unknown.

This butterfly, which is still rare in collections, has been taken in southern California. It may be an extreme variation of the next species, A. adiante, Boisduval.

(40) Argynnis adiante, Boisduval, Plate XIV, Fig. 4, ? (Adiante).

Butterfly, ?.—The wings on the upper side are bright fulvous; the black markings are slight. The fore wings on the under side are pale buff, much lighter at the apex, laved with orange-red at the base. The hind wings are pale buff, clouded with fawn color on the basal and discal areas. All the spots which are generally silvered in other species are in this species wholly devoid of silvery scales.

?.—The female is like the male, but the black markings on the upper side are heavier, and the basal area and inner half of the primaries are laved with brighter and deeper red. Expanse, ?, 2.30-2.40 inches; ?, 2.30-2.60 inches.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

This species is found in southern California, and is somewhat local in its habits, hitherto having been taken only in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

(41) Argynnis artonis, Edwards, Plate XII, Fig. 13, ?, under side (Artonis).

Butterfly, ?.—Closely resembling A. eurynome, Edwards, from which species it may be at once distinguished by the entire absence of silvery scales upon the under side of the wings, and also by the fact that the silver spots on the under side of the hind wings are not compressed and elongated as much as in eurynome, and by the further fact that all the dark marginal markings of the under side are obliterated.

?.—The female does not differ materially from the male, except that the dark markings on the upper side are all much heavier, standing out very distinctly upon the paler ground, and the marginal spots within the lunules are very light in color and relatively large. On the under side the fore wings are laved with red, very much as in the female of A. adiante. Expanse, ?, 1.75-2.00 inches; ?, 2.00-2.15 inches.

Early Stages.—These still remain to be ascertained.

This interesting butterfly, which seems to indicate a transition between the butterflies of the Adiante-group and those of the Eurynome-group, has been found in Colorado, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona.

(42) Argynnis clio, Edwards, Plate XIV, Fig. 5, ?; Fig. 6, ?; Fig. 7, ?, under side (Clio).

Butterfly.—Closely resembling A. eurynome and A. artonis. Like artonis, the spots on the under side of the wing are without silver. The female very closely resembles the female of artonis, and in fact I am unable to distinguish the types of the females of the two species by any marks which seem to be satisfactory. Expanse, ?, 1.75 inch; ?, 1.75-1.90 inch.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

This species, which is as yet comparatively rare in collections, is found in Montana and the province of Alberta, in British America, at a considerable elevation.

(43) Argynnis opis, Plate XIV, Fig. 8, ?, under side (Opis).

Butterfly.—This species, which apparently belongs to the Eurynome-group, appears by the location of its markings to be closely related to eurynome, but on the upper side the wings of both the male and female are more heavily obscured with fuscous at the base; the dark markings are heavier than in eurynome, and in both sexes it is smaller in size, being the smallest of all the species of the genus thus far found in North America. The spots on the under side of the wings are none of them silvered. Expanse, ?, 1.50 inch; ?, 1.60 inch.

Early Stages.—Nothing is known of these.

The types came from Bald Mountain, in the Caribou mining district of British Columbia.

(44) Argynnis bischoffi, Edwards, Plate XI, Fig. 7, ? (Bischoff's Fritillary).

Butterfly, ?.—The fore wings on the upper side are bright reddish-fulvous, the base of the primaries and the inner half of the secondaries being heavily obscured by blackish, so as to conceal the markings. Both wings have moderately heavy black marginal borders. The other markings are as in A. eurynome. On the under side the fore wings are buff, laved with reddish at the base. The hind wings are pale buff, with the basal and discal areas mottled with green. The marginal belt is clear buff. In some specimens the spots on the under side are not silvered; in others they are well silvered.

?.—The female on the upper side is very pale buff, slightly laved with fulvous on the outer margin of both wings. All the markings are heavy; the margins of both wings are solid black, the spots within the lunules being pale and almost white. The fore wings at the base and the inner half of the hind wings are almost solid black. On the under side the wings are very much as in the male, and the same variation as to the silvering of the spots is found. Expanse, ?, 1.80 inch; ?, 1.90 inch.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

The types of this genus came from Sitka, in Alaska. It may be an extreme boreal variation of A. eurynome.

(45) Argynnis eurynome, Edwards, Plate XII, Fig. 7, ?; Plate XIV, Fig. 14, ?; Fig. 15, ?, under side (Eurynome).

Butterfly, ?.—The wings on the upper side are bright yellowish-fulvous, but little obscured at the base. The outer margins are edged by two fine lines which are occasionally confluent. The under side of the fore wings is pale buff, laved with cinnamon-brown at the base and along the nervules; the spots on the margin and in the apical area are well silvered. The hind wings on the under side are buff, with the basal and discal areas mottled with pale brown or pale olive-green. The marginal belt is broad and clear buff; all the spots are well silvered.

?.—The female is like the male, but paler, with the dark markings, especially those of the margin, heavier. The marginal spots inclosed by the lunules are much paler than the ground-color, and in many specimens almost white. On the under side the wings in this sex are like those of the male, but the fore wings are more heavily laved with cinnamon-brown at the base. Expanse, ?, 1.70-2.00 inches; ?, 2.00 inches.

Early Stages.—Mr. Edwards, in "The Butterflies of North America," vol. ii, has given us a beautiful figure of the egg of this species. Of the other stages we have no knowledge.

A. eurynome is a very common butterfly in Colorado, Montana, and British America, and is the representative of a considerable group, to which the four preceding species belong, if, indeed, they are not local races or climatic varieties of eurynome, a fact which can be demonstrated only by the careful breeding of specimens from various localities. There is a fine field here for study and experiment.

(46) Argynnis montivaga, Behr, Plate X, Fig. 5, ?, under side (Montivaga).

Butterfly.—This species in both sexes very closely approximates the foregoing. The main points of distinction consist in the somewhat darker red of the upper side of the wings, the slightly heavier dark markings, and the absence on the under side, especially of the hind wings, of the olive-green shade which is characteristic of typical specimens of A. eurynome. The mottling of the basal and median areas on this side is reddish-brown. The spots are more or less silvered on the under side. Expanse, ?, 1.75 inch; ?, 1.90 inch.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

This species is found in the Sierras of California and among the mountains of Nevada.

(47) Argynnis egleis, Boisduval, Plate XIII, Fig. 13, ?; Fig. 14, ?, under side; Fig. 15, ? (Egleis).

Butterfly, ?.—The ground-color of the wings on the upper side is deep fulvous, with rather heavy black markings. The wings on the under side are pale fulvous, mottled with buff on the subapical interspaces of the fore wings. The basal and discal areas of the hind wings are mottled with brown, which in many specimens is of a distinctly purplish shade. In some specimens the inner half of the primaries is rather heavily laved with red. The spots on the under side are either silvered or without silver, in the latter case being pale buff.

?.—The female is much like the male, but paler. The red on the under side of the primaries is deeper, and the purplish-brown on the inner surface of the secondaries is also darker. Expanse, ?, 2.25 inches; ?, 2.50 inches.

Early Stages.—These remain to be ascertained.

This is a common species in California and Nevada. For many years it has been placed in all catalogues at the end of the list of the species of this genus, where I also leave it, though to my way of thinking its proper location is near A. rupestris. It certainly reveals but small affinity to the species of the Eurynome group.

Besides the species of Argynnis enumerated in the foregoing pages and delineated upon the plates, there are several others of more or less doubtful validity credited to our fauna, and a number of varieties which have received names. With all of these the more advanced student will become familiar as he prosecutes his researches, but it is not necessary to speak of them here.

A RACE AFTER A BUTTERFLY

There is much that is pleasing about "first things." I shall never forget the first dollar I earned; the first trout I took with my fly; the first muskalonge I gaffed beside my canoe on a still Canadian lake; the first voyage I made across the Atlantic. So I shall never forget my first capture of a female specimen of Argynnis diana.

My home in my boyhood was in North Carolina, in the village of Salem, famous as one of the most successful of the settlements made by the Moravian Brethren under the lead of the good Count Zinzendorf, and well known throughout the Southern States as the seat of an excellent seminary for young ladies. The Civil War broke out, and the hopes cherished of sending me North to be educated were disappointed. I was left to pursue my studies under a tutor, and to roam the neighborhood in quest of insects, of which I gathered a large collection.

One day I spied upon a bed of verbenas a magnificent butterfly with broad expanse of wing and large blue spots upon the secondaries. In breathless haste I rushed into the house and got my net. To the joy of my heart, when I returned to the spot, the beauty was still hovering over the crimson blossoms. But, as I drew near with fell intent, it rose and sailed away. Across the garden, over the fence, across the churchyard, out into the street, with leisurely flight the coveted prize sped its way, while I quickly followed, net in hand. Once upon the dusty street, its flight was accelerated; my rapid walking was converted into a run. Down past the church and—horribile dictu!—past the boarding-school that pesky butterfly flew. I would rather have faced a cannonade in those days than a bevy of boarding-school misses, but there was no alternative. There were the dreaded females at the windows (for it was Saturday, and vacation hour), and there was my butterfly. Sweating, blushing, inwardly anathematizing my luck, I rushed past the school, only to be overwhelmed with mortification by the rascally porter of the institution, who was sweeping the pavement, and who bawled out after me: "Oh, it's no use; you can't catch it! It's frightened; you're so ugly!" And now it began to rise in its flight. It was plainly my last chance, for it would in a moment be lost over the housetops. I made an upward leap, and by a fortunate sweep of the net succeeded in capturing my prize.

Many years later, after a long interval in which ornithology and botany had engrossed my mind to the exclusion of entomology, my boyish love for the butterflies was renewed, and I found out the name of the choice thing I had captured on that hot July day on the streets of Salem, and returned to North Carolina for the special purpose of collecting a quantity of these superb insects. My quest was entirely successful, though my specimens were not taken at Salem, but under the shadow of Mount Mitchell, in the flower-spangled valleys which lie at its feet.

Genus BRENTHIS, HÜbner

"The garden is fragrant everywhere; In its lily-bugles the gold bee sups, And butterflies flutter on winglets fair Round the tremulous meadow buttercups."

Munkittrick.

Butterfly.-Small or medium-sized butterflies, very closely approximating in form and color the species of the genus Argynnis, in which they are included by many writers. The principal structural difference between the two genera is found in the fact that in the genus Brenthis only one of the subcostal nervules arises before or at the end of the cell of the primaries, while in Argynnis the two innermost subcostal nervules thus arise. In Brenthis the palpi are not as stout as in Argynnis, and the short basal spur or branch of the median vein of the front wings, which is characteristic of the latter genus, is altogether lacking in Brenthis.

Egg.—The eggs are subconical, almost twice as high as wide, truncated at the top, and marked with thirteen or fourteen raised longitudinal ridges connected by a multitude of smaller cross-ridges.

Larva.—The caterpillars are not noticeably different in their general appearance from those of the genus Argynnis, except that they are smaller and generally not as dark in color as the larvÆ of the latter genus. They feed, like the caterpillars of Argynnis, upon violets.

Chrysalis.—The chrysalis is pendant, about six tenths of an inch long, and armed with two rows of sharp conical tubercles on the back.

Fig. 90.—Neuration of the genus Brenthis, enlarged.

(1) Brenthis myrina, Cramer, Plate XV, Fig. 1, ?; Fig. 2, ?, under side; Plate V, Figs. 12-14, chrysalis (The Silver-bordered Fritillary).

Butterfly.—The upper side of the wings is fulvous; the black markings are light, the borders heavy. The fore wings on the under side are yellowish-fulvous, ferruginous at the tip, with the marginal spots lightly silvered. The hind wings are ferruginous, mottled with buff. The spots, which are small, are well silvered. Expanse, ?, 1.40 inch; ?, 1.70 inch.

Egg.—The egg is conoidal, about one third higher than wide, marked by sixteen or seventeen vertical ribs, between which are a number of delicate cross-lines. It is pale greenish-yellow in color.

Caterpillar.—The caterpillar has been carefully studied, and its various stages are fully described in "The Butterflies of New England," by Dr. Scudder. In its final stage it is about seven eighths of an inch long, dark olive-brown, marked with green, the segments being adorned with fleshy tubercles armed with needle-shaped projections, the tubercles on the side of the first thoracic segment being four times as long as the others, cylindrical in form, and blunt at the upper end, the spines projecting upward at an angle of forty-five degrees to the axis of the tubercle.

Chrysalis.—The chrysalis is yellowish-brown, spotted with darker brown spots, those of the thoracic and first and second abdominal segments having the lustre of mother-of-pearl.

This very pretty little species has a wide range, extending from New England to Montana, from Nova Scotia to Alaska, and southward along the ridges of the Alleghanies into Virginia and the mountains of North Carolina.

(2) Brenthis triclaris, HÜbner, Plate XV, Fig. 3, ? (HÜbner's Fritillary).

Butterfly, ?.—The male above is bright fulvous, with the base of the fore wings and the inner margin of the hind wings heavily obscured with blackish scales. The usual dark markings are finer than in the preceding species; the black marginal borders are not so heavy. The submarginal spots are relatively large and distinct in most specimens, and uniform in size. The light spots of the under side of the median band of the hind wings show through from below on the upper side lighter than the ground-color of the wings. On the under side the fore wings are fulvous, tipped with ferruginous. The hind wings are broadly ferruginous, with a couple of bright-yellow spots near the base and a curved band of yellow spots crossing the median area. The outer margin about the middle is marked with pale fulvous. The spots on the under side are none of them silvered.

?.—The female is much paler than the male in most cases, and the marginal spots within the lunules are very pale, almost white. The submarginal row of round black spots is relatively large and distinct, quite uniform in size. On the under side the wings are much more conspicuously marked on the secondaries than in the male sex, being crossed by three conspicuous bands of irregularly shaped yellow spots, one at the base and one on either side of the discal area. The submarginal round spots of the upper side reappear on the under side as small, slightly silvered, yellow spots. The marginal spots are bright yellow, slightly glossed with silver. Expanse, ?, 1.50 inch; ?, 1.60 inch.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

This extremely beautiful little species is found throughout arctic America, is not uncommon in Labrador, and also occurs upon the loftier summits of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and elsewhere. It is, as most species of the genus, essentially arctic in its habits.

(3) Brenthis helena, Edwards, Plate XVIII, Fig. 16, ?, under side; Fig. 17, ? (Helena).

Butterfly, ?.—The wings on the upper side are fulvous, greatly obscured by brown at the base of the fore wings and along the inner margin of the hind wings. The usual black markings are light, and the marginal border is also not so heavily marked as in B. myrina. The fore wings on the under side are pale fulvous, laved with ferruginous at the tip. The hind wings are brightly ferruginous, with small yellow marginal spots, and paler spots inclining to buff on the costal border and at the end of the cell, about the region of the median nervules.

?.—The female is very much like the male on the upper side, but the ground-color is paler. On the under side the wings are somewhat paler, and all the spots and light markings, especially on the secondaries, are far more conspicuous, being bright yellow, and standing out very prominently upon the dark ferruginous ground. Expanse, 1.40 inch.

Early Stages.—The early stages of this insect are not as yet known.

Helena appears to be a common species in Colorado, Montana, and New Mexico. It is subject to considerable variation, both in the intensity of the coloring of the under side of the wings, and in the distinctness of the maculation.

(4) Brenthis montinus, Scudder, Plate XV, Fig. 7, ?; Fig. 8, ?, under side (The White Mountain Fritillary).

Butterfly, ?.—The upper side is fulvous, closely resembling B. chariclea, but the ground-color is darker. The under side of the hind wings is deep ferruginous, mottled with white, the most conspicuous of the white spots being a white bar occurring at the end of the cell, and a small round white spot at the base of the wing. The hind wings have also a marginal row of slightly silvered white spots.

?.—The female is very much like the male, but the ground-color of the upper side is paler. Expanse, ?, 1.50 inch; ?, 1.75 inch.

This interesting butterfly is found on the barren summits of Mount Washington, New Hampshire. It represents the survival of the arctic fauna on these desolate peaks, and, like the arctic flora of the spot where it is found, is a souvenir of the ice-age, which once shrouded the northeastern regions of the United States with glaciers.

(5) Brenthis chariclea, Schneider, Plate XV, Fig. 4, ? (Chariclea).

Butterfly, ?.—Fulvous on the upper side, with heavy black markings, both wings greatly obscured at the base by fuscous. On the under side the fore wings are pale yellowish-fulvous, mottled with ferruginous at the tip and on the outer margin. The hind wings on the under side are dark purplish-ferruginous, mottled with yellow, crossed by a central row of conspicuous yellow spots. The row of marginal spots and two or three small spots at the base are white, slightly silvered.

?.—The female differs from the male in having the markings of the upper side darker and heavier, and the outer margins more heavily marked with black, and having all the spots on the under side more distinctly defined against the dark ground. Expanse, ?, 1.50 inch; ?, 1.75 inch.

Early Stages.—Undescribed.

This species, like B. freija, is circumpolar, being found in Lapland, Greenland, and throughout arctic America. It also occurs within the limits of the United States, in the Yellowstone Park at considerable elevations, and is not uncommon on the high mountains in British Columbia, numerous specimens having been captured in recent years about Banff and Laggan, in Alberta.

(6) Brenthis boisduvali, Duponchel, Plate XV, Fig. 5. ?; Fig. 6, ?, under side (Boisduval's Fritillary).

Butterfly.—Somewhat closely resembling B. chariclea, but with the markings much heavier on the outer margin, and the base of the wings generally more deeply obscured with dark brown. The wings on the under side in color and marking closely approximate those of B. chariclea, and I have been unable to distinguish the specimens marked as boisduvali, and contained in the Edwards collection, from the specimens designated as B. chariclea in the same collection, so far as the color and maculation of the under sides of these specimens are concerned. Expanse, ?, 1.50 inch; ?, 1.75 inch.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

This species, originally described from Labrador, is found throughout boreal America and British Columbia.

(7) Brenthis freija, Thunberg, Plate XV, Fig. 9, ?; Fig. 10, ?, under side (The Lapland Fritillary).

Butterfly.—The wings are pale fulvous, the fore wings at the base and the hind wings on the inner half being deeply obscured with fuscous. The markings are quite heavy. The fore wings on the under side are very pale fulvous, yellowish at the tip, mottled with ferruginous. The hind wings are ferruginous on the under side, mottled with yellow. The spots are quite large, consisting of lines and dashes, and a marginal row of small lunulate spots, pale yellow or white, slightly silvered. Expanse, 1.50 inch.

This butterfly is circumpolar, being found in Norway, Lapland, northern Russia, and Siberia, through Alaska, British America, and Labrador, occurring also upon the highest peaks of the Rocky Mountains as far south as Colorado.

(8) Brenthis polaris, Boisduval, Plate XV, Fig. 11, ?; Fig. 12, ?, under side (The Polar Fritillary).

Butterfly.—The upper side dull fulvous; the markings on the inner half of the wings are confluent, and lost in the brownish vestiture which obscures this portion of the wing. The outer median area is defined by irregular zigzag spots which flow together. Beyond these the submarginal row of small black spots stands out distinctly upon the lighter ground-color of the wings. The outer margin is marked by black spots at the end of the nervules, on the fore wings somewhat widely separated, on the hind wings narrowly separated by the lighter ground-color. On the under side the wings are fulvous, with a marginal row of white checkerings on both wings. The hind wing is deeply mottled with ferruginous, on which the lighter white markings stand forth very conspicuously. Expanse, ?, 1.50 inch.; ?, 1.50-2.00 inches.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

This butterfly has been found in Labrador, Greenland, and other portions of arctic America, as far north as latitude 81° 52´.

(9) Brenthis frigga, Thunberg, Plate XV, Fig. 13, ?; Fig. 14, ?, lower side (Frigga).

Butterfly, ?.—On the upper side this butterfly somewhat closely resembles polaris, but the markings are not so compact—more diffuse. The fore wings at the base and the hind wings on the inner two thirds are heavily obscured with brown. The outer margins are more heavily shaded with blackish-brown than in B. polaris. On the under side the wings are quite differently marked. The fore wings are fulvous, shaded with brown at the tips, and marked with light yellow on the interspaces beyond the end of the cell. The hind wings are dark ferruginous, shading into purplish-gray on the outer margin, with a whitish quadrate spot on the costa near the base, marked with two dark spots, and a bar of pale, somewhat obscured spots, forming an irregular band across the middle of the hind wings.

?.—The female does not differ greatly from the male, except that the spots on the under side of the hind wings stand forth more conspicuously, being lighter in color and better defined. Expanse, 1.65-2.00 inches.

This pretty little butterfly occurs in Labrador, across the continent as far west as northern Alaska, and is also occasionally taken upon the alpine summits of the Rocky Mountains as far south as Colorado.

(10) Brenthis bellona, Fabricius, Plate XV, Fig. 16, ?; Plate V, Fig. 10, chrysalis, side view; Fig. 11, chrysalis, side view (Meadow Fritillary).

Butterfly.—Pale fulvous on the upper side, with the dark markings on the inner half of the wing narrow, but more or less confluent. The dark markings on the outer part of the wing are slighter. The fore wings are a little angled on the outer margin below the apex. On the under side the fore wings are pale fulvous, mottled with purple at the tip and on the outer margin. The hind wings on this side are ferruginous, mottled with purple. Expanse, 1.65-1.80 inch.

Egg.—The egg of this species is similar in form, size, color, and markings to the egg of B. myrina.

Caterpillar.—The caterpillar also in its early stages closely resembles myrina, but in its mature form it differs in not having the spines on the second segment of the body lengthened as in that species.

Chrysalis.—The chrysalis, which is represented in Plate V, is bluish-gray in color, marked with dark spots. The life-history has been given us by several authors.

This butterfly is very common in the whole of the northern United States, as far south as the mountain-ranges of Virginia, and occurs throughout Quebec, Ontario, and British America, as far west as the foot-hills of the Rocky Mountains. It flies commonly with B. myrina, the only other species of the genus found in the densely populated portions of our territory, from which it may be at once distinguished by the entire absence of the silvered markings which make B. myrina so bright and attractive.

(11) Brenthis epithore, Boisduval, Plate XV, Fig. 17, ?; Fig. 18, ?, under side (Epithore).

Butterfly.—This species on the upper side is pale fulvous, with the markings slighter than in B. bellona, and the inner half of the hind wings much more heavily clouded with fuscous. On the under side the wings are somewhat like those of B. bellona, but less purple and mottled more distinctly with yellow. Expanse, ?, 1.50 inch; ?, 1.85 inch.

Early Stages.—Undescribed.

This species appears to replace B. bellona, its close ally, in California, Oregon, and the States eastward as far as parts of Colorado.

(12) Brenthis alberta, Edwards, Plate XV, Fig. 15, ? (Alberta).

Butterfly.—This, the least attractive in appearance of the species composing the genus, has pale wings with a "washed-out" appearance on the upper side, almost all the dark markings being greatly reduced or obliterated. On the under side the wings are even more obscurely marked than on the upper side. The female is darker than the male, and specimens have a greasy look. Expanse, ?, 1.55 inch; ?, 1.65-1.75 inch.

Early Stages.—Unknown, except the egg and the young caterpillar, which have been most beautifully figured by Edwards in vol. iii of "The Butterflies of North America." The only locality from which specimens have as yet been received by collectors is Laggan, in Alberta, where the species apparently is not uncommon at lofty elevations above sea-level.

(13) Brenthis astarte, Doubleday and Hewitson, Plate XVIII, Fig. 14, ?; Fig. 15, ?, under side (Astarte).

Butterfly.—This rare insect, the largest of the genus, may at once be distinguished from all others by the very beautiful markings of the under side of the hind wings, crossed by a band of irregular, bright-yellow spots, which are narrowly edged with black, and beyond the black bordered by red. Expanse, ?, 2.00 inches; ?, 2.15 inches.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

The first description and figure of this insect were given by Doubleday and Hewitson in their large and now very valuable work on "The Genera of Diurnal Lepidoptera." They correctly attributed it to the Rocky Mountains, but Kirby afterward gave Jamaica as its habitat, and this led to its subsequent redescription by Edwards under the name Victoria. It is a rare species still, having been received only from Laggan, Alberta, where it was rediscovered by that most indefatigable collector and observer, Mr. T.E. Bean. It frequents the highest summits of the lofty mountains about this desolate locality. Mr. Bean says: "Astarte seems always on the lookout for an entomologist, whose advent is carefully noted, and at any approach of such a monster nearer than about fifteen feet, its wings rise to half-mast, vibrate there a doubtful instant, and away goes the butterfly."

In addition to the thirteen species figured in our plates there are two other species of the genus, B. butleri, Edwards, from Grinnell Land, and B. improba, Butler, from near the arctic circle. It is not likely that many of the readers of this book will encounter these insects in their rambles, and if they should, they will be able to ascertain their names quickly, by conferring with the author.

SUSPICIOUS CONDUCT

The entomologist must not expect to be always thoroughly understood. The ways of scientific men sometimes appear strange, mysterious, bordering even upon the insane, to those who are uninitiated. A celebrated American naturalist relates that on one occasion, when chasing butterflies through a meadow belonging to a farmer, the latter came out and viewed him with manifest anxiety. But when the nature of the efforts of the man of science had been finally explained, the farmer heaved a sigh of relief, remarking, in Pennsylvania Dutch, that "he had surely thought, when he first saw him, that he had just escaped from a lunatic asylum." The writer, a number of years ago, after having despatched a very comfortable lunch, sallied forth one afternoon, in quest of insects, and in the course of his wanderings came upon a refuse-heap by the roadside, opposite a substantial house, and on this heap discovered an ancient ham, which was surrounded by a multitude of beetles of various species known to be partial to decomposed, or semi-decomposed, animal matter. He proceeded immediately to bottle a number of the specimens. While engaged in so doing, the window of the house across the way was thrown up, and an elderly female thrust her head out, and in strident voice exclaimed: "Hey, there! What are you doin' with that ham? I say, don't you know that that ham is spiled?" As he paid no attention to her, she presently appeared at the door, came across the street, and remarked: "See here, mister; that ham's spiled; Lucy and me throwed it out, knowin' it was no good. If you want a good meal of wittles, come into the house, and we will feed you, but for mercy's sake leave that spiled ham alone." It took considerable effort to assure her that no designs upon the ham were cherished, and she went away, evidently completely mystified at the wild conduct of the well-dressed man who was grubbing in the rubbish-pile.

Genus MELITÆA, Fabricius

(The Checker-spots)

Spenser.

Butterfly.—Small. The tibiÆ and the tarsi of the mesothoracic and metathoracic legs are more lightly armed with spines than in the genera Argynnis and Brenthis. The palpi are not swollen. They are clothed with long hairs and have the third joint finely pointed. The antennÆ are about half as long as the costa of the fore wings, and are provided with a short, heavy, excavated, or spoon-shaped club. The subcostal of the fore wings is five-branched, the first nervule always arising before the end of the cell, the second at the end or just beyond it. The cell of the primaries is closed, of the secondaries open. The markings upon the wings are altogether different from those in the two preceding genera, and the spots on the under side of the wings are not silvered, as in the genus Brenthis.

Egg.—The egg is rounded at the base, subconical, truncated, and depressed at the upper end and fluted by light raised ridges (see p. 4, Fig. 8).

Caterpillar.—The larvÆ are cylindrical, armed in the mature form on each segment with comparatively short spines thickly covered with diverging hairs, or needle-shaped spines. They are known in some species to be gregarious in their early stages, and then to separate before maturity. They feed upon the ScrophulariaceÆ, upon Castileja, Diplopappus, and other plants.

Chrysalis.—The chrysalis is pendant, rounded at the head, provided with more or less sharply pointed tubercles on the dorsal surface, and generally white or some shade of light gray, blotched with brown or black, and marked with reddish or orange spots on the dorsal side.

Fig. 91.—Neuration of the genus MelitÆa.

This genus is very large and is distributed widely over all the colder portions of the north temperate zone. There are many species found in Europe, in Siberia, in China, and in the northern islands of Japan. On the upper slopes of the Himalayas it is also represented by a few species. In North America the genus is well represented, the most of the species being found upon the mountain-slopes and in the valleys of the Pacific coast region. Only two species occur in the Eastern States.

(1) MelitÆa phaËton, Drury, Plate XVI, Fig. 1, ?; Plate V, Figs. 15, 16, chrysalis (The Baltimore).

Butterfly, ?.—The upper side is black, with a marginal row of red spots, followed by three rows of pale-yellow spots on the fore wings and two on the hind wings. Besides these there are some large red spots on the cells of both wings, a large red spot about the middle of the costa of the hind wing, and a few scattering yellow spots, forming an incomplete fourth row on the fore wing and an incomplete third row on the hind wing. On the under side all the spots of the upper side reappear, but heavier and more distinct, and on the hind wings there are two additional rows of yellow spots, and a number of irregular patches of red and yellow at the base of both wings.

?.—The female is much like the male. Expanse, ?, 1.75-2.00 inches; ?, 2.00-2.60 inches.

Egg.—The egg which is outlined upon p. 4, Fig. 8, is brownish-yellow when first laid, then changes to crimson and becomes black just before hatching. The eggs are laid by the female in large clusters on the under side of the leaf of the food-plant.

Caterpillar.—The life-history in all the stages will be found minutely described by Edwards in "The Butterflies of North America," vol. ii, and by Scudder in "The Butterflies of New England," vol. i. The mature larva is black, banded with orange-red, and beset with short, bristly, black spines. Before and during hibernation, which takes place after the third moult, the caterpillars are gregarious, and construct for themselves a web in which they pass the winter. After the rigors of winter are past, and the food-plant, which is commonly Chelone glabra, begins to send up fresh shoots, they recover animation, scatter, and fall to feeding again, and after the fifth moult reach maturity.

Chrysalis.—The chrysalis is pendant, formed generally at a considerable distance from the spot where the caterpillar feeds, for the larvÆ wander off widely just before pupation. It is pearly-gray, blotched with dark brown in stripes and spots, with some orange markings.

This very beautiful butterfly is quite local, found in colonies in swampy places where the food-plant grows, but in these spots sometimes appearing in swarms. It occurs in the northern portions of the United States and in Canada, extending as far north as the Lake of the Woods, and as far south as West Virginia. It does not occur west of the Rocky Mountains.

(2) MelitÆa chalcedon, Doubleday and Hewitson, Plate XVI, Fig. 2, ? (Chalcedon).

Butterfly.—The male and female are much alike. The wings are black, spotted with red and ochreous-yellow. On the under side they are brick-red, with the spots of the upper side repeated, and in addition at the base a number of large and distinct yellow spots. Expanse, ?, 1.75-2.00 inches; ?, 2.50 inches.

Early Stages.—For a knowledge of these the reader may consult Edwards, "The Butterflies of North America," vol. i, and "Papilio," vol. iv, p. 63; Wright, "Papilio," vol. iii, p. 123, and other authorities. The egg is pale yellowish when first laid, pitted at the base, and ribbed vertically above. The caterpillar is black, with the bristling processes on the segments longer than in the preceding species. The chrysalis is pale gray, blotched with brown. The food-plants are Mimulus and Castileja.

This very pretty species is apparently quite common in northern California about Mount Shasta. It is subject to variation, and I possess a dozen remarkable aberrations, in one of which the fore wings are solid black without spots, and the hind wings marked by only one central band of large yellow spots; another representing the opposite color extreme, in which yellow has almost wholly replaced the black and red. The majority of these aberrant forms are females. They are very striking.

(3) MelitÆa macglashani, Rivers, Plate XVI, Fig. 3, ? (Macglashan's Checker-spot).

Butterfly.—Larger than the preceding species, with the red spots on the outer margin bigger, the yellow spots generally larger and paler. Expanse, ?, 1.85-2.00 inches; ?, 2.25-3.00 inches.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

This insect is represented in the Edwards collection by a considerable series. They come from Truckee, California.

(4) MelitÆa colon, Edwards, Plate XVI, Fig. 5, ? (Colon).

Butterfly.—Of the same size and general appearance as M. chalcedon, with which I believe it to be identical, the only possible satisfactory mark of distinction which I am able to discover on comparing the types with a long series of chalcedon being the reduced size of the marginal row of yellow spots on the upper side of the primaries, which in one of the types figured in the plate are almost obsolete. They appear, however, in other specimens labeled "Type." The learned author of the species lays stress, in his original description, upon the shape of the spots composing the band of spots second from the margin on the under side of the hind wings; but I find that the same points he dwells upon as diacritic of this species are apparent in many specimens of what undoubtedly are chalcedon. Expanse, 1.75-2.50 inches.

Early Stages.—These have not been recorded.

The types came from the region of the Columbia River, in Washington and Oregon.

(5) MelitÆa anicia, Doubleday and Hewitson, var. beani, Skinner, Plate XVIII, Fig. 13, ? (Bean's Checker-spot).

Butterfly.M. anicia is a well-known Californian species, smaller than M. chalcedon, and with a great deal of red on the basal and discal areas of both wings upon the upper side. An extremely small and dark form of this species, found on the bleak, inhospitable mountain-tops about Laggan, in Alberta, has been named by Dr. Skinner in honor of Mr. Bean, its discoverer. The figure in our plate, which is taken from Dr. Skinner's original type, sufficiently defines the characteristics of the upper surface. Expanse, 1.50 inch.

Early Stages.—The early stages of M. anicia and its varietal forms are quite unknown.

M. anicia is found in Colorado, Montana, Washington, and British America.

(6) MelitÆa nubigena, Behr, Plate XVI, Fig. 6, ?; var. wheeleri, Edwards, Plate XVI, Fig. 9, ? (The Clouded Checker-spot).

Butterfly.—Smaller than any of the foregoing species, and characterized by the much redder ground-color of the upper side of the wings, an extreme form being the variety M. wheeleri, in which the black ground-color is greatly reduced and almost wholly obliterated on parts of the primaries. There are other marks of distinction given in the figures in the plate which will enable the student easily to recognize this species, which is subject to much variation, especially in the female sex. Expanse, 1.20-1.50 inch.

Early Stages.—Mead, in the "Report upon the Lepidoptera of the Wheeler Survey," has described the caterpillar and chrysalis.

The species is common in Nevada.

(7) MelitÆa augusta, Edwards, Plate XVI, Fig. 4, ? (Augusta).

Butterfly,.—This is another species in which red predominates as the color of the upper side, but it may at once be distinguished by the broad, clear red band on the secondaries, on either side of which are the marginal and outer median rows of yellow spots, and by the bands of yellow spots on the primaries, which are not so well marked in M. nubigena. Expanse, ?, 1.50-1.75 inch; ?, 1.75-2.00 inches.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

The habitat of this species is southern California.

(8) MelitÆa baroni, Henry Edwards, Plate XVI, Fig 7, ? (Baron's Checker-spot).

Butterfly.—This species closely resembles chalcedon upon the upper side, but is smaller and much more heavily spotted with deep red on the upper side toward the base and on the median area of the wings. The bands of light spots on the under side are paler than in chalcedon, being white or very pale yellow, narrow, and more regular. Expanse, ?, 1.50-1.80 inch; ?, 1.60-1.90 inch.

Early Stages.—These are in part given by Edwards, "The Butterflies of North America," vol. iii. The food-plant is Castileja. The young larvÆ have the same habit as those of M. phaËton in the matter of spinning a common web in which to hibernate.

The species is found in northern California.

(9) MelitÆa rubicunda, Henry Edwards, Plate XVI, Fig. 10, ? (The Ruddy Checker-spot).

Butterfly.—Of the same size as M. baroni, from which it is most easily distinguished, among other things, by the tendency of the outer row of small yellow spots near the margin of the hind wings on the upper side to become greatly reduced, and in a majority of specimens to be altogether wanting, as in the specimen figured in our plate. Expanse, ?, 1.50-1.60 inch; ?, 1.80 inch.

Early Stages.—For a knowledge of what is thus far known of these the reader may consult the "Canadian Entomologist," vol. xvii, p. 155. The caterpillar feeds on Scrophularia.

The range of this species is in northern California.

(10) MelitÆa taylori, Plate XVI, Fig. 16, ? (Taylor's Checker-spot).

Butterfly.—This insect resembles M. baroni, but is smaller, the red spots on the wings are larger and more conspicuous, and the light bands of pale spots more regular and paler in color, in many specimens being quite white. It looks at first sight like a diminutive edition of Baron's Checker-spot, and possibly is only a northern race of this species. Expanse, ?, 1.25-1.50 inch; ?, 1.50-1.75 inch.

Early Stages.—Mr. W.H. Danby of Victoria, B.C., informs us in the "Canadian Entomologist," vol. xxi, p. 121, that the food-plant of this species is the ribwort-plantain (Plantago lanceolata, Linn.).

It is found on Vancouver's Island.

(11) MelitÆa editha, Boisduval, Plate XVI, Fig. 8, ? (Editha).

Butterfly.—Characterized by the considerable enlargement and the disposition in regular bands of the pale spots on the upper side of the primaries, and by the tendency to a grayish cast in the darker markings of the upper side, some specimens, especially females, being quite gray. Expanse, ?, 1.50 inch; ?, 2.00 inches.

Early Stages.—The food-plants, according to Henry Edwards, who described the caterpillar and chrysalis in the "Canadian Entomologist," vol. v, p. 167, are Erodium cicutarium, clover, and violets.

The habitat of this species is southern California.

(12) MelitÆa acastus, Edwards, Plate XVI, Fig. 11, ?; Fig. 12, ?, under side (Acastus).

Butterfly.—With thinner and less robust wings than any of the species of the genus hitherto mentioned. It is prevalently fulvous upon the upper side, and on the under side of the hind wings heavily and somewhat regularly banded with yellowish-white spots, possessing some pearly luster. Expanse, ?, 1.50 inch; ?, 1.60 inch.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

Common in Nevada, Utah, and Montana.

(13) MelitÆa palla, Boisduval, Plate XVI, Fig. 13, ?; Fig. 14, ?, under side (The Northern Checker-spot).

Butterfly.—On the upper side resembling the preceding species, but with the median band of spots on the hind wings paler. On the under side the markings are different, as is shown in the plate. Expanse, ?, 1.50 inch; ?, 1.75 inch.

Early Stages.—The larva and chrysalis were described by Henry Edwards, the actor naturalist, in the "Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences," vol. v, p. 167. The food-plant is Castileja.

The species ranges from California to Colorado, and northward into British Columbia.

(14) MelitÆa whitneyi, Behr, Plate XVII, Fig. 7, ?; Fig. 8, ?, under side (Whitney's Checker-spot).

Butterfly.—The markings are much as in M. palla, the spots are lighter fulvous and larger than in that species, the yellow bands on the under side are more prominent, and the marginal spots have a silvery luster which is lacking in M. palla. The female has the yellow of the under side more prominent than is the case in the male sex. Expanse, ?, 1.50 inch; ?, 1.70 inch.

Early Stages.—Altogether unknown.

Whitney's Checker-spot ranges from California into Nevada.

(15) MelitÆa hoffmanni, Behr, Plate XVII, Fig. 13, ?; Fig. 14, ?, aberration (Hoffmann's Checker-spot).

Butterfly, ?.—General style of marking much as in the two preceding species, but with the basal area black, and the black markings toward the outer margin not so heavy, giving it here a more fulvous appearance. The median bands on both wings are broader and paler than in M. palla. The under side is much as in the last-mentioned species, but the yellow markings are more prominent.

?.—Much like the male. Expanse, ?, 1.35 inch; ?, 1.45 inch.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

This species, which is found in California and Nevada, is subject to extreme variation, and I have placed upon the plate one out of many beautiful and singular aberrations which I possess.

(16) MelitÆa gabbi, Behr, Plate XVI, Fig. 15, ? (Gabb's Checker-spot).

Butterfly.—In the style of its markings on the upper side it almost completely resembles M. acastus, but the dark markings are slighter, giving the wings a more fulvous appearance. On the under side the bands are narrower, defined more sharply with black, and pearly, almost silvery white, whereas in acastus they are pale yellowish-white, and not so lustrous. Expanse, ?, 1.20 inch; ?, 1.50 inch.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

The habitat of this species is southern California.

(17) MelitÆa harrisi, Scudder, Plate XVII, Fig. 5, ?; Fig. 6, ?, under side; Plate V, Figs. 17-18, chrysalis (Harris' Checker-spot).

Butterfly, ?.—Wings fulvous, black at the base and on the outer margin, with five fulvous spots in the cell of the fore wing, two below the cell; and three in the cell of the hind wing. The black border is widest at the apex of the fore wing, and below this runs inwardly on the veins. There are two white spots near the apex. At the anal angle on the hind wing the border is somewhat divided so as to present the appearance of two indistinct lines. On the under side the wings are fulvous, marked with black bands and spots, and crossed by bands and crescents of pale yellow, as is shown in the figure on the plate.

?.—The female is much like the male. Expanse, ?, 1.50 inch; ?, 1.75 inch.

Egg.—The eggs are lemon-yellow, in the form of a truncated cone, with fifteen or sixteen vertical ribs, which are highest about the middle.

Caterpillar.—The matured caterpillar is reddish-fulvous, with a black stripe on the back. Each segment is marked with one black ring before and two black rings behind the sets of spiny tubercles with which the segments are adorned. There are nine rows of spines, those above the feet being quite small. The spines are black, tapering, and set with diverging black hairs. The food-plants are aster and Diplopappus umbellatus.

Chrysalis.—The chrysalis is pearly-gray or white, blotched with dark brown or black.

This choice little butterfly ranges from Nova Scotia to Wisconsin, extending as far south as northern Illinois, and northward to Ottawa.

(18) MelitÆa elada, Hewitson, Plate XVII, Fig. 2, ? (Hewitson's Checker-spot).

Butterfly, ?.—The wings on the upper side are black, crossed by numerous bands of small fulvous spots, the one crossing the middle of the median area being composed of the largest spots. The fore wings on the under side are fulvous, shading outwardly into ferruginous. The spots and bands of the upper side reappear upon the under side, but are lighter, and the submarginal row of crescents is pale yellow and very distinct, the spot between the second and third median nervules being the largest, and the spot between the fourth and fifth subcostals being only a little smaller. The under side of the hind wings is deep ferruginous, crossed by bands of pearly pale-yellow spots, those of the outer margin being the largest.

?.—The female is much like the male, with the ground-color a little paler. Expanse, ?, .90 inch; ?, 1.00-1.10 inch.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

This little species is found in western Texas, Arizona, and northern Mexico.

(19) MelitÆa dymas, Edwards, Plate XVI, Fig. 18, ? (Dymas).

Butterfly.—This species is closely related in size and the style of some of the markings to the foregoing species, but may be at once distinguished by the lighter ground-color, which is pale fulvous, and the totally different style of the marginal markings on the under side of the wings. The female represented in the plate is a trifle paler than the male. Expanse, ?, .85 inch; ?, 1.00 inch.

Early Stages—Unknown.

The habitat of this species is southwestern Texas.

(20) MelitÆa perse, Edwards, Plate XVI, Fig. 19, ? (Perse).

Butterfly.—This is nearly related to the two foregoing species, but the ground-color is darker fulvous than in dymas, the markings are slight as in that species, and the arrangement of the spots and bands on the under side is similar. The marginal crescents on the under side of the primaries are largest at the apex and rapidly diminish in size, vanishing altogether about the middle of the wing. Expanse, ?, 1.00 inch; ?, 1.10 inch.

Early Stages.—These remain to be discovered.

The only specimens so far found have come from Arizona.

(21) MelitÆa chara, Edwards, Plate XVII, Fig. 3, ?; Fig. 4, ?, under side (Chara).

Butterfly.—No lengthy description of this pretty little species is required, as the plate, which gives both sides of the wings, shows their peculiarities with sufficient accuracy to enable an exact determination to be made. The whitish spot on the costa before the apex on the upper side, and the chalky-white markings and spots on the under side, serve at once to distinguish this form from its near allies. Expanse, ?, 1.00 inch; ?, 1.25 inch.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

I have a large series of this species, all from Arizona, where it appears to be common.

(22) MelitÆa leanira, Boisduval, Plate XVI, Fig. 20, ? (Leanira).

Butterfly, ?.—Ground-color brownish-black, fulvous on the costa, with submarginal, median, and basal rows of yellow spots. Both the primaries and secondaries have a marginal row of red spots, and the former have in addition a submarginal row of such spots. The under side of the primaries is reddish-fulvous, with the markings of the upper side reproduced. The secondaries have a marginal row of yellow crescents, then a black band inclosing yellow spots, then a median band of long yellow crescents. The remainder of the wing to its insertion is black, spotted with yellow.

?.—Much like the male. Expanse, ?, 1.50 inch; ?, 1.75 inch.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

This pretty insect ranges from southern California and Arizona to Nevada, Montana, and British America.

(23) MelitÆa wrighti, Edwards, Plate XVII, Fig. 9, ?; Fig. 10, ?, under side, (Wright's Checker-spot).

Butterfly.—Much like M. leanira, but with more fulvous upon the upper side of the wings, and the under side yellow. The black bands on the secondaries are reduced, and the dividing-lines between the spots are confined to the nervules, which are narrowly black. This is probably only a varietal form of the preceding species. I figure the types. Expanse, ?, 1.30 inch; ?, 1.80 inch.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

Habitat, southern California.

(24) MelitÆa alma, Strecker, Plate XVII, Fig. 1, ? (Strecker's Checker-spot).

Butterfly, ?.—The upper side of the wings is bright fulvous, with the margins and veins black. There are three rows of transverse spots paler than the ground-color. The fore wings on the under side are pale fulvous, with pale-yellow spots and a submarginal and marginal row of yellow spots separated by a narrow black line. The hind wings on this side are yellow, with the veins and margins black, and a transverse double band of black on the outer margin of the median area.

?.—Much like the male, but larger, and redder on the upper side. Expanse, ?, 1.25 inch; ?, 1.50 inch.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

The specimens I have came from the Death Valley. The species occurs in southern Utah and Arizona.

(25) MelitÆa thekla, Edwards, Plate XVII, Fig. 15, ?, under side; Fig. 16, ? (Thekla).

Butterfly, ?.—The upper side of the wings is fulvous, black toward the base and on the outer margin. The primaries are adorned with a large oval pale-fulvous spot at the end of the cell, a small one on the middle of the upper side of the cell, and another small one below the cell, at the origin of the first median nervule. The discal area is defined outwardly by a very irregular fine black transverse line, beyond which is a transverse band of pale-fulvous oblong spots, an incomplete series of spots of the ground-color sharply defined upon the black outer shade, followed by a row of irregular white submarginal spots. The transverse bands of spots on the primaries are repeated upon the secondaries, where they are more regular and the spots more even in size. On the under side both wings are pale red, with the light spots of the upper side reappearing as pale-yellow sharply defined spots. The fringes are checkered black and white.

?.—Much like the male, but larger. Expanse, ?, 1.35-1.50 inch; ?, 1.50-1.75 inch.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

This species is common in Texas. It is identical, as an examination of the type shows, with M. bolli, Edwards, and the latter name as a synonym falls into disuse.

(26) MelitÆa minuta, Edwards, Plate XVII, Fig. 11, ?, under side; Fig. 12, ? (The Smaller Checker-spot).

Butterfly, ?.—This species is fulvous on the upper side, rather regularly banded with black lines. The veins are also black. The result is that the wings appear to be more regularly checkered than in any other species which is closely allied to this. The markings of the under side are white edged with black, and are shown very well in the plate, so that a lengthy description is unnecessary. Expanse, ?, 1.25-1.35 inch; ?, 1.50-1.60 inch.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

The specific name, minuta, is not altogether appropriate. There are many smaller species of the genus. It is found rather commonly in Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico.

(27) MelitÆa arachne, Edwards, Plate XVI, Fig. 22, ? (Arachne).

Butterfly.—I have given in the plate a figure of a female bearing this name in the Edwards collection. It is remarkably pale on the upper side. There is a large series of types and paratypes in the collection, but all of them vary on the upper side of the wings in the intensity of the fulvous ground-color and the width of the black markings. Underneath they are absolutely like M. minuta. I think M. arachne is without much doubt a synonym for M. minuta. The species varies very greatly. The types are from Colorado and western Texas. Expanse as in M. minuta.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

(28) MelitÆa nympha, Edwards, Plate XVI, Fig. 21, ? (Nympha).

Butterfly.—This species differs from M. minuta only in having the black markings darker and the outer median bands of spots on the upper side yellow. On the under side the pattern of the markings is exactly as in M. minuta. It seems to me to be a dark, aberrant form of M. minuta, but is very well marked, and constant in a large series of specimens, so that we cannot be sure until some one breeds these creatures from the egg. Expanse, the same as that of M. minuta.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

Habitat, Arizona.

In addition to the species of the genus MelitÆa illustrated in our plates there are a few others which are credited to our fauna, some of these correctly and some erroneously, and a number of so-called species have been described which are not true species, but varieties or aberrations.

COLLECTING IN JAPAN

I was tired of the Seiyo-ken, the only hotel at which foreigners could be entertained without the discomfort of sleeping upon the floor. There is a better hotel in Tokyo now. I had looked out for five days from my window upon the stinking canal through which the tide ebbs and flows in Tsukiji. I felt if I stayed longer in the lowlands that I would contract malarial fever or some other uncomfortable ailment, and resolved to betake myself to the mountains, the glorious mountains, which rise all through the interior of the country, wrapped in verdure, their giant summits capped with clouds, many of them the abode of volcanic thunder. So I went by rail to the terminus of the road, got together the coolies to pull and push my jinrikishas, and, accompanied by a troop of native collectors, made my way up the Usui-toge, the pass over which travelers going from western Japan into eastern Japan laboriously crept twelve years ago.

What a sunset when we reached an elevation of three thousand feet above the paddy-fields which stretch across the Kwanto to the Gulf of Yeddo! What a furious thunder-storm came on just as night closed in! Then at half-past nine the moon struggled out from behind the clouds, and we pushed on up over the muddy roads, until at last a cold breath of night air sweeping from the west began to fan our faces, and we realized that we were at the top of the pass, and before us in the dim moonlight loomed the huge form of Asama-yama, that furious volcano, which more than once has laid the land waste for leagues around, and compared with which Vesuvius is a pygmy. We slept on Japanese mats, and in the morning, the drops glittering on every leaf, we started out to walk through the fields to Oiwake, our baggage going forward, we intending to loiter all day amid the charms of nature. Seven species of lilies bloomed about us in the hedges and the fields; a hundred plants, graceful and beautiful in blossom, scented the air with their aroma, and everywhere were butterflies and bees. Above us hung in the sky a banner, the great cloud which by day and by night issues from the crater of Asama-yama. Five species of fritillaries flashed their silvery wings by copse and stream; great black papilios soared across the meadows; blue lycÆnas, bright chrysophani, and a dozen species of wood-nymphs gamboled over the low herbage and among the grass. Torosan, my chief collector, was in his element. "Dana-san" (my lord, or my master), "this kind Yokohama no have got." "Dana-san, this kind me no catchee Tokyo side." And so we wandered down the mountain-slope, taking species new alike to American and Japanese, until the sun was sinking in the west. The cloud-banner had grown crimson and purple in the sunset when we wandered into the hospitable doorway of the wayside inn at Oiwake. There we made our headquarters for the week, and thence we carried away a thousand butterflies and moths and two thousand beetles as the guerdon of our chase.

Genus PHYCIODES, Doubleday (The Crescent-spots)

"Flusheth the rise with her purple favor, Gloweth the cleft with her golden ring. 'Twixt the two brown butterflies waver Lightly settle, and sleepily swing."

Jean Ingelow.

Butterfly.—The butterflies composing this genus are generally quite small. Their wings on the upper side are fulvous, or brown with black margins, spots, and lines upon the upper side of the wings, and with the under side of the wings reproducing the spots of the upper side in paler tints. Of the spots of the under side of the wings one of the most characteristic is the pale crescent situated on the outer margin of the hind wings, between the ends of the second and third median nervules. This spot is frequently pearly-white or silvered. Structurally the butterflies of this genus may be distinguished from the preceding genus by the enlarged second joint of the palpi and the very fine, extremely pointed third joint. In the neuration of the wings and in their habits these butterflies closely approximate MelitÆa.

Fig. 92.—Neuration of the genus Phyciodes.

Eggs.—The eggs are always higher than broad, with the surface at the base more or less pitted, giving them a thimble-like appearance. On the upper end in some species they have a few short, vertical ridges, radiating from the micropyle.

Caterpillar.—The caterpillar is cylindrical, marked with pale longitudinal stripes upon a darker ground, and adorned with tubercles arranged in regular rows. These tubercles are generally much shorter than in the genus MelitÆa. The caterpillars do not, so far as is known, weave webs at any time.

Chrysalis.—The chrysalis is pendant, with the head slightly bifid. The dorsal region of the abdomen is provided with slight tubercles. The color is generally some shade of pale gray, blotched with black or dark brown.

This genus finds its principal development in South and Central America, which are very rich in species, some of them mimicking in a most marvelous manner the butterflies of the protected genus Heliconius and its allies. The species found in the United States and Canada are for the most part not very gaily colored insects, chaste shades of brown, or yellow, and black predominating.

(1) Phyciodes nycteis, Doubleday and Hewitson, Plate XVII, Fig. 28, ?, under side; Fig. 29, ?; Fig. 30, ?; Plate V, Fig. 19, chrysalis (Nycteis).

Butterfly.—On the upper side very closely resembling MelitÆa harrisi, for which it may easily be mistaken upon the wing. The under side of the hind wings is very different, and may at once be distinguished by the lighter color of the base of the wing, and the pale, silvery crescent on the outer margin. Expanse, ? 1.25-1.65 inch; ?, 1.65-2.00 inches.

Egg.—The egg is half as high again as broad, marked with sixteen or seventeen vertical ribs above, and pitted about the middle by hexagonal cells. It is pale green in color.

Caterpillar.—The caterpillar undergoes four moults after hatching. In the mature stage it is velvety-black, with a dull orange stripe along the back, and purplish streaks on the sides. The body is studded with whitish spots, each giving rise to a delicate black hair, and is further beset with rather short, black, hairy spines.

Chrysalis.—The chrysalis is pearly-gray, blotched with dark brown.

The life-history of this species has been carefully worked out, and all the details may be found described in the most minute manner by Edwards and by Scudder.

The insect ranges from Maine to North Carolina, and thence westward to the foot-hills of the Rocky Mountains.

(2) Phyciodes ismeria, Boisduval and Leconte, Plate XVII, Fig. 24, ?; Fig. 25, ?, under side (Ismeria).

Butterfly, ?.—Easily distinguished from all other allied species by the double row of small light spots on the dark margin of the fore wings on the upper side, and by the silvery, narrow, and greatly bent line of bright silvery spots crossing the middle of the hind wings on the under side.

?.—The female is like the male, but larger and paler and all the spots on the upper side are pale fulvous, and not as distinctly white on the outer margin as in the male sex. Expanse, ?, 1.15-1.35 inch; ?, 1.35-2.00 inches.

Caterpillar.—The caterpillar, according to Boisduval and Leconte, is yellowish, with blackish spines and three longitudinal blackish stripes. The head, the thoracic legs, and the under side are black; the other legs are yellow.

Chrysalis.—According to the same authors, the chrysalis is pale gray, with paler light spots and nearly white dorsal tubercles.

This insect ranges over a wide territory from Canada to the Southern and Western States east of the Rocky Mountains.

(3) Phyciodes vesta, Edwards, Plate XVII, Fig. 17, ?; Fig. 18, ?; Fig. 19, ?, under side (Vesta).

Butterfly, ?.—On the upper side it closely resembles the winter form marcia of Phyciodes tharos, Drury; but the black markings are more evenly distributed. The under side is a pale yellowish-fulvous, and the black markings are slight.

?.—The female is like the male, but paler. Expanse, ?, 1.15 inch; ?, 1.25 inch.

Early Stages.—The chrysalis has been described by Edwards in the "Canadian Entomologist," vol. xi, p. 129. This is all we know of the early life of the insect.

It is found in Texas and Mexico.

(4) Phyciodes phaon, Edwards, Plate XVII, Fig. 22, ?; Fig. 23. ?, under side (Phaon).

Butterfly, ?.—The ground-color of the male is paler on the upper side than in Phyciodes tharos, and the black markings are much heavier. The median band on the fore wings is yellowish. The wings on the under side are yellow, shaded with fulvous on the primaries, on which the dark markings are heavy.

?.—Like the male. Expanse, ?, .90 inch; ?, 1.25 inch.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

This insect inhabits the Gulf States, and has been occasionally taken in Kansas.

(5) Phyciodes tharos, Drury, Plate XVIII, Fig. 1, ?; Fig. 2, ?; var. marcia, Edwards, Plate XVIII, Fig. 3, ?; Fig. 4, ?; Plate V, Figs. 20-22, chrysalis (The Pearl Crescent).

Butterfly.—This very common and well-known little insect scarcely needs to be described. The upper side is bright fulvous, with heavy black borders; all the other dark markings are slight. The wings on the under side are paler, with the dark markings of the upper side showing through, and there are additional markings of brown on the hind wings. Expanse, ?, 1.25 inch; ?, 1.65 inch.

Early Stages.—The early stages of this insect have been worked out with the most extreme care by Mr. Edwards, and the reader who is curious to know about them should consult "The Butterflies of North America." Dr. Scudder also has minutely and laboriously described the early stages in "The Butterflies of New England." The egg is light greenish-yellow. The caterpillar, which feeds upon various species of aster and allied CompositÆ, is dark brown after the third moult, its back dotted with yellow, adorned with short, black, bristly spines, which are yellow at the base. The chrysalis is grayish-white, mottled with dark spots and lines.

This species is one of many dimorphic species, the winter form marcia, which emerges in spring, having the under side brighter, and the light markings more conspicuous on that side than in the summer form, which has been called morpheus. Concerning all of this, and the way in which cold affects the color of butterflies, the reader will do well to consult the splendid pages of Edwards and of Scudder.

The pretty little Pearl Crescent ranges from southern Labrador to Florida; in fact, all over North America north of Texas and south of the region of Hudson Bay, except the Pacific coast of California.

(6) Phyciodes batesi, Reakirt, Plate XVII, Fig. 35, ?; Fig. 36, ?, under side (Bates' Crescent-spot).

Butterfly, ?.—On the upper side much like P. tharos, with the black markings very heavy. The under side of the hind wings is uniformly pale fulvous or yellow, with a row of faint submarginal brown spots.

?.—Like the male. Expanse, ?, 1.25 inch; ?, 1.50-1.65 inch.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

This species ranges from New York to Virginia, and westward to Ohio.

(7) Phyciodes pratensis, Behr, Plate XVII, Fig. 37, ?; Fig. 38, ?, under side (The Meadow Crescent-spot).

Butterfly, ?.—The butterfly resembles the preceding species on the upper side, but the ground-color is much paler and the black markings are not so heavy. The under side of the wings is pale fulvous, spotted with yellow.

?.—The female has the black markings of the upper side heavier than the male, and all the spots pale yellow. The markings on the under side are heavier than in the male sex. Expanse, ?, 1.15 inch; ?, 1.40 inch.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

The range of this species is the Pacific coast from Oregon to Arizona.

(8) Phyciodes orseis, Edwards, Plate XVII, Fig. 31, ? (Orseis).

Butterfly, ?.—The dark markings on the upper side are much heavier than in either of the two preceding species, and the fulvous spots are smaller, the marginal crescents more regular and distinct. The markings on the under side are also much heavier than in P. batesi or P. pratensis.

?.—The female is like the male, but all the dark markings are heavier and the pale markings lighter. Expanse, ?, 1.35 inch; ?, 1.60 inch.

Early Stages.—These remain to be described.

Phyciodes orseis ranges from Washington Territory in the north to Mexico in the south.

(9) Phyciodes camillus, Edwards, Plate XVII, Fig. 32, ?; Fig. 33, ?; Fig. 34, ?, under side (The Camillus Crescent).

Butterfly, ?.—The male is more like P. pratensis, but the light spots on the primaries are paler, on the secondaries brighter, fulvous. The dark markings on the under side are less pronounced than in pratensis.

?.—The female is much like the male. Expanse, ?, 1.30 inch; ?, 1.50 inch.

Early Stages.—These are wholly unknown.

The species is reported from British Columbia, Colorado, Montana, Kansas, and Texas.

(10) Phyciodes mylitta, Edwards, Plate XVII, Fig. 40, ?, under side; Fig. 41, ? (The Mylitta Crescent).

Butterfly, ?.—Broadly bright fulvous on the upper side, with the dark markings slight; on the under side closely resembling P. tharos, var. marcia, Edwards.

?.—The female is like the male, but paler. Expanse, ?, 1.15 inch; ?, 1.25-1.50 inch.

Early Stages.—These have been described by Mr. Harrison G. Dyar in the "Canadian Entomologist," vol. xxiii, p. 203. The eggs are laid in clusters upon the thistle (Carduus). The caterpillar in its final stage after the fourth moult is black, yellowish below, with a faint twinned yellow dorsal line and faint lines of the same color on the sides. The spines, which are arranged in six rows, are black; those of segments four, five, and six, yellow. The chrysalis is dull wood-brown.

This species has a wide range in the region of the Rocky Mountains, extending from Washington to Arizona, and eastward to Colorado.

(11) Phyciodes barnesi, Skinner, Plate XVIII, Fig. 5, ? (Barnes' Crescent-spot).

Butterfly, ?.—Very like the following species, with the light fulvous of the upper side of the wings more widely extended, causing the dark markings to be greatly restricted. The figure in the plate is, in this species as in most others, that of the type, and I am under obligations to Dr. Skinner for kind permission to have the use of the specimen. Expanse, 1.75 inch.

The type came from Colorado Springs.

(12) Phyciodes montana, Behr, Plate XVII, Fig. 26, ?, under side; Fig. 27, ? (The Mountain Crescent-spot).

Butterfly.—Upon the upper side the wings are marked much as in P. camillus, but are prevalently bright fulvous, with the dark markings quite slight in most specimens. On the under side the wings are pale yellowish-fulvous. The female usually has the secondaries crossed by a broad median band of very pale spots. Expanse, ?, 1.25 inch; ?, 1.50 inch.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

The habitat of this species is the Sierras of California and Nevada.

(13) Phyciodes picta, Edwards, Plate XVII, Fig. 20, ?, under side; Fig. 21, ? (The Painted Crescent-spot).

Butterfly.—The butterfly in both sexes somewhat closely resembles P. phaon on the upper side. On the under side the fore wings are red on the median area, with the base, the costa, the apex, and the outer margin pale yellow; the black markings very prominent. The hind wings on the under side are nearly immaculate yellow. Expanse, ?, .80-1.10 inch; ?, 1.10-1.25 inch.

Early Stages.—These may be found described with minute exactness by Mr. W.H. Edwards in the pages of the "Canadian Entomologist," vol. xvi, pp. 163-167. The egg is yellowish-green. The caterpillar moults five times. When mature it is about six tenths of an inch long, armed with seven principal rows of short spines, which appear to vary in color in the spring and fall broods, being light brown in the June brood and greenish-yellow in the October brood. The prevalent color of the caterpillar is some shade of yellowish-or greenish-brown, mottled with lighter and darker tints. The chrysalis is yellowish-brown. The food-plants of the caterpillar are various species of aster.

This species is found as far north as Nebraska, and is abundant in Colorado and New Mexico, ranging southward through Arizona into Mexico.

Genus ERESIA, Doubleday

Butterfly.—Small butterflies, closely resembling the species of the genus Phyciodes in the neuration of the wings, and only differing from them in the outline of the outer margin of the primaries, which are more or less excavated about the middle. In the style of the markings they differ somewhat widely from the butterflies of the genus Phyciodes, notably in the absence of the crescents on the margins of the wings. The wings on the upper side are generally some shade of deep brown or black, marked with spots and bands of white or fulvous, the median band on the hind wings being generally more or less conspicuous. In the pattern of their markings they illustrate a transition from the genus Phyciodes to the genus SynchloË.

Fig. 93.—Neuration of the genus Eresia, slightly enlarged.

Egg.—Hitherto undescribed.

Caterpillar.—Cylindrical, with seven rows of spines, one dorsal, and three lateral on each side; the spines are short, blunt, and armed with short bristles. The head is subcordate, with the vertices rounded. It moults four times.

Chrysalis.—Cylindrical, abdomen stout, head-case short, beveled, nearly square at top, the vertices pyramidal. There are three rows of small tubercles on the dorsal side of the abdomen.

The caterpillars so far as known feed upon various CompositÆ, as Diclippa and Actinomeris.

The genus, which is somewhat doubtfully separable from Phyciodes, and probably possesses only subgeneric value, is well represented in Central and South America. But three species are found in the faunal region of which this book treats.

(1) Eresia frisia, Poey, Plate XVII, Fig. 42, ? (Frisia).

Butterfly.—Upper side reddish-fulvous, clouded with fuscous at the base. On the basal area are waved black lines, separate on the hind wings, more or less blended on the fore wings. The outer border is broadly black. Between this border and the basal third the wing is crossed by irregular black bands, the spaces between which are paler fulvous than the base and the hind wings, those near the outer margin being whitish. These bands are continued broadly across the hind wings. The wings on the under side are fulvous, mottled with dark brown and white, and spotted with conspicuous white spots. The male and the female closely resemble each other. Expanse, 1.40 inch.

The early stages are wholly unknown.

The only locality within the limits of the United States in which this insect has been found is Key West, in Florida. It is abundant in the Antilles, Mexico, Central and South America.

(2) Eresia texana, Edwards, Plate XVIII, Fig. 8, ?; Fig. 9, ?, under side (The Texan Eresia).

Butterfly.—Black on the upper side of the wings, shading into reddish-brown on the basal area. The fore wings are spotted on the median and limbal areas with white, and the hind wings are adorned by a conspicuous median band of small white spots. On the under side the fore wings are fulvous at the base, broadly dark brown beyond the middle. The light spots of the upper side reappear on the lower side. The hind wings on the under side are marbled wood-brown on the basal area and the inner margin, darker brown externally. The white macular band of the upper side reappears on this side, but less distinct than above. Expanse, ?, 1.25-1.50 inch; ?, 1.60-1.75 inch.

Early Stages.—For the only account of the life-history of this species the reader is referred to the "Canadian Entomologist," vol. xi, p. 127, where the indefatigable Edwards gives us an interesting account of his original observations.

This insect ranges from Texas into Mexico. It has been confounded by some with a closely allied insect, Eresia ianthe, Fabricius, and to show the difference we have given in Plate XVIII, Fig. 12, a representation of that species, by means of which the reader will be enabled to mark the difference on the upper surfaces of the two species.

(3) Eresia punctata, Edwards, Plate XVII, Fig. 39, ? (The Dotted Eresia).

Butterfly.—A lengthy description of this little species is scarcely necessary, as the figure in the plate will suffice for its accurate determination. Nothing is known of its early stages. Expanse, 1.10 inch. It is found in New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, and Mexico. It has been recently declared to be identical with E. tulcis, Bates, an opinion I am not quite prepared to accept, but which, if correct, will force us, according to the law of priority, to substitute the name given by Bates for that given by Edwards.

Genus SYNCHLOË, Boisduval (The Patched Butterflies)

Butterfly.—Medium-sized or small butterflies, rather gaily colored, although the species found in the United States are not very brilliant. They may be distinguished structurally from the butterflies of the two preceding genera not only by their larger size and the spindle-formed third article of the palpi, which in the genera Eresia and Phyciodes is thin and pointed like a needle, but also by the fact that the lower discocellular vein of the fore wings is generally quite straight and not bowed or angled as in the before-mentioned genera.

Fig. 94.—Neuration of the genus SynchloË, enlarged.

Egg.—Similar in appearance to the eggs of the genus Phyciodes: obovoid, truncated, and slightly depressed at top, rounded at the bottom; the lower three fifths with shallow depressions; the upper part with about twenty-four light blunt-edged ribs. The eggs are laid in clusters upon the leaves of Helianthus.

Caterpillar.—Varying in color, generally black or some shade of red or brown, covered with spines which are arranged as in the genus MelitÆa and are thickly beset with diverging bristles. The caterpillar moults four times.

Chrysalis.—Shaped as in the genus MelitÆa, light in color, blotched with dark brown or black spots and lines.

The genus is well represented in Central and South America. Some of the species are polymorphic, many varieties being produced from a single batch of eggs. The result has been considerable confusion in the specific nomenclature.

(1) SynchloË janais, Drury, Plate XVIII, Fig. 10, ? (The Crimson-patch).

Butterfly.—Fore wings black above, spotted with white; hind wings black above, marked in the center with a broad band of crimson. On the under side the markings of the upper side of the fore wings are reproduced. The hind wings on the under side are black at the base and on the outer third; immediately at the base is a yellow bar; across the middle is a broad yellow band laved outwardly by red, upon which are numerous black spots. There is a marginal row of yellow spots and an inner row of smaller white spots on the limbal area. Expanse, 2.50-3.00 inches.

Early Stages.—What is known of these is contained in articles published by Mr. William Schaus, "Papilio," vol. iii, p. 188; and by Henry Edwards, "Entomologica Americana," vol. iii, p. 161, to which the reader may refer.

The habitat of the species is Texas, Mexico, and Central America. The insect is very variable in the markings both of the upper and under sides, and several so-called species are only varietal forms of this.

(2) SynchloË lacinia, HÜbner, Plate XVIII, Fig. 11, ?; form crocale, Edwards, Plate XXIV, Fig. 8, ?, under side; Fig. 9, ? (Lacinia).

Butterfly.—This is a protean species, a dozen or more well-marked varietal forms being produced, many of them from a single batch of eggs. The wings on the upper side are black; both primaries and secondaries are crossed about the middle by a band of spots, generally broken on the primaries and continuous on the secondaries. These spots in the typical form lacinia are fulvous, and the bands are broad. In the form crocale the spots are white, the bands narrow. A great variety of intergrading forms are known and are represented in the author's collection, most of them bred specimens reared from the egg. On the under side the fore wings are marked as on the upper side. The hind wings on the under side are black, with a marginal row of spots, a transverse straight median band, a short basal band, and a costal edging, all bright straw-yellow; in addition there is a submarginal row of small white spots and a crimson patch of variable size at the anal angle. Expanse, ?, 1.50-2.00 inches; ?, 1.75-2.75 inches.

Early Stages.—These are described fully by Edwards in the "Canadian Entomologist," vol. xxv, p. 286.

Lacinia ranges from Texas and New Mexico to Bolivia.

FAUNAL REGIONS

That branch of zoÖlogical science which treats of the geographical distribution of animals is known as zoÖgeography. None of the zoÖlogical sciences has contributed more to a knowledge of the facts with which zoÖgeography deals than the science of entomology.

Various divisions of the surface of the earth, based upon the character of the living beings which inhabit them, have been suggested. At the present time, however, it is agreed that in a general way five major subdivisions are sufficient for the purposes of the science, and we therefore recognize five faunal regions, namely, the PalÆarctic, which includes the temperate regions of the eastern hemisphere; the Indo-Malayan, covering the tropics of Asia and the islands lying south of that great continent, including Australia; the Ethiopian, covering the continent of Africa south of the lands bordering on the Mediterranean, and extending northward into the southern part of Arabia; the Neotropical, covering the continent of South America and the islands of the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico; and, finally, the Nearctic, covering the temperate and polar regions of North America. The butterflies with which this volume deals are mostly nearctic species, only a few species representing the neotropical region being found as stragglers into the extreme southern portion of the United States.

These five faunal regions are characterized by the presence of certain groups of insects which are more or less peculiar to them. In the PalÆarctic Region, for instance, we find a very great development of the SatyrinÆ, of the genera Argynnis, MelitÆa, and LycÆna, and of the genus Colias. The genus Papilio is but poorly represented, there being only three species found on the entire continent of Europe, and comparatively few in Asia north of the Himalayan mountain-ranges.

As soon as we pass from the boundaries of the PalÆarctic Region into India there is discovered a great number of species of the genus Papilio. The EuploeinÆ, of various genera, swarm, and splendid creatures, magnificent in color, present themselves, replacing among the NymphalinÆ the small and obscurely colored forms which are found among the mountains of Europe and on the great Asiatic steppes. In the Indo-Malayan Region one of the most gorgeous of the papilionine genera is known as Ornithoptera. These great "bird-wing" butterflies are most brilliant in color in the male, and in the female attain an expanse of wing reaching in some species eight and even nine inches, so that it would be impossible to represent them in their natural dimensions upon a page such as that which is before the reader. One of these giants of the butterfly family, named Victoria after her Majesty the Queen of England, is found in the Solomon Islands, and is probably the largest of all known butterflies. One specimen, belonging to the author, has an expanse of wing exceeding nine inches. Among the strangest of recent discoveries is Ornithoptera paradisea, which is found in New Guinea. The male has the hind wings produced in the form of a very delicate and slender tail; the upper surfaces of the wing are broadly marked with shining green and lustrous orange upon a velvety-black ground. The female is black with white spots, slightly marked with yellow, being obscure in color, as is for the most part characteristic of this sex among butterflies, as well as other animals.

The Ethiopian Region is rich in beautiful butterflies of the genus Callosune, which are white or yellow, having the tips of the anterior wings marked with crimson or purple. There are many scores of species of these which are found on the grassy park-like lands of southeastern Africa, and they range northward through Abyssinia into Arabia, and a few species even invade the hot lands of the Indian peninsula. In the great forests of the Congo and in fact throughout tropical Africa, the genus AcrÆa, composed of beautiful insects with long, narrow wings like the genus Heliconius, but for the most part yellow, rich brown, and red, spotted with black, abound. And here, too, are found some of the noblest species belonging to the great genus Papilio, among them that most singular and, until recently, rarest of the genus, Papilio antimachus of Drury, one specimen of which, among a dozen or more in the author's possession, has wings which exceed in expanse even those of Ornithoptera victoria, though this butterfly, which seems to mimic the genus AcrÆa, has comparatively narrow wings, and they, therefore, do not cover so large an area as is covered in the case of the genus Ornithoptera.

In the Neotropical Region we are confronted by swarms of butterflies belonging to the IthomiinÆ, the HeliconiinÆ, and the AcrÆinÆ, all of which are known to be protected species, and which are mimicked by other species among the butterflies and moths of the region which they frequent. A naturalist familiar with the characteristics of the butterfly fauna of South America can at a glance determine whether a collection placed before him is from that country or not, merely by his knowledge of the peculiar coloration which is characteristic of the lepidoptera of the region. The most brilliant butterflies of the neotropical fauna are the Morphos, glorious insects, the under side of their wings marked with eye-like spots, the upper side resplendent in varying tints of iridescent blue.

In the Nearctic Region there is a remarkable development of the genera Argynnis, MelitÆa, and Phyciodes. There are also a great many species of the SatyrinÆ and of the HesperiidÆ, or "skippers." The genus Colias is also well represented. The Nearctic Region extends southwardly into northern Mexico, at high elevations, and is even continued along the chain of the Andes, and there are species which are found in the vicinity of San Francisco which occur in Chili and Patagonia. In fact, when we get to the southern extremity both of Africa and of South America we find certain genera characteristic of the north temperate zone, or closely allied to them, well represented.

Genus GRAPTA, Kirby (The Angle-Wings)

Butterfly.—Medium-sized or small, characterized by the more or less deeply excavated inner and outer margins of the fore wings, the tail-like projection of the hind wings at the extremity of the third median nervule, the closed cell of the same wings, and the thick squamation of the palpi on the under side, while on the sides and tops of the palpi there are but few scales. They are tawny on the upper side, spotted and bordered with black; on the under side mimicking the bark of trees and dead leaves, often with a c-shaped silvery spot on the hind wings. The insects hibernate in the butterfly form in hollow trees and other hiding-places.

Fig. 95.—Neuration of the genus Grapta.

Egg.—The eggs are taller than broad, tapering upward from the base. The summit is broad and flat. The sides are marked by a few equidistant narrow longitudinal ribs, which increase in height to the top. A few delicate cross-lines are interwoven between these ribs. They are laid in clusters or in short string-like series (see p. 5, Fig. 10).

Caterpillar.—The head is somewhat quadrate in outline, the body cylindrical, adorned with rows of branching spines (see Plate III, Figs. 23, 27, 31-33, 38).

Chrysalis.—The chrysalids have the head more or less bifid. There is a prominent thoracic tubercle, and a double row of dorsal tubercles on the abdomen. Viewed from the back they are more or less excavated on the sides of the thorax. In color they are generally some shade of wood-brown or greenish.

The caterpillars feed for the most part upon the UrticaceÆ, plants of the nettle tribe, such as the stinging-nettle, the elm, and the hop-vine, though the azalea and wild currants furnish the food of some species.

The genus is confined mainly to the north temperate zone.

(1) Grapta interrogationis, Fabricius, Plate I, Fig. 3, [male], under side; form fabricii, Edwards, Plate XIX, Fig. 1, [male]; form umbrosa, Lintner, Plate XIX, Fig. 2, [female]; Plate III, Fig. 23, larva, from a blown specimen; Fig. 27, larva, copied from a drawing by Abbot; Plate IV, Figs. 21, 22, 24-26, 40, chrysalis (The Question-sign).

Butterfly.—Easily distinguished by its large size, being the largest species of the genus in our fauna. The fore wings are decidedly falcate, or sickle-shaped, bright fulvous on the upper side, spotted and bordered with dark brown and edged with pale blue. On the under side they are mottled brown, shaded with pale purplish, and have a silvery mark shaped like a semicolon on the hind wings. The dimorphic variety umbrosa, Lintner, has the upper side of the hind wings almost entirely black, except at the base. Expanse, 2.50 inches.

Early Stages.—These have been frequently described, and the reader who wishes to know all about the minute details of the life-history will do well to consult the pages of Edwards and Scudder, who have written voluminously upon the subject. The food-plants are the elm, the hop-vine, and various species of nettles.

This is one of our commonest butterflies. It is double-brooded in the Middle States. It hibernates in the imago form, and when the first warm winds of spring begin to blow, it may be found at the sap-pans in the sugar-camps, sipping the sweets which drip from the wounded trunks of the maples. It ranges all over the United States, except the Pacific coast, and is common throughout Canada and Nova Scotia.

(2) Grapta comma, Harris, form dryas, Plate XIX, Fig. 3, ?; form harrisi, Edwards, Fig. 4, ?; Plate III, Fig. 38, larva; Plate IV, Figs. 27, 29, 30, 39, 46-48, chrysalis (The Comma Butterfly).

Butterfly.—Dimorphic, in the form dryas with the hind wings heavily suffused with black, in the form harrisi predominantly fulvous. Expanse, 1.75-2.00 inches.

The caterpillars feed upon the UrticaceÆ, and are very common upon the nettle. They vary greatly in color, some being almost snow-white. This species is found throughout Canada and the adjacent provinces, and ranges south to the Carolinas and Texas and over the Northwestern States.

(3) Grapta satyrus, Edwards, Plate XX, Fig. 1, ?; Fig. 2, ?, under side; form marsyas, Edwards, Plate XIX, Fig. 14, ?; Fig. 15, ?, under side; Plate III, Fig. 33, larva; Plate IV, Figs. 41, 42, chrysalis (The Satyr).

Butterfly.—The species is so accurately depicted in the plates that a description is hardly necessary. The form marsyas is smaller, brighter, and with the dark spots on the upper side of the hind wings reduced in size. Expanse, 1.75-2.00 inches.

The food-plant of the caterpillar is the nettle. It occurs occasionally in Ontario, and thence ranges west, being not uncommon from Colorado to California and Oregon.

(4) Grapta hylas, Edwards, Plate XIX, Fig. 7, ?; Fig. 8, ?, under side (The Colorado Angle-wing).

Butterfly.—The butterfly closely resembles G. silenus on the upper side, but may easily be distinguished by the uniform pale purplish-gray of the lower side of the wings. Expanse, 2.00 inches.

The early stages are unknown. The insect has thus far been found only in Colorado, but no doubt occurs in other States of the Rocky Mountain region.

(5) Grapta faunus, Edwards, Plate XIX, Fig. 12, ?; Fig. 13, ?, under side; Plate III, Fig. 32, larva; Plate IV, Figs. 31, 33-35, chrysalis (The Faun).

Butterfly.—This species is readily recognized by the deep indentations of the hind wings, the heavy black border, and the dark tints of the under side mottled with paler shades. Expanse, 2.00-2.15 inches.

The caterpillar feeds on willows. It is found from New England to the Carolinas, and thence westward to the Pacific.

(6) Grapta zephyrus, Edwards, Plate XX, Fig. 5, ?; Fig. 6, ?, under side (The Zephyr).

Butterfly.—Fulvous, marked with yellowish toward the outer margins, the dark markings upon which are not as heavy as in the other species of the genus. On the under side the wings are paler than is the case in other species, reddish-brown, marbled with darker brown lines and frecklings. Expanse, 1.75-2.00 inches.

The caterpillar, which feeds upon Azalea occidentalis, is described and figured by Edwards in "The Butterflies of North America," vol. i. Zephyrus is found throughout the region of the Rocky Mountains, from Colorado to California, and from Oregon to New Mexico.

(7) Grapta gracilis, Grote and Robinson, Plate XIX, Fig. 10, ?; Fig. 11, ?, under side (The Graceful Angle-wing).

Butterfly.—A small species, rather heavily marked with dark brown or blackish on the upper side. The wings on the under side are very dark, crossed about the middle by a pale-gray or white band shading off toward the outer margins. This light band serves as a means of easily identifying the species. Expanse, 1.75 inch.

The early stages are unknown.

The species has been found on the White Mountains in New Hampshire, in Maine, Canada, and British America, as far west as Alaska.

(8) Grapta silenus, Edwards, Plate XIX, Fig. 5, ?; Fig. 6, ?, under side (Silenus).

Butterfly.—Larger than gracilis, and the wings more deeply excised, as in faunus. On the under side the wings are very dark, with lighter irrorations, especially on the fore wings. Expanse, 2.00-2.30 inches.

The early stages have never been studied. This species appears to be found only in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia.

(9) Grapta progne, Cramer, Plate XX, Fig. 3, ?; Fig. 4, ?, under side; Plate III, Fig. 31, larva; Plate IV, Figs. 32, 37, 38, chrysalis (Progne).

Butterfly.—A rather small species, with light-fulvous fore wings, shading into yellow toward the outer margins; the dark markings slight, but deep in color. The secondaries are heavily bordered with black on the outer margin. On the under side the wings are very dark, variegated with paler shades, somewhat as in G. gracilis. Expanse, 1.85-2.00 inches.

The early stages have been quite fully described by various authors, and the reader may consult "The Butterflies of New England," vol. i, pp. 266-268, for a full account. The caterpillar feeds on the elm, but more commonly on various species of the GrossulaceÆ, or currant tribe, wild or domesticated. It ranges from Siberia to Nova Scotia, and southward as far as Pennsylvania.

There are several other species of Grapta found in our fauna, which are not delineated in this book; but they are rare species, of which little is as yet known. The types are in the collection of the writer, and if the reader finds any species which he cannot identify by means of this book the author will be pleased to help him to the full extent of his ability.

Genus VANESSA, Fabricius (The Tortoise-shells)

Fig. 96.—Neuration of the genus Vanessa.

Butterfly.—Medium-sized insects, the wings on the upper side generally some shade of black or brown, marked with red, yellow, or orange. The head is moderately large, the eyes hairy, the palpi more or less heavily scaled, the prothoracic legs feeble and hairy. The lower discocellular vein of the fore wings, when present, unites with the third median nervule, not at its origin, but beyond on the curve. The cell of the primaries may or may not be closed. The cell of the secondaries is open. The fore wings have the outer margin more or less deeply excavated between the extremities of the upper radial and the first median, at which points the wings are rather strongly produced. The hind wings have the outer margin denticulate, strongly produced at the extremity of the third median nervule.

Egg.—Short, ovoid, broad at the base, tapering toward the summit, which is broad and adorned with a few narrow, quite high longitudinal ridges, increasing in height toward the apex. Between these ribs are a few delicate cross-lines. They are generally laid in large clusters upon twigs of the food-plant.

Caterpillar.—The caterpillar moults four times. In the mature form it is cylindrical, the segments adorned with long, branching spines arranged in longitudinal rows; the spines much longer, and branching rather than beset with bristles, as in the genus Grapta. It lives upon elms, willows, and poplars.

Chrysalis.—The chrysalis in general appearance is not unlike the chrysalis of Grapta.

The genus is mainly restricted to the north temperate zone and the mountain regions of tropical lands adjacent thereto. The insects hibernate in the imago form, and are among the first butterflies to take wing in the springtime.

(1) Vanessa j-album, Boisduval and Leconte, Plate XIX, Fig. 9, ? (The Compton Tortoise).

Butterfly.—No description is required, as the figure in the plate will enable it to be immediately recognized. On the under side of the wings it resembles in color the species of the genus Grapta, from which the straight edge of the inner margin of the primaries at once distinguishes it. It is a very close ally of the European V. vau-album. Expanse, 2.60-2.75 inches.

The caterpillar feeds upon various species of willow. It is a Northern form, being found in Pennsylvania upon the summits of the Alleghanies, and thence north to Labrador on the east and Alaska on the west. It is always a rather scarce insect.

(2) Vanessa californica, Boisduval, Plate XX, Fig. 11, ? (The California Tortoise-shell).

Butterfly.—On the upper side deep fulvous, mottled with yellow, spotted and bordered with black. On the under side dark brown; pale on the outer half of the primaries, the entire surface marked with dark lines and fine striÆ. Expanse, 2.00-2.25 inches.

Early Stages.—The larva and chrysalis have been described by Henry Edwards in the "Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences," vol. v, p. 171. The caterpillar feeds upon Ceanothus thyrsiflorus.

This insect is a close ally of the European V. xanthomelas. It ranges from Colorado to California and as far north as Oregon.

(3) Vanessa milberti, Godart, Plate XX, Fig. 10, ?; Plate III, Fig. 36, larva; Plate IV, Figs. 43, 49, 50, chrysalis (Milbert's Tortoise-shell).

Butterfly.—Easily distinguished by the broad yellow submarginal band on both wings, shaded outwardly by red. It is nearly related to the European V. urticÆ. Expanse, 1.75 inch.

The life-history has been worked out and described by numerous writers. The caterpillars feed upon the nettle (Urtica).

This pretty little fly ranges from the mountains of West Virginia northward to Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, thence westward to the Pacific.

(4) Vanessa antiopa, LinnÆus, Plate I, Fig. 6, ?; Plate III, Fig. 28, larva; Plate IV, Figs. 51, 58, 59, chrysalis (The Mourning-cloak; The Camberwell Beauty).

Butterfly.—This familiar insect needs no description. It is well known to every boy in the north temperate zone. It is one of the commonest as well as one of the most beautiful species of the tribe. A rare aberration in which the yellow border invades the wing nearly to the middle, obliterating the blue spots, is sometimes found. The author has a fine example of this "freak."

The eggs are laid in clusters upon the twigs of the food-plant in spring (see p. 5, Fig. 11). There are at least two broods in the Northern States. The caterpillars feed on willows, elms, and various species of the genus Populus.

Genus PYRAMEIS, Doubleday

Butterfly.—The wings in their neuration approach closely to the preceding genus, but are not angulate, and the ornamentation of the under side tends to become ocellate, or marked by eye-like spots, and in many of the species is ocellate.

Egg.—The egg is broadly ovoid, being much like the egg of the genus Vanessa.

Caterpillar.—The caterpillar in its mature form is covered with spines, but these are not relatively as large as in Vanessa, and are not as distinctly branching.

Chrysalis.—The chrysalis approaches in outline the chrysalis of the preceding genus, and is only differentiated by minor structural peculiarities.

The genus includes only a few species, but some of them have a wide range, Pyrameis cardui being almost cosmopolitan, and having a wider distribution than any other known butterfly.

(1) Pyrameis atalanta, LinnÆus, Plate XLIII, Fig. 4, ?; Plate III, Fig. 35, larva; Plate IV, Figs. 52, 53, 55, chrysalis (The Red Admiral).

This familiar butterfly, which is found throughout North America, Europe, northern Asia, and Africa, needs no description beyond what is furnished in the plates. Expanse, 2.00 inches. The food-plants are Humulus, Boehmeria, and Urtica.

Fig. 97.—Neuration of the genus Pyrameis.

(2) Pyrameis huntera, Plate I, Fig. 2, ?; Plate XXXIII, Fig. 6, ?, under side; Plate III, Fig. 34, larva; Plate IV, Figs. 54, 63, 64, chrysalis (Hunter's Butterfly).

Butterfly.—Marked much like the following species, but easily distinguished at a glance by the two large eye-like spots on the under side of the hind wings. Expanse, 2.00 inches.

Early Stages.—These have been frequently described, and are in part well depicted in Plates III and IV. The food-plants are cudweed (Gnaphalium) and Antennaria.

Hunter's Butterfly ranges from Nova Scotia to Mexico and Central America east of the Sierras.

(3) Pyrameis cardui, LinnÆus, Plate I, Fig. 1, ?; Plate III, Fig. 37, larva; Plate IV, Figs. 60-62, chrysalis (The Painted Lady; The Thistle-butterfly).

Butterfly.—This is undoubtedly the most widely distributed of all known butterflies, being found in almost all parts of the temperate regions of the earth and in many tropical lands in both hemispheres. It is easily distinguished from the preceding species by the more numerous and much smaller eye-like spots on the under side of the hind wings. Expanse, 2.00-2.25 inches.

Early Stages.—These have been again and again described at great length and with minute particularity by a score of authors. The food-plants of the caterpillar are thistles (Carduus), Urtica, Cnicus, and AlthÆa.

(4) Pyrameis caryÆ, HÜbner, Plate XX, Fig. 12, ? (The West Coast Lady).

Butterfly.—This species is easily distinguished from P. cardui, its nearest ally, by the absence of the roseate tint peculiar to that species, the tawnier ground-color of the upper surfaces, and the complete black band which crosses the middle of the cell of the primaries. Expanse, 2.00 inches.

Early Stages.—These have not all been thoroughly described, but we have an account of the larva and chrysalis from the pen of Henry Edwards, in the "Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences," vol. v, p. 329. The food-plant of the caterpillar is Lavatera assurgentiflora. This species ranges from Vancouver's Island to Argentina, and is found as far east as Utah.

WIDELY DISTRIBUTED BUTTERFLIES

The primal curse declared that the earth, because of man's sin, should bring forth thorns and thistles, and thistles are almost everywhere. Wherever thistles grow, there is found the thistle-butterfly, or the "Painted Lady," as English collectors are in the habit of calling it, Pyrameis cardui. All over Europe, all over North America, in Africa,—save in the dense jungles of the Congo,—throughout South America, in far-off Australia, and in many of the islands of the sea this beautiful butterfly is found. At some times it is scarce, and then again there are seasons when it fairly swarms, every thistle-top having one of the gaily colored creatures seated upon its head, and among the thorny environment of the leaves being found the web which the caterpillar weaves. Another butterfly which bids fair ultimately to take possession of the earth is our own Anosia plexippus, the wanderings of which have already been alluded to.

Many species are found in the arctic regions both of the Old World and the New. Obscure forms are these, and lowly in their organization, survivors of the ice-age, hovering on the borderline of eternal frost, and pointing to the long-distant time when the great land-masses about the northern pole were knit together, as geologists teach us.

One of the curious phenomena in the distribution of butterflies is the fact that in Florida we find Hypolimnas misippus, a species which is exceedingly common in Africa and in the Indo-Malayan subregion. Another curious phenomenon of a like character is the presence in the Canary Islands of a Pyrameis, which appears to be only a subvariety of the well-known Pyrameis indica, which is common in India, southern China, and Japan. Away off in southeastern Africa, upon the peaks and foot-hills which surround the huge volcanic masses of Kilima-Njaro, Kenia, and Ruwenzori, was discovered by the martyred Bishop Hannington a beautiful species of Argynnis, representing a genus nowhere else found upon the continent of Africa south of Mediterranean lands. Strange isolation this for a butterfly claiming kin to the fritillaries that sip the sweets from clover-blossoms in the Bernese Oberland, in the valleys of Thibet, and on the prairies of the United States.

Genus JUNONIA, HÜbner (Peacock Butterflies),

Butterfly.—Medium-sized butterflies, with eye-like spots upon the upper wings. Their neuration is very much like that of the butterflies belonging to the genus Pyrameis, to which they are closely allied. The eyes are naked, the fore feet are scantily clothed with hair, and the lower discocellular vein of the fore wing, when present, does not terminate on the arch of the third median nervule before its origin, as in the genus Vanessa, but immediately at the origin of the third median nervule.

Fig. 98.—Neuration of the genus Junonia.

Egg.—Broader than high, the top flattened, marked by ten vertical ribs, very narrow, but not very high. Between the ribs are a few delicate cross-lines.

Caterpillar.—The caterpillar is cylindrical, the segments being adorned with rows of branching spines and longitudinally striped.

Chrysalis.—The chrysalis is arched on the dorsal surface and marked by two rows of dorsal tubercles, concave on the ventral side. The head is slightly bifid, with the vertices rounded.

There are eighteen or more species which belong to this genus, of which some are neotropical, but the greater number are found in the tropical regions of the Old World. Three forms occur within the limits of the United States, which have by some authors been reckoned as distinct species, and by others are regarded merely as varietal forms.

(1) Junonia coenia, HÜbner, Plate XX, Fig. 7, ?; Plate III, Figs. 29, 30, larva; Plate IV, Figs. 56, 57, 65-67, chrysalis (The Buckeye).

Butterfly.—The figure in the plate is far better than any verbal description. On the under side the eye-like spots of the upper side are reproduced, but are much smaller, especially on the hind wings. There is much variety in the ground-color of the wings on the under side. Some specimens are reddish-gray, and some are quite heavily and solidly pinkish-red on the secondaries. Expanse, 2.00-2.25 inches.

Egg.—The egg is dark green.

Caterpillar.—The caterpillar is dark in color, longitudinally striped, and adorned with branching spines, two of which are on the head and point forward.

Chrysalis.—The chrysalis is generally pale wood-brown, strongly arched on the dorsal and concave on the ventral side. It always hangs at less than a right angle to the surface from which it depends.

This is a very common butterfly in the Southern States, ranging northward as far as New England, westward to the Pacific, and southward to Colombia. The caterpillar feeds on various species of plantain (Plantago), also Gerardia and Antirrhinum. When I was a lad in western North Carolina these insects fairly swarmed one summer; thousands of the caterpillars could be found in worn-out fields, feeding on the narrow-leaved plantain, and every fence-rail had one or more of their chrysalids hanging from the under side. I have never seen such multitudes of this species since then. The butterflies are quite pugnacious, and will fight with other passing butterflies, dashing forth upon them, and chasing them away.

(2) Junonia lavinia, Cramer, Plate XX, Fig. 8, ? (Lavinia).

Butterfly.—This species may be distinguished by the more rounded apex and the more deeply excavated outer margin of the fore wings, and also by the decided elongation of the outer margin of the hind wings at the end of the submedian vein. The wings are paler on the upper side than in the preceding species, and the eye-like spots much smaller. Expanse, 2.00 inches.

The early stages are not accurately known. The insect is common in the Antilles and South America, but is only now and then taken in the extreme southern parts of Texas.

(3) Junonia genoveva, Cramer, Plate XX, Fig. 9, ? (Genoveva).

Butterfly.—Much darker above than either of the two preceding species. The transverse subapical band is pale yellow, almost white; the ocelli of the wings are more as in lavinia than in coenia. Expanse, about 2.00 inches.

This form, if found at all in our fauna, is confined to the extreme South. I have seen and possess some specimens reputed to have come from Texas. The specimen figured in the plate was taken in Jamaica, where this form is prevalent.

Genus ANARTIA, Doubleday

Butterfly.—The head is small; the eyes are round and prominent; the tongue is long; the antennÆ are relatively long, having the club short, compressed, and pointed. The palpi have the second joint thick, the third joint gradually tapering and lightly clothed with scales. The fore wings are rounded at the apex, and have the outer and inner margins somewhat excavated. The outer margin of the hind wings is sinuous, produced at the end of the third median nervule. The cell of the hind wing is open. The subcostal nervules in the fore wing are remarkable because of the tendency of the first and second to fuse with the costal vein. The prothoracic feet of the male are small and weak; of the female, stronger.

Fig. 99.—Neuration of the genus Anartia.

Early Stages.—These, so far as is known to the writer, await description.

There are four species belonging to this genus, only one of which is found within the limits of the United States. The others are found in Central and South America.

(1) Anartia jatrophÆ, LinnÆus, Plate XX, Fig. 13, ? (The White Peacock).

Butterfly.—There can be no mistake made in the identification of this species if the figure we give is consulted. The male and female are much alike. Expanse, 1.75-2.00 inches.

Early Stages.—So far as is known to me, these have never been described. The butterfly is common throughout the tropics of the New World, and is occasionally found in southern Texas and Florida.

Genus HYPANARTIA, HÜbner (The Banded Reds)

Butterfly.—The palpi of medium size, well clothed with scales; the second joint moderately thick; the third very little thinner, blunt at the tip. The antennÆ have a distinct, short, well-rounded club. The fore wings have the first two subcostal nervules arising before the end of the cell, close to each other. The third subcostal arises midway between the end of the cell and the origin of the fourth subcostal. The cell of the fore wing is closed by a stout lower discocellular vein which is more or less continuous with the third median nervule. The hind wing has the cell open or only partially closed.

Early Stages.—But little is known of the early stages of this genus.

The species reckoned as belonging to Hypanartia number less than a dozen, most of which are found in tropical America, but, singularly enough, two species occur in tropical and southern Africa, and another has been described from Madagascar.

(1) Hypanartia lethe, Fabricius, Plate XXIV, Fig. 10, ? (Lethe).

This very handsome insect, which is quite common in tropical America, is another straggler into our fauna, being occasionally found in southern Texas. But little is known of its early life-history. Expanse, 2.00 inches.

Genus EUNICA, HÜbner (The Violet-wings)

Butterfly.—The head is narrow, hairy; the eyes prominent. The antennÆ are long and slender, having a greatly enlarged club marked with two grooves. The palpi have the third joint in the case of the female longer than in the case of the male. They are relatively short, thickly clothed with hairs and scales lying closely appressed to the surface. The fore wing has the costal and median vein enlarged and swollen at the base. The subcostal has five nervules, the first two of which arise before the end of the cell, the third midway between the end of the cell and the fourth nervule. The upper discocellular vein is wanting; the middle discocellular vein is bent inwardly; the lower discocellular vein is somewhat weak and joins the median vein exactly at the origin of the second median nervule. The cell of the hind wing is lightly closed.

Early Stages.—Very little is known of the early stages of this genus.

Fig. 101.—Neuration of the genus Eunica.

The butterflies are characterized by the dark-brown or black ground-color of the upper side, generally glossed with rich blue or purple. On the under side the markings are exceedingly variable and in most cases very beautiful. The genus is characteristic of the neotropical fauna, and there are over sixty species which have been described. The males are said by Bates, to whom we are indebted for most of our knowledge of these insects, to have the habit of congregating about noon and in the early afternoon in moist places by the banks of streams, returning toward nightfall to the haunts of the females. In this respect they resemble club-men, who at the same hours are generally to be found congregating where there is something to drink. Only two species are found in our region, and are confined to the hottest parts of Texas and Florida, ranging thence southward over the Antilles and Central America as far as Bolivia.

(1) Eunica monima, Cramer, Plate XXI, Fig. 7, ?; Fig. 8, ? (The Dingy Purple-wing).

Butterfly.—This obscure little butterfly represents in Florida and Texas the great genus to which it belongs, and gives but a feeble idea of the splendid character of its congeners, among which are some exceedingly beautiful insects. Nothing is known of its life-history. It is common in the Antilles and Mexico.

Another species of the genus, Eunica tatila, has recently been reported from the extreme southern portion of Florida.

Genus CYSTINEURA, Boisduval

"And here and yonder a flaky butterfly Was doubting in the air."

McDonald.

Butterfly.—Small butterflies, with elongated fore wings, the hind wings with the outer margin rounded, slightly crenulate. The head is small; the palpi are very delicate and thin, scantily clothed with scales. The costal vein of the fore wing is much swollen near the base. The subcostal vein of this wing sends forth two branches before the end of the cell. The upper discocellular vein is lacking; the middle discocellular is short and bent inwardly; the lower discocellular is almost obliterated, and reaches the median vein at the origin of the second median nervule. In the hind wing the cell is open, and the two radial veins spring from the same point.

Fig. 102.—Neuration of the genus Cystineura.

Early Stages.—Very little is as yet definitely ascertained as to these.

But one species is found within the limits covered by this work. Seven species have been described, all of them inhabiting Central or South America.

(1) Cystineura amymone, MÉnÉtries, Plate XXIV, Fig. 7, ? (Amymone).

Butterfly.—The fore wings are white on the upper side, dusted with gray at the base, on the costa, the apex, and the outer margin. The hind wings are gray on the basal area, pale yellowish-brown on the limbal area, with a narrow fuscous margin. On the under side the markings of the upper side reappear, the gray tints being replaced by yellow. The hind wings are yellowish, with a white transverse band near the base and an incomplete series of white spots on the limbal area. Expanse, 1.50 inch.

The early stages await description. The insect is found about Brownsville, Texas, and throughout Mexico and Central America.

Genus CALLICORE, HÜbner (The Leopard-spots)

Butterfly.—Small-sized butterflies, with the upper side of the wings dark in color, marked with bands of shining metallic blue or silvery-green, the under side of the wings generally more or less brilliantly colored, carmine upon the primaries and silvery-white upon the secondaries, with the apex of the primaries marked with black transverse bands and the body of the secondaries traversed by curiously arranged bands of deep black, these bands inclosing about the middle of the wing circular or pear-shaped spots. All of the subcostal nervules in this genus arise beyond the end of the cell. The costal and the median veins are swollen near the base. The cell in both the fore and hind wings is open.

Fig. 103.—Neuration of the genus Callicore.

Early Stages.—Very little is known of these.

This genus numbers about thirty species, almost all of which are found in South America, only one being known to inhabit the United States, being found in the extreme southern portion of Florida, and there only rarely.

(1) Callicore clymena, HÜbner, Plate XXI, Fig. 5, ?; Fig. 6, ?, under side (The Leopard-spot).

Butterfly.—The wings on the upper side are black, the primaries crossed by an oblique iridescent bluish-green band, and the secondaries marked by a similarly colored marginal band. On the under side the primaries are crimson from the base to the outer third, which is white, margined with black, and crossed by an outer narrow black band and an inner broad black band. The secondaries on this side are white, marked about the middle by two large coalescing black spots, and nearer the costa a large pear-shaped spot, both ringed about with black lines. Beyond these black rings are two black bands conformed to the outline of the inner and outer margins of the wing, and, in addition, a fine black marginal line. The costa is edged with crimson. Expanse, 1.75 inch.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

The Leopard-spot is found occasionally in Florida, but quite commonly in the Antilles, Mexico, and Central America.

Genus TIMETES, Boisduval
(The Dagger-wings)

Butterfly.—The palpi are moderately long, thickly clothed with scales, the last joint elongated and pointed. The antennÆ have a well-developed club. The fore wings and the hind wings have the cell open. In the fore wing the subcostal vein, which has five branches, emits the first nervule well before the end of the cell, the second a little beyond it, and the third and fourth near together, before the apex of the wing. The third median nervule of the hind wing is greatly produced and forms the support of the long tail which adorns this wing. Between the end of the submedian vein and the first median nervule is another lobe-like prolongation of the outer margin of the wing. The butterflies are characterized for the most part by dark upper surfaces, with light under surfaces marked with broad bands and lines of varying intensity of color. They are easily distinguished from the butterflies of all other genera of the NymphalidÆ by the remarkable tail-like appendage of the hind wing, giving them somewhat the appearance of miniature PapilionidÆ.

Fig. 104.—Neuration of the genus Timetes.

Early Stages.—Nothing of note has been recorded of their early stages which may be accepted as reliable, and there is an opportunity here for study and research.

There are about twenty-five species belonging to the genus, all found within the tropical regions of America. Four species are occasionally taken in the extreme southern portions of Florida and Texas. They are all, however, very common in the Antilles, Mexico, and more southern lands.

(1) Timetes coresia, Godart, Plate XXI, Fig. 1, ?; Fig. 2, ?, under side (The Waiter).

Butterfly.—Easily recognized by means of our figures, which show that this creature deserves the trivial name I have bestowed upon it. In its dark coat and white vest it gracefully attends the feasts of Flora. Expanse, 2.50 inches.

So far as I am aware, nothing reliable has been recorded as to the early stages of this insect. It is occasionally found in Texas.

(2) Timetes petreus, Cramer, Plate XXI, Fig. 3, ? (The Ruddy Dagger-wing).

Butterfly.—The upper side of the wings is accurately delineated in the plate. On the under side the wings are pale, with the dark bands of the upper side reproduced. Expanse, 2.60 inches. It occurs in southern Florida and Texas, and elsewhere in tropical America.

(3) Timetes chiron, Fabricius, Plate XXI, Fig. 4, ? (The Many-banded Dagger-wing).

Butterfly.—Easily recognized by means of the figure in the plate. Like the preceding species, this is occasionally found in Texas. It is very common in Mexico, South America, and the Antilles.

Genus HYPOLIMNAS, HÜbner
(The Tropic Queens)

Butterfly.—Eyes naked. The palpi are produced, rising above the head, heavily scaled. The antennÆ have a well-developed, finely pointed club. The fore wings have stout costal and median veins. The subcostal throws out five nervules, the first two before the end of the cell, the third midway between the end of the cell and the outer border; the fourth and the fifth diverge from each other midway between the third and the outer border, and both terminate below the apex. The upper discocellular vein is wanting; the middle discocellular vein is bent inwardly; the lower discocellular is very weak, and, in some species, wanting. The cell of the hind wing is lightly closed.

Caterpillar.—The caterpillar is cylindrical, thickest toward the middle. The head is adorned with two erect rugose spines; the segments have dorsal rows of branching spines, and three lateral rows on either side of the shorter spines. It feeds on various species of malvaceous plants and also on the common portulaca.

Chrysalis.—The chrysalis is thick, with the head obtusely pointed; the abdominal segments adorned with a double row of tubercles. The thorax is convex.

This genus, which includes a large number of species, reaches its fullest development in the tropics of the Old World, and includes some of the most beautiful, as well as the most singular, forms, which mimic the protected species of the EuploeinÆ, or milkweed butterflies, of the Indo-Malayan and Ethiopian regions. In some way one of the most widely spread of these species, which is found throughout the tropics of Asia and Africa, has obtained lodgment upon the soil of the New World, and is occasionally found in Florida, where it is by no means common. It may be that it was introduced from Africa in the time of the slave-trade, having been accidentally brought over by ship. That this is not impossible is shown by the fact that the writer has, on several occasions, obtained in the city of Pittsburgh specimens of rare and beautiful tropical insects which emerged from chrysalids that were found attached to bunches of bananas brought from Honduras.

Fig. 105.—Neuration of the genus Hypolimnas.

(1) Hypolimnas misippus, LinnÆus, Plate XXI, Fig. 9, ?; Fig. 10, ? (The Mimic).

Butterfly, ?.—On the upper side the wings are velvety-black, with two conspicuous white spots on the fore wing, and a larger one on the middle of the hind wing, the margins of these spots reflecting iridescent purple. On the under side the wings are white, intricately marked with black lines, and black and reddish-ochraceous spots and shades.

?.—The female mimics two or three forms of an Oriental milkweed butterfly, the pattern of the upper side of the wings conforming to that of the variety of the protected species which is most common in the region where the insect is found. The species mimicked is Danais chrysippus, of which at least three varietal forms or local races are known. The American butterfly conforms in the female sex to the typical D. chrysippus, to which it presents upon the upper side a startling likeness. On the under side it is marked much as the male. Expanse, ?, 2.50 inches; ?, 3.00 inches.

Early Stages.—What has been said as to the early stages in the description of the genus must suffice for the species. But little is as yet accurately known upon the subject.

The range of H. misippus is southern Florida, the Antilles, and the northern parts of South America. It is not common on this side of the Atlantic, but very common in Africa, tropical Asia, and the islands south as far as northern Australia.

Genus BASILARCHIA, Scudder
(The White Admirals)

Butterfly.—Head large; the eyes are large, naked; the antennÆ are moderately long, with a distinct club; the palpi are compact, stout, produced, densely scaled. The fore wings are subtriangular, the apex well rounded, the lower two thirds of the outer margin slightly excavated. The first two subcostal nervules arise before the end of the cell. The hind wings are rounded, crenulate.

Egg.—Nearly spherical, with the surface pitted with large hexagonal cells (see p. 3, Fig. 1).

Caterpillar.—The caterpillar in its mature state is cylindrical, somewhat thicker before than behind, with the second segment adorned with two prominent rugose club-shaped tubercles. The fifth segment, and the ninth and tenth segments also, are ornamented with dorsal prominences (see p. 8, Fig. 20).

Fig. 106.—Neuration of the genus Basilarchia.

Chrysalis.—The chrysalis is suspended by a stout cremaster; the abdominal segments are rounded. On the middle of the dorsum is a prominent projecting boss. The thorax is rounded. The head is rounded or slightly bifid.

The caterpillars feed upon the leaves of various species of oak, birch, willow, and linden. The eggs are laid upon the extreme tip of the leaves, and the infant caterpillar, feeding upon the leaf in immediate proximity to the point where it has been hatched, attaches bits of bitten leaf by strands of silk to the midrib, thus stiffening its perch and preventing its curling as the rib dries. Out of bits of leaves thus detached it constructs a packet of material, which it moves forward along the midrib until it has completed its second moult. By this time winter begins to come on, and it cuts away for itself the material of the leaf on either side of the rib, from the tip toward the base, glues the rib of the leaf to the stem by means of silk, draws together the edges of the remaining portions of the leaf, and constructs a tube-like hibernaculum, or winter quarters, exactly fitting the body, in which it passes the winter.

Fig. 107.—Leaf cut away at end by caterpillar of Basilarchia (Riley).
Fig. 108.—Hibernaculum, or winter quarters, of larva of Basilarchia.

There are a number of species of the genus found in the United States, the habits of which have been carefully studied, and they are among our most interesting butterflies, several species being mimics of protected species.

(1) Basilarchia astyanax, Fabricius, Plate XXII, Fig. 1, ?; Plate III, Figs. 17, 21, 25, larva; Plate IV, Figs. 12, 13, chrysalis (The Red-spotted Purple).

Butterfly.—This common but most beautiful species is sufficiently characterized by the plate so far as the upper surface is concerned. On the under side the wings are brownish, banded with black on the margins; the lunules are on this side as above, but the inner band of spots is red. There are two red spots at the base of the fore wings, and four at the base of the hind wings. The palpi are white below, and the abdomen is marked with a lateral white line on each side. Expanse, 3.00-3.25 inches.

Egg.—The egg, which resembles somewhat closely that of B. disippus (see p. 3, Fig. 1), is yellowish-green, gradually turning dark brown as the time for the emergence of the caterpillar approaches.

Caterpillar.—The caterpillar is so well delineated in Plate III, Fig. 17, as to obviate the necessity for a lengthy verbal description.

Chrysalis.—What has been said of the caterpillar is also true of the chrysalis (see Plate IV).

The larva feeds upon the willow, cherry, apple, linden (Tilia), huckleberry, currant, and other allied shrubs and trees. The butterfly is somewhat variable, and a number of varietal forms have been described. It ranges generally over the United States and southern Canada as far as the Rocky Mountain ranges in the West, and is even said to occur at high elevations in Mexico.

(2) Basilarchia arthemis, Drury, Plate XXII, Fig. 4, ?, form lamina, Fabricius; Fig. 5, ?, form proserpina, Edwards, Plate III, Fig. 26, larva; Plate IV, Figs. 14, 23, chrysalis (The Banded Purple).

Butterfly.—Easily distinguished in the form lamina from astyanax, which in other respects it somewhat closely resembles, by the broad white bands crossing both the fore wings and the hind wings, and followed on the secondaries by a submarginal row of red spots shading inwardly into blue. In the form proserpina there is a tendency on the part of the white bands to become obsolete, and in some specimens they do entirely disappear. The likeness to astyanax in such cases is striking, and the main point by which the forms may then be discriminated is the persistence of the red spots on the upper side of the secondaries; but even these frequently are obsolete. Expanse, 2.50 inches.

Egg.—The egg is grayish-green, with "kite-shaped" cells.

Caterpillar.—Greenish-or olive-brown, blotched with white in its mature form, which is well represented in Plate III. It feeds upon the willow, the hawthorn (CratÆgus), and probably other plants.

Chrysalis.—The figure in Plate IV is sufficiently exact to obviate the necessity for further description.

This beautiful insect ranges through northern New England and New York, Quebec, Ontario, and the watershed of the Great Lakes, spreading southward at suitable elevations into Pennsylvania. I have taken it about Cresson, Pennsylvania, at an elevation of twenty-five hundred feet above sea-level. It is not uncommon about Meadville, Pennsylvania. The species appears to be, like all the others of the genus, somewhat unstable and plastic, or else hybridization is very frequent in this genus. Probably all the species have arisen from a common stock.

(3) Basilarchia weidemeyeri, Edwards, Plate XXII, Fig. 6, ? (Weidemeyer's Admiral).

Butterfly.—Superficially like arthemis, but easily distinguished by the absence of the lunulate marginal bands of blue on the margins of the hind wings and by the presence of a submarginal series of white spots on both wings. Expanse, 3.00 inches.

Early Stages.—These have been described by W.H. Edwards in the "Canadian Entomologist," vol. xxiv, p. 107, and show great likeness to the following species, B. disippus. The caterpillar feeds upon cottonwood (Populus).

The insect is found on the Pacific slope and eastward to Montana, Nebraska, and New Mexico.

(4) Basilarchia disippus, Godart, Plate VII, Fig. 4, ?; Plate III, Figs. 19, 22, 24, larva; Plate IV, Figs. 18-20, chrysalis (The Viceroy).

Butterfly.—This species mimics Anosia plexippus in a remarkable manner, as may be seen by referring to Plate VII. An aberration in which the mesial dark transverse band on the secondaries has disappeared was named pseudodorippus by Dr. Strecker. The type is in the Mead collection, now belonging to the writer. Expanse, 2.50-2.75 inches.

Early Stages.—These have all been carefully studied by numerous writers. The egg is depicted on p. 3, Fig. 1. The caterpillar is shown on p. 8, as well as in Plate III.

The species ranges everywhere from southern Canada and British America into the Gulf States.

(5) Basilarchia hulsti, Edwards, Plate VII, Fig. 5, ? (Hulst's Admiral).

Butterfly.—This form is apparently a mimic of Anosia berenice. The ground-color of the wings is not so bright as in B. disippus, and the mesial band of the secondaries on the upper side is relieved by a series of small whitish spots, one on each interspace. The perfect insect can easily be distinguished by its markings. Expanse, 2.50-2.60 inches. Thus far it is only known from Utah and Arizona. The early stages have not been described.

(6) Basilarchia lorquini, Boisduval, Plate XXII, Fig. 3, ? (Lorquin's Admiral).

Butterfly.—Easily distinguished from all the other species of the genus by the yellowish-white bar near the end of the cell of the fore wings and the reddish color of the apex and upper margin of the same wings. Expanse, 2.25-2.75 inches.

Early Stages.—These have been partially described by Henry Edwards, and minutely worked out by Dr. Dyar, for whose description the reader may consult the "Canadian Entomologist," vol. xxiii, p. 172. The food-plant of the caterpillar is Populus, willows, and the choke-cherry (Prunus demissa).

Besides the forms figured in our plates there is a species in Florida named floridensis by Strecker, and subsequently eros by Edwards, which is generally larger and much darker than B. disippus, which it otherwise closely approximates.

THE BUTTERFLIES' FAD

"I happened one night in my travels To stray into Butterfly Vale, Where my wondering eyes beheld butterflies With wings that were wide as a sail. They lived in such houses of grandeur, Their days were successions of joys, And the very last fad these butterflies had Was making collections of boys. "There were boys of all sizes and ages Pinned up on their walls. When I said 'Twas a terrible sight to see boys in that plight, I was answered: 'Oh, well, they are dead. We catch them alive, but we kill them With ether—a very nice way: Just look at this fellow—his hair is so yellow, And his eyes such a beautiful gray. "'Then there is a droll little darky, As black as the clay at our feet; He sets off that blond that is pinned just beyond In a way most artistic and neat. And now let me show you the latest,— A specimen really select, A boy with a head that is carroty-red And a face that is funnily specked. "'We cannot decide where to place him; Those spots bar him out of each class; We think him a treasure to study at leisure And analyze under a glass.' I seemed to grow cold as I listened To the words that these butterflies spoke; With fear overcome, I was speechless and dumb, And then with a start—I awoke!"

Ella Wheeler Wilcox.

Genus ADELPHA, HÜbner
(The Sisters)

Butterfly.—This genus is very closely allied to the preceding, and is the South American representative of Basilarchia. The only difference which is noticeable structurally is in the fact that the eyes are hairy, the palpi not so densely clothed with scales. The prothoracic legs of the males are smaller than in Basilarchia. The cell of the primaries is very slightly closed by the lower discocellular vein, which reaches the median a little beyond the origin of the second median nervule. The outer margin of the fore wing is rarely excavated, as in Basilarchia, and the lower extremity of the hind wing near the anal angle is generally more produced than in the last-mentioned genus.

Early Stages.—The life-history of the genus has not been carefully worked out, but an account has been published recently of the caterpillar of the only species found within our fauna, which shows that, while in general resembling the caterpillars of the genus Basilarchia, the segments are adorned with more branching spines and with short fleshy tubercles, giving rise to small clusters of hairs.

Fig. 109.—Neuration of the genus Adelpha.

The chrysalids are of peculiar form, with bifid heads and broad wing-cases. They are generally brown in color, with metallic spots. The only species in our fauna is confined to southern California, Arizona, and Mexico.

(1) Adelpha californica, Butler, Plate XXII, Fig. 2, ? (The Californian Sister).

Butterfly.—Easily recognized by the large subtriangular patch of orange-red at the apex of the primaries. In its habits and manner of flight it closely resembles the species of the genus Basilarchia. Expanse, 2.50-3.00 inches.

Early Stages.—So far as is known to the writer, these have not been described, except partially by Henry Edwards in the "Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences," vol. v, p. 171. The caterpillar feeds upon oaks.

The insect is found in California, Nevada, Arizona, and Mexico.

Genus CHLORIPPE, Boisduval
(The Hackberry Butterflies)

Butterfly.—Small butterflies, generally some shade of fulvous, marked with eye-like spots on the posterior margin of the secondaries, and occasionally upon the outer margin of the primaries, the fore wings as well as the hind wings being in addition more or less strongly spotted and banded with black. The eyes are naked; the antennÆ are straight, provided with a stout, oval club; the palpi are porrect, the second joint heavily clothed with hairs, the third joint short, likewise covered with scales. The costal vein of the fore wing is stout. The first subcostal vein alone arises before the end of the cell. The cell is open in both wings.

Egg.—The eggs, which are deposited in clusters, are nearly globular, the summit broad and convex. The egg is ornamented by from eighteen to twenty rather broad vertical ribs, having no great elevation, between which are numerous faint and delicate cross-lines.

Fig. 110.—Neuration of the genus Clorippe, ?.

Caterpillar.—The head is subquadrate, with the summit crowned by a pair of diverging stout coronal spines which have upon them a number of radiating spinules. Back of the head, on the sides, is a frill of curved spines. The body is cylindrical, thickest at the middle, tapering forward and backward from this point. The anal prolegs are widely divergent and elongated, as in many genera of the Satyrinoe.

Chrysalis.—The chrysalis is compressed laterally and keeled on the dorsal side, concave on the ventral side, the head distinctly bifid. The cremaster is very remarkable, presenting the appearance of a flattened disk, the sides studded with hooks, by means of which the chrysalis is attached to the surface, from which it depends in such a manner that the ventral surface is parallel to the plane of support.

The caterpillars feed upon the Celtis, or hackberry.

There are a number of species, mainly confined to the southwestern portion of the United States, though some of them range southward into Mexico. Two only are known in the Middle States. The species are double-brooded in the more northern parts of the country, and the caterpillars produced from eggs laid by the second brood hibernate.

(1) Chlorippe celtis, Boisduval and Leconte, Plate XXIII, Fig. 3, ?; Fig. 4, ?; Fig. 11, ?, under side (The Hackberry Butterfly).

Butterfly, ?.—The primaries at the base and the secondaries except at the outer angle pale olive-brown, the rest of the wings black. The dark apical tract of the primaries is marked by two irregular, somewhat broken bands of white spots. There is a red-ringed eye-spot between the first and second median nervules, near the margin of the fore wing, and there are six such spots on each hind wing. On the under side the ground-color is grayish-purple; the spots and markings of the upper side reappear on this side.

?.—The female has the wings, as is always the case in this genus, much broader and not so pointed at the apex of the primaries as in the male sex, and the color is much paler. Expanse, ?, 1.80 inch; ?, 2.10 inches.

Early Stages.—These are beautifully described and delineated by Edwards in "The Butterflies of North America," vol. ii. The caterpillar feeds on the hackberry (Celtis occidentalis).

This species is found generally from southern Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois to the Gulf of Mexico. It is not, so far as is known, found on the Pacific coast.

(2) Chlorippe antonia, Edwards, Plate XXIII, Fig. 12, ? (Antonia).

Butterfly.—Bright yellowish-fulvous on the upper side. Easily distinguished from celtis by the two eye-spots near the margin of the primaries. Expanse, 1.75-2.00 inches.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

Antonia is found in Texas.

(3) Chlorippe montis, Edwards, Plate XXII, Fig. 7, ?; Fig. 8, ? (The Mountain Emperor).

Butterfly.—Very closely allied to C. antonia in the style and location of the markings, but tinted with pale ashen-gray on the upper side of the wings, and not yellowish-fulvous as in the last-named species. Expanse, ?, 1.75 inch; ?, 2.15 inches.

The early stages are unknown.

Montis occurs in Arizona and Colorado, and by some writers is regarded as a varietal form of antonia, in which opinion they may be correct.

(4) Chlorippe leilia, Edwards, Plate XXIII, Fig. 11, ? (Leilia).

Butterfly.—Like antonia, this species has two extra-median eye-spots on the primaries, and thus may be distinguished from celtis. From antonia it may be separated by its larger size and the deeper reddish-brown color of the upper surfaces. Expanse, 2.10-2.50 inches.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

So far we have received this butterfly only from Arizona.

(5) Chlorippe alicia, Plate XXIII, Fig. 9, ?; Fig. 10, ? (Alicia).

Butterfly.—Very bright fawn at the base of the wings, shading into pale buff outwardly. There is but one eye-spot on the primaries. The six eye-spots on the secondaries are black and very conspicuous. The marginal bands are darker and heavier than in any other species of the genus. Expanse, ?, 2.00 inches; ?, 2.50 inches.

The early stages are only partially known.

Alicia ranges through the Gulf States from Florida to Texas.

(6) Chlorippe clyton, Boisduval and Leconte, Plate XXIII, Fig. 5, ?; Fig. 6, ?; Plate III, Fig. 20, larva; Plate IV, Figs. 15-17, chrysalis (The Tawny Emperor).

Butterfly, ?.—The fore wings without an extra-median eye-spot, and the secondaries broadly obscured with dark brown or blackish, especially on the outer borders, so that the eye-spots are scarcely, if at all, visible.

?.—Much larger and paler in color than the male, the eye-spots on the secondaries conspicuous. Expanse, ?, 2.00 inches; ?, 2.50-2.65 inches.

Early Stages.—The life-history has been carefully worked out, and the reader who wishes to know all about it should consult the writings of Edwards and Scudder.

This species is occasionally found in New England, and ranges thence westward to Michigan, and southward to the Gulf States. It is quite common in the valley of the Ohio.

(7) Chlorippe flora, Edwards, Plate XXIII, Fig. 1, ?; Fig. 2, ? (Flora).

Butterfly, ?.—The ground-color is bright reddish-fulvous on the upper side. The usual markings occur, but there is no eye-spot, or ocellus, on the primaries. The hind wings are not heavily obscured with dark brown, as in clyton, and the six ocelli stand forth conspicuously upon the reddish ground. The hind wings are more strongly angulated than in any other species. The borders are quite solidly black.

?.—The female is much larger than the male, and looks like a very pale female of clyton. Expanse, ?, 1.75 inch; ?, 2.35 inches.

Early Stages.—The life-history has been described by Edwards in the "Canadian Entomologist," vol. xiii, p. 81. The habits of the insect in its early stages and the appearance of the larva and chrysalis do not differ widely from those of C. clyton, its nearest ally.

Flora is found in Florida and on the borders of the Gulf to Texas.

Genus PYRRHANÆA, Schatz
(The Leaf-wings)

Butterfly.—Medium-sized butterflies, on the upper side of the wings for the most part red or fulvous, on the under side of the wings obscurely mottled on the secondaries and the costal and apical tracts of the primaries in such a manner as to cause them to appear on this side like rusty and faded leaves. Structurally they are characterized by the somewhat falcate shape of the primaries and the strongly produced outer margin of the secondaries about the termination of the third median nervule. The first and second subcostal nervules coalesce with one another and with the costal vein. The costal margin of the fore wing at the base is strongly angulated, and the posterior margin of the primaries is straight. The cell of the secondaries is very feebly closed.

Egg.—Spherical, flattened at the base and somewhat depressed at the apex, with a few parallel horizontal series of raised points about the summit.

Caterpillar.—Head somewhat globular in appearance; the anterior portion of the first thoracic segment of the body is much smaller in diameter than the head; the body is cylindrical, tapering to a point.

Chrysalis.—Short, stout, with transverse ridges above the wings on the middle of the abdomen, keeled on the sides. The cremaster is small and furnished with a globular tip, the face of which is on the same plane as the ventral surface of the body, causing the chrysalis to hang somewhat obliquely from the surface which supports it.

This is a large genus of mostly tropical species, possessed of rather singular habits. The caterpillars in the early stages of their existence have much the same habits as the caterpillars of the genus Basilarchia, which have been already described. After passing the third moult they construct for themselves nests by weaving the edges of a leaf together, and thus conceal themselves from sight, emerging in the dusk to feed upon the food-plant. They live upon the EuphorbiaceÆ, the LauraceÆ, and the PiperaceÆ. The insects are double-brooded in the cooler regions of the North, and are probably many-brooded in the tropics.

Fig. 111.—Neuration of the genus PyrrhanÆa.

(1) PyrrhanÆa andria, Scudder, Plate XXIV, Fig. 1, ? (The Goatweed Butterfly).

Butterfly, ?.—Solidly bright red above, the outer margins narrowly dusky on the borders. On the under side the wings are gray, dusted with brown scales, causing them to resemble the surface of a dried leaf.

?.—The female has the upper side paler and marked by pale fulvous bands, as shown in the plate. Expanse, ?, 2.50 inches; ?, 3.00 inches.

Early Stages.—In Fig. 21, on p. 9, is a good representation of the mature caterpillar, the nest which it constructs for itself, and the chrysalis. A full account of the life-history may be found in the "Fifth Missouri Report" from the pen of the late C.V. Riley. The caterpillar feeds on Croton capitatum.

The insect ranges from Illinois and Nebraska to Texas.

(2) PyrrhanÆa morrisoni, Edwards, Plate XXIV, Fig. 2, ? (Morrison's Goatweed Butterfly).

Butterfly, ?.—Much like P. andria, but more brilliantly and lustrously red on the upper side, and marked with paler macular bands like the female.

?.—Differing from the female of P. andria in the more macular, or spotted, arrangement of the light bands on the wings, as is well shown in the plate. Expanse, 2.25-2.50 inches.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

This species occurs in Arizona and Mexico.

(3) PyrrhanÆa portia, Fabricius, Plate XXIV, Fig. 3, ? (Portia).

Butterfly.—Splendid purplish-red on the upper side. On the under side the fore wings are laved with bright yellow on the basal and inner marginal tracts, and the secondaries are dark brown, irrorated with blackish scales arranged in spots and striÆ. Expanse, 2.75-3.00 inches.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

Portia occurs in the extreme southern part of Florida and in the Antilles.

Genus AGERONIA, HÜbner
(The Calicoes)

Fig. 112.—Neuration of the genus Ageronia.

Butterfly.—The antennÆ moderately long, delicate, terminated in a gradually thickened club. The eyes are naked; the palpi are compressed, only slightly porrect, not densely covered with scales. The neuration is alike in both sexes, the costal and the median veins greatly thickened toward the base. The first and second subcostals arise from before the end of the cell; the fourth and fifth subcostals arise from a common stem emitted from the third subcostal beyond the end of the cell. The cells in both the fore and hind wings are closed. The butterflies are of medium or large size, curiously marked with checkered spots, blue and white, with broad paler shades on the under side of the secondaries. They are rapid fliers and are said to alight on the trunks of trees with their wings expanded and their heads down. When flying they emit a clicking sound with their wings.

Early Stages.—Very little is known of these.

The chrysalids are slender and have two ear-like tubercles on the head.

This genus is, strictly speaking, neotropical. About twenty-five species have been described from Central and South America, some of them being exceedingly beautiful and rich in color. The two species credited to our fauna are reported as being occasionally found in Texas. I have specimens of one of the species which certainly came from Texas. I cannot be so sure of the other.

(1) Ageronia feronia, LinnÆus, Plate XXIV, Fig. 4, ? (The White-skirted Calico).

Butterfly.—Easily distinguished from the only other species of the genus found in our fauna by the white ground-color of the under side of the hind wings. Expanse, 2.50 inches.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

This remarkable insect is said to be occasionally found in Texas.

(2) Ageronia fornax, HÜbner, Plate XXIV, Fig. 5, ?, under side (The Orange-skirted Calico).

Butterfly.—Closely resembling the preceding species on the upper side, but at once distinguished by the orange-yellow ground-color of the under side of the hind wing. Expanse, 2.60 inches.

Early Stages.—Unknown.

Like its congener, A. fornax is reported only from the hotter parts of Texas.

Genus VICTORINA, Blanchard
(The Malachites)

Butterfly.—Large butterflies, curiously and conspicuously marked with light-greenish spots upon a darker ground; wings upon the under side marbled with brown about the spots and having a satiny luster. The third median nervule of the fore wing is very strongly bowed upward. The cells of both wings are open. The hind wing is tailed at the end of the third median nervule. The two first subcostals arise before the end of the cell; the fourth and fifth spring from a common stem which is emitted from the third beyond the end of the cell, as the cut shows.

Early Stages.—We know nothing of these.

This genus, in which are reckoned five species, all found in the tropics of the New World, is represented by but a single species in our fauna, which occurs in southwestern Texas and in Florida. It is very common in the West Indies and Central America.

(1) Victorina steneles, LinnÆus, Plate XXIV, Fig. 6, ? (The Pearly Malachite).

This splendid insect is occasionally found in southern Florida and the extreme southern part of Texas. It is common throughout tropical America. Nothing has ever been written upon its early stages.

FOSSIL INSECTS

Investigations within comparatively recent times have led to the discovery of a host of fossil insects. A few localities in Europe and in North America are rich in such remains, and the number of species that have been described amounts to several thousands. Strangely enough, some of these fossil insects are very closely allied in form to species that are living at the present time, showing the extreme antiquity of many of our genera. One of the comparatively recent discoveries has been the fossil remains of a butterfly which Dr. Scudder, who has described it, declares to be very near to the African Libythea labdaca, which differs in certain minor anatomical respects from the American Libytheas which are figured in this work; and Dr. Scudder has therefore proposed a new generic name, Dichora, meaning "an inhabitant of two lands," which he applies to the African species because related to the extinct American butterfly. The strange discoveries, which have been made by palÆontologists as to the huge character of many of the mammals, birds, and reptiles which at one time tenanted the globe, are paralleled by recent discoveries made in insect-bearing strata in France. M. Charles Brongniart of the Paris Museum is preparing an account of the collection which he has made at Commentry, and among the creatures which he proposes to figure is an insect which is regarded by Brongniart as one of the forerunners of our dragon-flies, which had an expanse of wing of two feet, a veritable giant in the insect world.

Of fossil butterflies there have thus far been discovered sixteen species. Of these, six belong to the subfamily of the NymphalidÆ, and five of the six were found in the fossiliferous strata of Florissant, Colorado. Two species belong to the subfamily SatyrinÆ, both occurring in deposits found in southern France, and representing genera more nearly allied to those now found in India and America than to the SatyrinÆ existing at the present time in Europe. One of the fossils to which reference has already been made belongs to the subfamily of the LibytheinÆ. The remainder represent the subfamilies of the PierinÆ, the PapilioninÆ, and the family HesperiidÆ.

It is remarkable that the butterflies which have been found in a fossil state show a very close affinity to genera existing at the present time, for the most part, in the warmer regions of the earth. Though ages have elapsed since their remains were embedded in the mud which became transformed into stone, the processes of life have not wrought any marked structural changes in the centuries which have fled. This fixity of type is certainly remarkable in creatures so lowly in their organization.


                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

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