The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Butterfly Book by W.J. Holland, PH.D., D.D., LL.D.

Butterfly.—Small, the males having four ambulatory feet, the females six, in which respect they resemble the Libytheinæ, from which they may readily be distinguished by the small palpi. There is great variety in the shape and neuration of the wings. The genera of this subfamily have the precostal vein on the extreme inner margin of the wing; in some genera free at its end, and projecting so as to form a short frenulum, as in many genera of the moths. In addition the costal vein sends up a branch at the point from which the precostal is usually emitted. This apparent doubling of the precostal is found in no other group of butterflies, and is a strong diacritical mark by which they may be recognized. They are said to carry their wings expanded when at rest, and frequently alight on the under surface of leaves, in this respect somewhat approaching in their habit the pyralid moths. Many of the species are most gorgeously colored; but those which are found within our region are for the most part not gaily marked. They may be distinguished from the Lycænidæ not only by the peculiar neuration and manner of carrying the wings, but by the relatively longer and more slender antennæ.

Early Stages.—Comparatively little is known of these, though in certain respects the larvæ and the chrysalis show a relationship to the Lycænidæ, with which some writers have in fact grouped them, but erroneously, as the writer believes.

Almost all of the species are American, and the family attains its highest development in the tropical regions of South America.

Butterfly.—Small, brightly colored, the sexes often differing greatly in appearance from each other. The eyes are naked. The palpi are produced, porrect; the last joint is short, thin, pointed, and depressed. The antennæ are moderately long, provided with a gradually thickening, inconspicuous club. The upper discocellular vein is wanting in the fore wing. The middle and lower discocellulars are of equal length. The hind wing has the end of the cell obliquely terminated by the middle and lower discocellular veins. The apex of the fore wing is somewhat pointed, the outward margin straight. The outward margin of the hind wing is evenly rounded.

Egg.—Flattened, turban-shaped, with a small, depressed, circular micropyle, the whole surface covered with minute hexagonal reticulations.

Caterpillar.—Short, flattened, tapering posteriorly; the segments arched; provided with tufts of hair ranged in longitudinal series, the hairs on the sides and at the anal extremity being long, bent outward and downward.

Chrysalis.—Short, suspended at the anal extremity, and held in position by a silk girdle, but not closely appressed to the surface upon which pupation has taken place; thickly covered with short, projecting hair.

The citadel of this genus is found about the head waters of the Amazon, where there are many species. Thence the genus spreads northward and southward, being represented in the limits of our fauna by only a few species, which are found on the extreme southern borders of the United States.

(1) Lemonias mormo, Felder, Plate XXVIII, Fig. 7, ♂, under side (The Mormon).

Butterfly.—The wings on the upper side are dark ashen-gray, with the primaries from the base to the limbal area, and inwardly as far as the bottom of the cell and the first median nervule, red. The wings are profusely marked with white spots variously disposed. The under side is accurately depicted in our plate. Expanse, 1.10 inch.

(2) Lemonias duryi, Edwards, Plate XXVIII, Fig. 10, ♁ (Dury's Metal-mark).

Butterfly.—The only specimen as yet known is the type figured in our plate. I doubt whether it is entitled to specific rank, and am inclined to believe it to be a form of the succeeding species in which red has replaced the greater part of the gray on the upper side of both wings. Expanse, 1.25 inch.

(3) Lemonias cythera, Edwards, Plate XXVIII, Fig. 4, ♁, under side; Fig. 5, ♂ (Cythera).

Butterfly.—Distinguished from L. mormo by the red submarginal band on the secondaries on the upper side, the greater prevalence of red on the primaries, and by the tendency of the spots on the under side of the secondaries, just after the costa, to fuse and form an elongate pearly-white ray. The submarginal spots on the lower side of the fore wings are smaller than in mormo. The sexes do not differ except in size. Expanse, 1.00-1.30 inch.

Butterfly.—Much like the preceding species on the upper side of the wings, but darker. The hind wings on the under side are much darker than in L. cythera, and the pearly-white spots relatively smaller, standing out very distinctly on this darker ground. Expanse, .90-1.10 inch.

Butterfly.—The ground-color of the upper side is bright red, clouded with fuscous on the base of the hind wings and bordered with the same color. There is a small precostal white spot on the primaries near the apex. The wings are profusely marked with small black spots arranged in transverse series and bands. The fringes are checkered with white. On the under side the wings are pale reddish, mottled with buff on the secondaries. The black spots and markings of the upper side reappear on the under side and stand out boldly on the lighter ground-color. Expanse, 1.00-1.25 inch.

Early Stages.—These are beautifully delineated in "The Butterflies of North America," vol. ii. The egg is pale green, turban-shaped, covered with hexagonal reticulations. The caterpillar is rather stout and short, the first segment projecting over the head. The body is somewhat flattened and tapering behind, covered with tufts of hairs projecting outward and downward on all sides, only the two rows of short tufts on the back sending their hairs upward. The color is mouse-gray, striped longitudinally on the back with yellowish-white, the tufts more or less ringed about at their base with circles of the same color. The chrysalis is blackish-brown, attached at the anal end, held in place by a girdle, but not closely appressed to the surface on which pupation has taken place, and thickly studded with small projecting hairs. The larva lives on the wild plum.

(6) Lemonias palmeri, Edwards, Plate XXVIII, Fig. 11, ♂ (Palmer's Metal-mark).

Butterfly.—Smaller than any of the preceding species. The ground-color of the wings is mouse-gray, spotted with white; on the under side the wings are whitish-gray, laved with pale red at the base of the fore wings. The white spots of the upper side reappear on the under side. Expanse, .75-.95 inch.

Early Stages.—These are, so far as they have been worked out by Edwards, quite similar in many respects to those of the preceding species.

Butterfly.—The upper side of both sexes is delineated in the plate. On the under side the wings are pale red, marked with a few black spots, representing on the under side the markings of the upper side. Of these, the spots of the median and submarginal bands are most conspicuous. Expanse, 1.00-1.35 inch.

(a) Lemonias zela, Butler, var. cleis, Edwards, Plate XXVIII, Fig. 19, ♂; Fig. 20, ♁ (Cleis).

The pale variety, cleis, is sufficiently well represented in our plate to need no description. On the under side it is like L. zela.

Butterfly.—Very small, brown or reddish in color, with metallic spots upon the wings. Head small; eyes naked; antennæ relatively long, slender, with a bluntly rounded club. Palpi very short; the third joint small, pointed. The accompanying cut shows the neuration.

(1) Calephelis cænius, Linnæus, Plate XXVIII, Fig. 16, ♂ (The Little Metal-mark).

Butterfly.—Very small, reddish-brown on the upper side, brighter red on the under side. On both the upper and under sides the wings are profusely spotted with small steely-blue metallic markings, arranged in more or less regular transverse series, especially on the outer margin. Expanse, .75 inch.

Cænius is common in Florida, and ranges thence northward to Virginia and westward to Texas.

(2) Calephelis borealis, Grote and Robinson, Plate XXVIII, Fig. 12, ♂, under side; Fig. 13, ♂ (The Northern Metal-mark).

Butterfly.—Fully twice as large as the preceding species. The wings on the upper side are sooty-brown, spotted with black, and marked by a marginal and submarginal series of small metallic spots. On the under side the wings are light red, spotted with a multitude of small black spots arranged in regular series. The two rows of metallic spots near the margins are repeated more distinctly on this side. Expanse, 1.15 inch.

This rare insect has been taken from New York to Virginia, and as far west as Michigan and Illinois. The only specimen I have ever seen in life I took at the White Sulphur Springs in West Virginia. It settled on the under side of a twig of black birch, with expanded wings, just over my head, and by a lucky stroke of the net I swept it in.

(3) Calephelis australis, Edwards, Plate XXVIII, Fig. 14, ♂ (The Southern Metal-mark).

Butterfly.—The wings in the male sex are more pointed at the apex than in the preceding species, and in both sexes are smaller in expanse. The color of the upper side of the wings is dusky, on the under side pale yellowish-red. On both sides the wings are obscurely marked with dark spots arranged in transverse series. The marginal and submarginal metallic bands of spots are as in the preceding species. Expanse, 1.00 inch.

(4) Calephelis nemesis, Edwards, Plate XXVIII, Fig. 15, ♂ (The Dusky Metal-mark).

Butterfly.—Very small,—as small as cœnius,—but with the fore wings at the apex decidedly pointed in the male sex. The wings are dusky-brown above, lighter obscure reddish below. Both the primaries and the secondaries on the upper side are crossed by a dark median band, broader on the primaries at the costa. The metallic markings are quite small and indistinct. Expanse, .85 inch.

"I've kep' summer boarders for years, and allowed I knowed all the sorts that there be; But there come an old feller this season along, That turned out a beater for me. Whatever that feller was arter, I vow I hain't got the slightest idee.

"He had an old bait-net of thin, rotten stuff That a minner could bite his way through; But he never went fishin'—at least, in the way That fishermen gen'ally do; But he carried that bait-net wherever he went; The handle was j'inted in two.

"And the bottles and boxes that chap fetched along! Why, a doctor would never want more; If they held pills and physic, he'd got full enough To fit out a medicine-store. And he'd got heaps of pins, dreffle lengthy and slim, Allers droppin' about on the floor.

"Well, true as I live, that old feller just spent His hull days in loafin' about And pickin' up hoppers and roaches and flies— Not to use for his bait to ketch trout, But to kill and stick pins in and squint at and all. He was crazy 's a coot, th' ain't no doubt.

"He'd see a poor miller a-flyin' along,— The commonest, every-day kind,— And he'd waddle on arter it, fat as he was, And foller up softly behind, Till he'd flop that-air bait-net right over its head, And I'd laugh till nigh out of my mind.

"Why, he'd lay on the ground for an hour at a stretch And scratch in the dirt like a hen; He'd scrape all the bark off the bushes and trees, And turn the stones over; and then He'd peek under logs, or he 'd pry into holes. I'm glad there ain't no more sech men.

"My wife see a box in his bedroom, one day, Jest swarmin' with live caterpillars; He fed 'em on leaves off of all kinds of trees— The ellums and birches and willers; And he'd got piles of boxes, chock-full to the top With crickets and bees and moth-millers.

"I asked him, one time, what his business might be. Of course, I fust made some apology. He tried to explain, but such awful big words! Sorto' forren, outlandish, and collegey. 'S near's I can tell, 'stead of enterin' a trade, He was tryin' to jest enter mology.

"And Hannah, my wife, says she's heerd o' sech things; She guesses his brain warn't so meller. There's a thing they call Nat'ral Histerry, she says, And, whatever the folks there may tell her, Till it's settled she's wrong she'll jest hold that-air man Was a Nat'ral Histerrical feller."

Annie Trumbull Slosson.

Protective mimicry as it occurs in animals may be the simulation in form or color, or both, of natural objects, or it may be the simulation of the form and color of another animal, which for some reason enjoys immunity from the attacks of species which ordinarily prey upon its kind. Of course this mimicry is unconscious and is the result of a slow process of development which has, no doubt, gone on for ages.

Remarkable instances of mimicry, in which things are simulated, are found in the insect world. The "walking-sticks," as they are called, creatures which resemble the twigs of trees; the "leaf-insects," in which the foliage of plants is apparently reproduced in animate forms; the "leaf-butterfly" of India, in which the form and the color and even the venation of leaves are reproduced, are illustrations of mimicry which are familiar to all who have given any attention to the subject.

Repulsive objects are frequently mimicked. A spider has been lately described from the Indo-Malayan region, which, as it rests upon the leaves, exactly resembles a patch of bird-lime. The resemblance is so exact as to deceive the most sagacious, and the discovery of the creature was due to the fact that the naturalist who happened to see it observed, to his surprise, that what he was positive was a mass of ordure was actually in motion. A similar case of mimicry is observable among some of the small acontiid moths of North America. One of these is pure white, with the tips of the fore wings dark greenish-brown. It sits on the upper side of leaves, with its fore wings folded over, or rolled about the hind wings, and in this attitude it so nearly approximates in appearance the ordure of a sparrow as to have often deceived me when collecting.

FAMILY III. LYCÆNIDÆ

(THE BLUES, THE COPPERS, THE HAIR-STREAKS)

SUBFAMILY LYCÆNINÆ

"Mark, while he moves amid the sunny beam, O'er his soft wings the varying lusters gleam. Launched into air, on purple plumes he soars, Gay nature's face with wanton glance explores; Proud of his varying beauties, wings his way, And spoils the fairest flowers, himself more fair than they."

Quoted as from Haworth by Scudder.

Butterfly.—Small, in both sexes having all feet adapted to walking. There is exceeding diversity of form in the various genera composing this family. Many of the genera are characterized by the brilliant blue on the upper side of the wings; in other genera shades of coppery-red predominate. The hair-streaks frequently have the hind wings adorned with one or more slender, elongated tails. In Africa and in Asia there are numerous genera which strongly mimic protected insects belonging to the Acræinæ.

Egg.—The eggs are for the most part flattened or turban-shaped, curiously and beautifully adorned with ridges, minute eminences, and reticulations. Some of them under the microscope strongly resemble the shells of "sea-biscuits" with the rays removed (see p. 4, Fig. 7).

Caterpillar.—The caterpillars are for the most part slug-shaped, flattened. They are vegetable feeders, save the larvæ of two or three genera, which are aphidivorous, feeding upon mealy bugs or plant-lice.

Chrysalis.—The chrysalids are short, compressed, attached at the anal extremity, with a girdle or cincture about the middle, closely fastened to the surface upon which pupation takes place.

Butterfly.—Medium size or small; dark in color, with the under side and the borders of the upper sides beautifully adorned with spots having a metallic luster. The palpi are divergent, longer in the female than in the male. The antennæ are stout, rather short, with a gradually thickened club. The eyes are naked. The veins on the fore wing are stout. The accompanying cut gives a clear idea of the neuration.

Three species are reckoned as belonging to the genus, two of them being found sparingly in the extreme southern limits of our fauna.

Butterfly.—Easily distinguished by the figure in the plate from all other species except its congener E. minyas, Hübner, which can be readily separated from it by its larger size. Expanse, 1.65-1.75 inch.

Atala is found in Florida and Cuba. Minyas occurs in southwestern Texas, and thence southward to Brazil.

"These be the pretty genii of the flow'rs, Daintily fed with honey and pure dew."

Hood.

Butterfly.—Small or medium-sized; on the upper side often colored brilliantly with iridescent blue or green, sometimes dark brown or reddish; on the under side marked with lines and spots variously disposed, sometimes obscure in color, very frequently most brilliantly colored.

Various subdivisions based upon the neuration of the wings have been made in the genus in recent years, and these subdivisions are entitled to be accepted by those who are engaged in a comparative study of the species belonging to this great group. Inasmuch, however, as most American writers have heretofore classified all of these insects under the genus Thecla, the author has decided not to deviate from familiar usage, and will therefore not attempt to effect a subdivision according to the views of recent writers, which he nevertheless approves as scientifically accurate.

Egg.—Considerable diversity exists in the form of the eggs of the various species included under this genus as treated in this book, but all of them may be said to be turban-shaped, more or less depressed at the upper extremity, with their surfaces beautifully adorned with minute projections arranged in geometric patterns.

Caterpillar.—The caterpillars are slug-shaped, their heads minute, the body abruptly tapering at the anal extremity. They feed upon the tender leaves of the ends of branches, some of them upon the leaves of flowers of various species.

Chrysalis.—What has been said concerning the chrysalids of the family applies likewise to the chrysalids of this and the succeeding genera. They lie closely appressed to the surface upon which they are formed, and are held in place by an attachment at the anal extremity, as well as by a slight girdle of silk about the middle. In color they are generally some shade of brown.

(1) Thecla grunus, Boisduval, Plate XXIX, Fig. 12, ♂ (Boisduval's Hair-streak).

Butterfly.—The wings are brown on the upper side, lighter on the disk; in some specimens, more frequently of the female sex, bright orange-tawny. On the under side the wings are pale tawny, with transverse marginal and submarginal series of small dark spots on both wings. Two or three of the marginal spots near the anal angle are black, each crowned with a metallic-green crescent. Expanse, 1.10-1.20 inch.

Early Stages.—These have, in part, been described by Dyar, "Canadian Entomologist," vol. xxv, p. 94. The caterpillar is short, flattened, the segments arched, the body tapering backward, bluish-green, covered with little dark warty prominences bearing tufts of hairs, obscurely striped longitudinally with broken, pale lines, and having a diamond-shaped shield back of the head. The chrysalis is thick and conformed to the generic type of structure. The color is pale green, striped and dotted with pale yellow on the abdomen. The caterpillar feeds in the Yosemite Valley upon the young leaves of the live-oak (Quercus chrysolepis).

(2) Thecla crysalus, Edwards, Plate XXIX, Fig. 11, ♂ (The Colorado Hair-streak).

Butterfly.—The wings on the upper side are royal purple, broadly margined with black. On the fore wings a broad oblique black band runs from the middle of the costa to the middle of the outer margin. At the inner angles of both wings are conspicuous orange spots. On the under side the wings are fawn, marked with white lines edged with brown. The orange spots reappear on this side, but at the anal angle of the hind wings are transformed to red eye-spots, pupiled with black and margined with metallic green. The hind wings are tailed. Expanse, 1.50 inch.

The variety citima, Henry Edwards, differs in being without the orange spots and having the ground-color of the under side ashen-gray. Specimens connecting the typical with the varietal form are in my possession.

(3) Thecla halesus, Cramer, Plate XXIX, Fig. 9, ♂ (The Great Purple Hair-streak).

Butterfly.—The hind wings have a long tail, and are lobed at the anal angle. The wings are fuscous, iridescent bluish-green at the base. The body is bluish-green above. On the under side the thorax is black, spotted with white, the abdomen bright orange-red. The wings on the under side are evenly warm sepia, spotted with crimson at their bases, glossed with a ray of metallic green on the fore wings in the male sex, and in both sexes splendidly adorned at the anal angle by series of metallic-green and iridescent blue and red spots. Expanse, 1.35-1.50 inch.

Early Stages.—All we know of them is derived from the drawings of Abbot, published by Boisduval and Leconte, and this is but little. The caterpillar is said by Abbot to feed on various oaks.

It is very common in Central America and Mexico; is not scarce in the hot parts of the Gulf States; and is even reported as having been captured in southern Illinois. It also occurs in Arizona and southern California.

(4) Thecla m-album, Boisduval and Leconte, Plate XXIX, Fig. 10, ♂ (The White-M Hair-streak).

Butterfly.—Smaller than the preceding species; on the upper side somewhat like it; but the iridescent color at the base of the wings is blue, and not so green as in halesus. On the under side the wings are quite differently marked. The fore wing is crossed by a submarginal and a median line of white, shaded with brown, the median line most distinct. This line is continued upon the hind wings, and near the anal angle is zigzagged, so as to present the appearance of an inverted M. Near the outer angle of the M-spot is a rounded crimson patch. The anal angle is deep black, glossed with iridescent blue. Expanse, 1.35-1.45 inch.

Early Stages.—All we know of this pretty species is based upon the account and drawings of Abbot made in the last century. We need better information. According to Abbot, the caterpillar feeds on astragalus and different oaks.

This species has been taken as far north as Jersey City and Wisconsin, and ranges southward as far as Venezuela. Its citadel is found in the live-oak hummocks of the Gulf States and the oak forests on the highlands of Mexico and more southern countries.

(5) Thecla martialis, Herrich-Schäffer, Plate XXX, Fig. 18, ♁, under side (The Martial Hair-streak).

Butterfly.—The insect figured in the plate, which may easily be recognized by its under side, has been determined by Dr. Skinner to be the above species. My specimens coming from the Edwards collection are labeled Thecla acis, ♁. They were taken at Key West. A comparison with the under side of T. acis (see Plate XXIX, Fig. 38) will reveal the great difference. Expanse, 1.00 inch.

(6) Thecla favonius, Abbot and Smith, Plate XXIX, Fig. 22, ♂ (The Southern Hair-streak).

Butterfly.—The wings are dusky-brown above, with a small pale oval sex-mark in the male near the upper edge of the cell in the primaries. On either side of the second median nervule, near the outer margin of both wings, are bright orange-red patches, most conspicuous in the female. The hind wings near the anal angle are blackish, margined with a fine white line. On the under side the wings are marked much as in m-album, but in the region of the median nervules, midway between their origin and termination, is a rather broad transverse carmine streak, edged inwardly with dark lines. This is largest and most conspicuous in the female sex. Expanse, 1.00-1.15 inch.

Early Stages.—These have been described, in part, by Abbot and Smith and Packard. The caterpillar feeds on oaks.

(7) Thecla wittfeldi, Edwards, Plate XXIX, Fig. 19, ♁; Fig. 20, ♂, under side (Wittfeld's Hair-streak).

Butterfly.—The figures in the plate give a correct idea of both the upper and under sides of this insect. It is much darker in ground-color than any of its congeners. Expanse, 1.25-1.35 inch.

The types which are in my possession came from the Indian River district in Florida.

(8) Thecla autolycus, Edwards, Plate XXIX, Fig. 13, ♁ (The Texas Hair-streak).

Butterfly.—On the upper side resembling favonius, but with the orange-red spots on the wings much broader, ranging from the lower radial vein to the submedian in the fore wings. The carmine spots on the under side of the wings are not arranged across the median nervules, as in favonius, but are in the vicinity of the anal angle, crowning the black crescents near the inner end of the outer margin. Expanse, 1.15-1.30 inch.

This species is found in Texas, and is also said to have been found in Missouri and Kansas.

Butterfly.—Uniformly slaty-gray on the upper side of the wings, with the usual oval sex-mark on the fore wing of the male, and a few bluish scales near the anal angle. The ground-color of the wings on the under side is as above, but somewhat paler. A white bar closes the cell of both wings. Both wings are crossed by white lines, much as in m-album. The anal angle is marked with black, followed outwardly by a broad patch of iridescent greenish-blue scales. Between the end of the submarginal vein and the first median nervule is a black spot surmounted with carmine, edged inwardly with black; three or four carmine crescents similarly edged, but rapidly diminishing in size, extend as a transverse submarginal band toward the costa. Expanse, 1.25 inch.

(10) Thecla melinus, Hübner, Plate XXIX, Fig. 31, ♂; Plate XXXII, Fig. 20, ♂; Plate V, Fig. 39, chrysalis (The Common Hair-streak).

Butterfly.—Much confusion has arisen from the fact that this insect has received a number of names and has also been confounded with others. Fig. 31 in Plate XXIX represents the insect labeled humuli, Harris, in the Edwards collection; Fig. 20 in Plate XXXII represents the insect labeled melinus, Hübner. There is a very large series of both in the collection, but a minute comparison fails to reveal any specific difference. Humuli of Harris is the same as melinus of Hübner; and recent authors, I think, are right in sinking the name given by Harris as a synonym. This common little butterfly may easily be recognized by its plain slaty upper surface, adorned by a large black spot, crowned with crimson between the origin of the two tails of the secondaries. Expanse, 1.10-1.20 inch.

Early Stages.—These are in part well known. The caterpillar feeds on the hop-vine. Melinus is found all over temperate North America, and ranges southward into Mexico and Central America at suitable elevations.

(11) Thecla acadica, Edwards, Plate XXIX, Fig. 15, ♂; Plate V, Fig. 35, chrysalis (The Acadian Hair-streak).

Butterfly.—The male is pale slaty-gray above, with some ill-defined orange spots near the anal angle, the usual oval sex-mark on the fore wing. The female is like the male above; but the orange spots at the anal angle of the hind wings are broader, and in some specimens similar spots appear on the fore wings near the inner angle. On the under side in both sexes the wings are pale wood-brown, adorned by a black bar at the end of the cells, submarginal and median bands of small black spots surrounded with white, and on the secondaries by a submarginal series of red crescents diminishing in size from the anal angle toward the outer angle. Near the anal angle are two black spots separated by a broad patch of bluish-green scales. Expanse, 1.15-1.25 inch.

Early Stages.—For a knowledge of what is known of these the reader may consult the pages of Scudder and Edwards. The caterpillar feeds upon willows.

It is found all over the Northern States, ranging from Quebec to Vancouver's Island. It seems to be very common on Mount Hood, from which I have a large series of specimens.

Butterfly.—The only specimen of this species known to me is figured in the plate. It is the type. Of its early stages nothing is known. It was taken in Arizona. Expanse, 1.25 inch.

(13) Thecla edwardsi, Plate XXIX, Fig. 27, ♁ under side; Plate V, Fig. 29, chrysalis (Edwards' Hair-streak).

Butterfly.—Dark plumbeous-brown on the upper side, with a pale sex-mark on the fore wing of the male. On the under side the wings are paler and a trifle warmer brown, with their outer halves marked with numerous fine white broken lines arranged in pairs, with the space between them darker than the ground-color of the wing. The usual black spots, green scales, and red crescents are found near the anal angle on the under side.

Early Stages.—For all that is known of these the reader will do well to consult the pages of Scudder. The caterpillar feeds on oaks.

The species ranges from Quebec westward to Colorado and Nebraska, being found commonly in New England.

(14) Thecla calanus, Hübner, Plate XXIX, Fig. 26, ♁; Plate V, Figs. 25, 27, chrysalis (The Banded Hair-streak).

Butterfly.—On the upper side resembling the preceding species very closely, but a trifle darker, and warmer brown. On the under side the wings are marked by fine white lines on the outer half, which are not broken, as in edwardsi, but form continuous bands. Expanse, 1.15 inch.

Early Stages.—The caterpillar feeds on oaks. The life-history is described with minute exactness by Scudder in "The Butterflies of New England," vol. ii, p. 888.

This insect has a wide range, being found from the province of Quebec to Texas and Colorado. It is common in western Pennsylvania.

(15) Thecla liparops, Boisduval and Leconte, Plate XXIX, Fig. 28, ♁, under side; Plate V, Fig. 28, chrysalis (The Striped Hair-streak).

Butterfly.—Dark brown on the upper side, grayish below. The lines are arranged much as in T. edwardsi, but are farther apart, often very narrow, scarcely defining the dark bands between them. The spots at the anal angle are obscure and blackish. Expanse, 1.15 inch.

Early Stages.—Much like those of the allied species. Scudder, in "The Butterflies of New England," gives a full account of them. The caterpillar feeds on a variety of plants—oaks, willows, the wild plum, and other rosaceous plants, as well as on the Ericaceæ.

It ranges through the northern Atlantic States and Quebec to Colorado and Montana, but is local in its habits, and nowhere common.

(16) Thecla chalcis, Behr, Plate XXIX, Fig. 36, ♂; Fig. 37, ♁, under side (The Bronzed Hair-streak).

Butterfly.—On the upper side uniformly brown. On the under side dark, with a narrow submarginal and an irregular median transverse band, and a pale short bar closing the cell on both wings; a black spot at the anal angle of the secondaries, preceded by a few bluish-green scales. Expanse, 1.00-1.10 inch.

(17) Thecla sæpium, Boisduval, Plate XXIX, Fig. 33, ♂; Fig. 34, ♁ (The Hedge-row Hair-streak).

Butterfly.—Almost identically like the preceding species, except that the wings on the upper side are a trifle redder, on the under side paler; the lines on the under side of the wings are narrowly defined externally by white, and the anal spots are better developed and defined on the hind wings. Expanse, 1.20 inch.

This species is found throughout the Pacific States, and I am inclined to believe it identical with chalcis. If this should be proved to be true the latter name will sink as a synonym.

(18) Thecla adenostomatis, Henry Edwards, Plate XXIX, Fig. 25, ♂ (The Gray Hair-streak).

Butterfly.—Mouse-gray on the upper side, with a few white lines on the outer margin near the anal angle; hoary-gray on the under side, darker on the median and basal areas. The limbal area is defined inwardly by a fine white line, is paler than the rest of the wing, and on the secondaries is marked by a full, regularly curved submarginal series of small dark lunules. Expanse, 1.30 inch.

(19) Thecla spinetorum, Boisduval, Plate XXIX, Fig. 21, ♁ (The Thicket Hair-streak).

Butterfly.—Dark blackish on the upper side, with both wings at the base shot with bluish-green. On the under side the wings are pale reddish-brown, marked much as in the following species, but the lines and spots are broader, more distinct, and conspicuous. Expanse, 1.15 inch.

Early Stages.—This species is reported, so far, from Colorado, California, and Washington.

(20) Thecla nelsoni, Boisduval, Plate XXX, Fig. 8, ♁, under side; Fig. 13, ♁ (Nelson's Hair-streak).

Butterfly.—Bright fulvous on the upper side, with the costa, the outer margins, the base, and the veins of both fore and hind wings fuscous. On the under side the wings are paler red, with an incomplete narrow white line shaded with deep red just beyond the median area, and not reaching the inner margin. This line is repeated on the hind wing as an irregularly curved median line. Between it and the outer margin on this wing are a few dark lunules near the anal angle. Expanse, 1.00 inch.

(21) Thecla blenina, Hewitson, Plate XXX, Fig. 9, ♂, under side (Hewitson's Hair-streak).

Butterfly.—Brown on the upper side, in some specimens bright fulvous bordered with brown. On the under side the wings are pale red, shot with pea-green on the secondaries and at the base of the primaries. The markings of the under side are much as in the preceding species, but the line on the hind wing dividing the discal from the limbal area is broader and very white, and the spots between it and the margin more conspicuous. Expanse, 1.12 inch.

It is reported from Arizona and southern California. It has been named siva by Edwards, and the figure is from his type so labeled.

(22) Thecla damon, Cramer, Plate XXIX, Fig. 32, ♂, under side; var. discoidalis, Skinner, Plate XXIX, Fig. 29, ♂; Plate V, Figs. 30, 31, chrysalis (The Olive Hair-streak).

Butterfly.—On the upper side bright fulvous, with the costa, the outer margins, and the veins of both wings blackish, darkest at the apex. On the under side the wings are greenish, crossed on the fore wing by a straight, incomplete white line, and on the hind wing by a similar irregular line. Both of these lines are margined internally by brown. There are a couple of short white lines on the hind wing near the base, and the usual crescentic spots and markings on the outer border and at the anal angle. Expanse, .90-1.00 inch.