44 BUTTERFLIES OF MAINE. 
This species is rare, at least, in the vicinity of Orono. 
The larve feed on Chelone glabra, L., Fly Honeysuckle, 
(Lonicera ciliata), and Arrow-wood, ( Viburnum dentatum). 
The eggs are laid in large clisters of from two hundred to 
four hundred, upon the under side of the leaves. They are 
somewhat in the form of a truncated cone, ribbed 
fm on the upper half, yellow when laid, but soon 
turn to crimson, and just before hatching they 
® 
Fig. 16. Egg of 
Melitaea phaeton. teen or twenty days. The young larve at once 
x 10. 
change to black. Duration of this stage, nine- 
begin to construct a web, drawing together the 
upper leaves of the stem, and feeding upon those which are 
enclosed, extending the web as more food is required. The 
first molt takes place in six days, and the second about six 
days later; while the third occurs in nine or ten days after 
the second. Before the third molt, they construct a substan- 
tial web, in which, after molting, they become lethargic, and 
hibernate till the following spring, when they revive and 
crawl about in search of other plants to feed upon. After 
molting twice more, they reach maturity, and are a little over 
an inch in length, with the first three and last two segments 
black; the others red with tranverse black lines, and seven 
rows of long, tapering, fleshy, black spines, bristling with 
stout, black hairs. These spines arise from round, shining, 
blue tubercles. 
The pupa is four-fifths of an inch long, suspended by the 
tail, whitish, with red and black dots over the surface. 
Duration of this stage, from fourteen to eighteen days. 
The imago is on the wing from the first to the middle of 
July. 
