Vol. XXvii] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 55 



Hunting Butterflies in the Ozarks (Lep.). 



By R. A. SELL, Houston, Texas. 



Southern Missouri embraces the only highland region of the 

 Mississippi Valley. These highlands can almost be regarded 

 as one of Nature's scrap heaps, since they contain so many 

 features that are both striking and unique. Being well sup- 

 plied with water and a diversity of food plants the protected 

 coves and glades and brushy weed patches form an inviting 

 refuge for the butterflies that feed in the open fields of the 

 adjoining states. 



Most entomologists are aware of the fact that the Ozark 

 region offers exceptional opportunities for collecting butter- 

 flies especially in the adult stage but it may astonish some 

 of them to see the unusual range of this list taken in five days. 

 There were three of us in the party and we tramped over the 

 brakes, heavily wooded knobs and the open fields of a district 

 extending from about forty miles northeast of Springfield in 

 a rather wide circle to a little south of east. The start was 

 made on August 22 and the weather was fairly satisfactory. 

 This being the real harvest season, apples, melons and other 

 dainties were very plentiful. Many wild flowers, especially 

 of the composite family, were in bloom. In little coves near 

 the open fields many widely different varieties of butterflies 

 took shelter together. A fifty mile walk in this country will 

 include various kinds of scenery and there are some very pros- 

 perous farms in close proximity to scrub-oak wastes and rocky 

 knolls. 



The people, mostly of the friendly, easy-going independ- 

 ent small farmer type, are not over curious and are not given 

 to sentiment. "What are you goin' to do with them things?" 

 and "How much do you get for one?" are typical questions. 

 Every one seemed to have plenty of time to stop and talk to us. 



Our list is as follows : 



Basilarchia disippus Chlorippe celtis 



Basilarchia weidemeyeri Pyrrhanaea andria 



Basilarchia astyanax Debis portlandia 



Basilarchia arthemis Satyrodes canthus 



