May, '08] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 2O5 



Dr. Boisduval, is scarcely distinguishable from ansonia Hbn., 

 a species found in the regions bordering the Mediterranean, 

 and subject to much variation, especially in the degree of 

 mottling of the underside of the secondaries. 



The alpine variety simplonia Freyer, seems nearest the us- 

 ual American type, though we have also individuals in which 

 the markings approach belia Esper., considered to be another 

 variety of ansonia, 



A comparison of the larvae and the chrysalids would best 

 determine the relationship, but I have been unable to find a 

 description of these stages of ansonia. It is to be noticed that 

 where a species becomes widely dispersed and sections are sep- 

 arated by impassable barriers, the larvae are often first to differ, 

 and may become quite distinct before any wide difference is 

 observed in the imago." 



As in all our species of Euchloe, ansonides exhibits con- 

 siderable variation especially in size and the density of colora- 

 tion. In the male the ground color is sometimes pure white, 

 but may be more or less yellow-tinted. The female frequently 

 has the upper surface of the secondaries suffused with a buff 

 or ochraceous tint and the dark green marbling of the inferior 

 surface of the secondaries varies somewhat in density in both 

 sexes. The discal spot also varies considerably; sometimes it 

 is reniform, or lunate, or in the form of a sinuous bar, of 

 variable breadth. As a rule, western specimens are much 

 larger than eastern. We do not consider the variety hyantis 

 Hy. Edw., as placed by Dyar and Skinner, a variety of auson- 

 idcs. It is not the summer brood as we have compared our 

 specimens with descriptions of hyantis and find them abun- 

 dantly distinct. Specimens of the summer brood closely re- 

 semble those of the typical form, except in being more yel- 

 low-tinted. The form coloradcnsis Hy. Edw., may be known 

 by its deeper green tint on the underside of the secondaries, 

 and the discal bar of the primaries above is in the form of a 

 small, black, lunate dash. It is recorded from Montana, Colo- 

 rado and California. We have not noticed it in this locality. 

 As shown by good series, it intervaries to ansonides and can 

 hardly be considered worthy of varietal rank. It would be in- 

 teresting to compare our varieties of ansonides with those of 

 ansonia. Although ansonides has a wide distribution, ranging 

 west of the Rocky Mountains from Arizona to Alaska, it ap- 

 pears to be rather local, but is quite common when found. In 

 the Santa Clara Valley, it is a common and early butterfly, 

 flying about the flowers of Brassica, Radix and other cruci- 

 ferous plants. It usually appears about the end of February, 



