THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 127 



with only the outer side of the border formed, the inner side lacking, but 

 with the row of yellow spots tolerably conspicuous in contrast to the 

 orange ground of the disk. Between these two extremes occur numerous 

 intermediate degrees. The most qualitative distinction of the fore-wing 

 border is that the yellow spots are in general nearly of equal size in the 

 same individual, and especially that the spot at anterior median interspace 

 is usually almost as large as the others ; this is the spot which in most 

 forms of Colias is usually much smaller than the adjoining spots, and 

 which lends to become obsolete in proportion as the border is more com- 

 pletely developed. 



The special type of $ Mr. Strecker drew his description from, with 

 seven yellow spots in fore-wing border, is not the more common variation. 

 Usually the two spots near apex are obsolete ; an occasional specimen, 

 however, with all the seven spots neatly defined, attests the accuracy of 

 the printed description. 



Mr. Strecker also describes an " Albinous ? form " of ii//.y, stating 

 that about six of the albinous and nine of the orange form were taken by 

 Capt. Geddes. This proportion of six albino to nine orange, indicates 

 that the "albinous $" was based on an error of identification. In the 

 course of several summers' collecting, and also in breeding Elis pretty 

 freely from the egg, nothing resembling an albino has been found, while I 

 have seen ninety orange 2s. The $ of another species must have been 

 mistaken by Mr. Strecker for a white form of Elis. In the district oc- 

 cupied by Elis occurs a colias rather less frequent, the ? usually nearly 

 white, but with a variety still more rare which is a bright clear yellow. 

 It seems likely this white Colias, about size of a small Elis, may have 

 been the original of the supposed "white Elis." The status of this form 

 is somewhat in doubt. It is near to Pelidne and Sciidderi, as its S 

 sufficiently demonstrates, and of course not specially close to Elis ; its $, 

 however, has some resemblance to Elis ?. 



One important character of Elis remains to be mentioned, which is, 

 that the ^ is characterized by the presence of the so-called "glandular 

 space " on upper surface of hind wing on costa near base of wing. This 

 structure appears, under moderate enlargement, as a dense cluster of 

 much tilted scales of special form. Its function (if it has one) is probably 

 mechanical rather than physiological. So far as the Colias forms are con- 

 cerned, it is found especially, if not exclusively, in the higher forms, and 



