THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 209 



emerges after the weather is settled, and its extreme period as observed 

 has been 41 days, during 11 years. But in any one year it has been but 

 one month. In 1872 the first were seen 29th April, the last 30th May. 

 So that I doubt if any individual Telamonides is alive longer than three 

 weeks. 



Marcellus $ lays its eggs very soon after chrysalis. The eggs are in 

 part fully formed when it emerges from chrysalis. I dissected a female 

 a few hours after chrysalis, which emerged in my room 13th July, 1881, 

 and found some of the eggs round and deep green (the color when laid), 

 but not hardened externally ; others were nearly formed. In Walshii it 

 is different, the eggs being at first fatty masses without form. I dissected 

 one of the females taken 21st April, 1880, before spoken of This was 

 just from chrysalis and in the act of pairing, but the eggs were wholly 

 unformed. The same thing is true of Telavumides. 



The eggs of Ajax are laid during several days. The female flies from 

 leaf to leaf and deposits one at a time, and as some scrutiny is exercised, 

 one leaf being selected while another is refused, much time is lost. So 

 that several days may be occupied in laying 200 eggs — perhaps a week. 

 And by this time the insect will have become worn and the wings broken. 

 She cannot possibly exist many days after the laying is finished. That 

 the eggs are either all mature together, or mature with great rapidity, is 

 evident froVn the ease with which they are obtained in this species from 

 females tied in a bag over the food plant. They usually lay at once and 

 in large numbers. I noticed particularly the condition of Walshii and 

 Telainoiiides during the last days of May, 1881. All were old and the 

 males much exceeded the females in number, I should say ten to one. In 

 1880, 30th May, the last Walshii seen that year were two old males. It 

 seems to me probable that many males never have the opportunity of 

 pairing, and that these live longest, their lives enduring much beyond that 

 of any female. The latter is discovered almost as soon as out of chry- 

 salis, and several males at same time may often be seen fluttering about 

 one female. The young males stand no chance at all in competition with 

 the older ones. The former are for some hours limp and weak, and by 

 the time they have attained their strength, the eager crowd of suitors, who 

 are prying in every bush in quest of a mate, have carried off the prize. 

 But when there are no old males, the young one may certainly pair a few 

 hours after chrysalis. I have seen this in Argynnis Idalia, when a limp 

 female was taken with a male absolutely perfect in wing and thorax, and 



