210 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



therefore but lately out of chrysalis. So in Argynnis Myrina, where I 

 took a pair in coiDulation both which had emerged in my boxes the pre- 

 vious night. How speedily the males expire after pairing I cannot say ; 

 they certainly do sometimes during the process. In 1872, 25th April, 

 Mr. Mead, here at Coalburgh, took in his net a pair of AJax flying by, and 

 found the male not merely dead, but dry, and evidently it had expired 

 many hours before. As I have said, both Boisduval and Kirby and 

 Spence state that the males die very soon after pairing. 



I think from what I have said, it will be evident that Papilio AJax, 

 which from its size and strength would seem as likely to live several 

 months as any butterfly in our fauna, really does live but a few weeks, and 

 probably not more than three or four, unless in case of males which have 

 not paired ; even then but a trifle longer. 



Take Lycaena Violacea, a dimorjDhic species of which Violacea is the 

 early form and Pseudargiolus the later. During 17 years past I have kept 

 record of the first appearance of this Lycaena because it is the earliest 

 butterfly of the year, and the harbinger of spring. The earliest date has 

 been 17th February, and the latest date of first appearance has been 7th 

 April. But except in one year, 1876, the earliest examples seen have 

 been on 6th March. No flowers are in bloom so early, and the Dogwood 

 (Cornus), on the flowers of which Violacea deposits its eggs, does not 

 usually begin to put forth its flower buds till about middle of April. The 

 eggs are not formed wiien the females come from chrysalis, nor till several 

 days have passed. In 1878, 7th April, I dissected a *^ and found no 

 eggs. The same day the Dogwood was in bud, but I found no eggs after 

 a long search. On 13th April I confined a % over a limb of Dogwood 

 and got 40 eggs. On iGth April, 1880, I took a pair of Violacea in copu- 

 lation, and 17 th found the first eggs of the season, though I had been 

 watching daily for them. 



On 26th April, 1881, the buds were still unopened but formed, and I 

 found the first eggs on them. In 1879, 27th April, I found eggs, but no 

 young larvae. Three days later there were scores of eggs, seven on one 

 flower head, but still no larvae. On ist IMay the larvai were hatching. 



Up to the time of laying eggs fresh males and females are to be taken 

 and I repeatedly record this. The latest mention of Violacea is on 6th 

 May in one year, when two or three were seen. 



The next generation, Pseudargiolus, come from eggs laid by the early 

 form, Violacea^ in these years has been first seen once on 19th April, once 



