%\lt €mdk\{ %\\\mtjik^t%i 



Vol. XXXVI. LONDON, MAY, 1904. No. 5 



DESCRIPTIONS OF SOME NEW SPECIES AND VARIETIES 

 OF CANADIAN BUTTERFLIES.* 



BY JAMES FLETCHER, OTTAWA, ONT. 

 Read May 19, 1903. Separates distributed January 22, 1904. 



I submit herewith descriptions of 3 species and 3 varieties of 

 Canadian diurnal Lepidoptera, specimens of which have been in my 

 collection for many years, and of which a continued study convinces me 

 that it is wise to characterize them for the benefit of other students of 

 Canadian butterflies. It is possible that some of these may be only local 

 races, but they are so constant that I believe them to be well worthy of 

 recognition. In describing these forms, I have endeavoured to compare 

 them with their nearest allies, as a description, even when accompanied 

 by a plate, is more intelligible when a new form can be compared with a 

 well-known standard. My thanks are due to Dr. Henry Skinner, of 

 Philadelphia, who very kindly undertook the arrangement and preparation 

 of the specimens illustrated on the plate given herewith, and also from his 

 own cabinet provided some specimens which were better for illustration 

 than the actual types used in the descriptions. I have also to express my 

 gratitude to the American Museum of Natural History for a beautiful 

 painting of Tliecla Heathii, which was specially made for the purpose and 

 used for the accompanying illustration, on account of two of the wings in 

 the type specimen being imperfect. It is well here to mention that this 

 painting is, in my opinion, almost as perfect as a drawing can be, and 

 represents exactly the appearance of the type in every mark and spot as 

 well as in colour and shape. Mr. Wm. Beutenmuller very kindly under- 

 took personally the supervision of this painting. 



The names used in this paper are those in the recognized check lists 

 of diurnal Lepidoptera now used by American entomologists, viz.: the 

 " List of Lepidoptera of Boreal America," by Dr. J. B. Smith, 1891, and 

 " A Synonymic Catalogue of the North American Rhopalocera," by Dr. 

 Henry Skinner, i S98. Up to the present time the names given by Dr. S. 



*Reprinted from the Transactions of the Royal Society of Canada, Section IV., 

 1903, p. 207. 



