142 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



These four species, niphon, augiistiis, Heiirici and irus^ constitute 

 the representation of the genus east of the Mississippi, and our knowledge 

 of their life-histories is far from complete. Since all are measurably 

 common on the glacial sand plain west of this city, I endeavoured to 

 ascertain the food plant of each (unknown, except in the case of niphoji) 

 and to breed the larvae. The study has been full of interest, and my 

 efforts have met with success beyond my expectation. 



I. — Licisalia Irus. 

 Tittle of flight. — Species single brooded ; the butterfly very abundant 

 during May. It appears each year daring the last week of April, and has 

 practically disappeared by June ist, although I have taken worn indi- 

 viduals as late as June 20th. Its season of greatest abundance is the end 

 of the second week in May. 



Ovipositioti. — Each female produces from 12 to 18 eggs,* which she 

 places singly on the opening buds (rarely on the leaves) of the food plant, 

 Lupitius perennis. The butterfly chooses the middle of the day for 

 ovipositing, and disposes of her whole store within an hour. I have never 

 observed a second egg placed upon any plant, except when the butterfly 

 chanced to return to it after visiting another. One cannot readily 

 distinguish the gravid female by her flight, for it is not heavy, but rather 

 may be described as businesslike. She flies directly to the erect raceme, 

 alights without preliminary fluttering, and, after walking about for a few 

 seconds with wings closely appressed and motionless, selects a suitable 

 spot and thrusts her horny ovipositor among and beneath the hairs which 

 clothe the lupine. Immediately upon extruding the egg the insect flies 

 away, occasionally covering a distance of twenty or thirty yards before 

 again ovipositing. In consequence, it often requires a sharp eye and a 

 lively step to follow her through the low growth. Still, it is by no means 

 impossible, for she never leaves the open, refusing to fly through dark 

 spots and turning aside to circle a tree rather than come under its shadow. 

 The eggs are thus scattered over a comparatively broad area, and are to 

 be looked for upon the racemes (usually on the calyxes) of plants exposed 

 during the middle of the day to the full glare of the sun. 



The egg. — In all, forty-two eggs were carefully examined under the 

 microscope, and I have nothing to add to the descriptions already 

 published. However, the figures given in Scudder's "Butterflies of the 

 Eastern United States and Canada " seem to me to be somewhat ideal or 



*Edwards secured 15 egg-s from a female imprisoned over plum. 



