280 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



NOTES ON A POLYMORPHIC BUTTERFLY, SYNCHLOE 

 LACINIA, GEYER (IN HUB. ZUTR.), WITH DES- 

 CRIPTION OF ITS PREPARATORY STAGES. 



BY W. H. EDWARDS, COALBURGH, WEST VA. 



" Godman and Salvin, Rhopal. I., p. 177, 1882, under the specific 

 name Lacinia, place Saundersii and Tellias, Bates ; Quehtela and Ar- 

 deina, Reakirt ; Paupera, Felder ; Mediatrix and Misera, R. Felder-; 

 Pretoria, Boisduval; Crocale, Edwards; Adjutrix, Scudder, and Adelina, 

 Staudinger ; all of which they consider but inconstant forms of one species. 

 From their works we quote : ' Between these extremes, Adelina and 

 Saundersii, every gradation of colour can be traced, and all the rufous 

 markings, as well as the yellow ones of the under side, can be exhibited 

 in different individuals from their maximum development till they vanish 

 altogether. ... In the Southern States of North America, a form 

 occurs which is very like Saundersii, and is prevalent in Texas. This is 

 Adjutrix, Scudder, but we doubt the possibility of maintaining its dis- 

 tinction. In Arizona another form occurs, Crocale, Edw., which we take 

 to be undistinguishable from Adelina, and therefore connected with the 

 whole series.'" Quoted from E. M. Aaron, in Papilio IV., p. 177, in his 

 paper entitled List of a Collection of Diurn. Lepid. from Southern Texas. 

 Mr. Aaron adds : " Among these Texas captures were Saundersii, 

 Adjutrix and Mediatrix ; the latter two were taken in copulation." 



I have not access to the works of Godman and Salvin, but Dr. Skinner 

 informs me that they figure eleven forms of this species, and its localities 

 extend even to Peru and Bolivia. These authors based their opinion as 

 expressed not at all, so far as appears, from rearing the larvae. Indeed 

 until recently, no one seems to have been acquainted with any of the pre- 

 paratory stages, not only of Lacinia, but of any species of the genus 

 Syncldoe. In 1S92, Prof. Packard sent me in a tube with alcohol an 

 adult larva and pupa, received by him from Prof. Tyler Townsend> of Las 

 Cruces, N. M. In 1893, by the aid of Mr. T. D. A. Cockerell, also of 

 Las Cruces, I have been able to study all the stages from egg to pupa. 

 He wrote 7th July : " I saw a black and white butterfly, rather like a 

 small Limenitis (was it not Synchloe Crocale ?) settle on two or three 

 leaves of a sunflower." On 26th July : " Yesterday, Prof. Owen took me 

 to his ranch, a short distance from Las Cruces, and I got there some 

 Crocale larvae, which I send herewith. I find that the young are gre- 

 garious, feeding* as closely as they can stand on the upper side of a leaf of 



