THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 37 



NOTES ON ARGYNNIS ALCESTIS Edw. 



BY C. E. WORTHINGTON, CHICAGO, ILL. 



The occurrence of this species in considerable numbers in this vicinity- 

 has afforded an opportunity for comparison with A. aphrodite, the results 

 of which are appended. 



It should be stated that although the number referred to is small, yet 

 the unrecorded comparison of over two hundred examples of both species 

 during the past summer has agreed fully with this. In the line before me 

 are five females each of alcestis and aphrodite. In every case the general 

 color of the upper surface is duller in aphrodite, the basal shading heavier 

 and more extensive, and the black markings on primaries heavier; in two 

 examples the color approaches that of A. cybele, while the examples of 

 alcestis exhibit a uniform clear color with hardly any variation. 



On the secondaries the submarginal lunules are serrate in two cases in 

 alcestis, all the other black markings being uniformly lighter, especially the 

 [\ spot in the disk, which is nearly or quite separated into two black 

 spots. No other differences discernible. Beneath aphrodite exhibits a 

 narrow, irregular, bright band on secondaries, between the two outer rows 

 of silver spots ; this is conspicuous in all the examples I have examined ; 

 there are also spots and patches of lighter color on the disk. 



The under surface of the secondaries in alcestis differs widely from 

 this ; the whole of the wing is one sheet of uniform color, broken only 

 by the usual silver spots and some black spots, one immediately behind 

 the largest silver spot being very conspicuous in three examples. The 

 silver spots are proportionately larger and closer together, and partially 

 margined with black, much more conspicuously so than in any example 

 of aphrodite that I have seen. In none of these is there the faintest trace 

 of a band, while the general color is darker than in any examples of A. 

 idalia taken here. 



Five males of aphrodite and three males of alcestis exhibit the same 

 differences above as females, though in a less degree ; beneath the band 

 is conspicuous in aphrodite £ as in the £ , but obsolete or indicated by a 

 faint shade in alcestis. The spots and patches of lighter color are nearly 

 or quite absent in the latter, and the comparative size of silver spots as 

 in $ . In all cases these spots are more symmetrical in shape in alcestis 

 than in aphrodite. 



