BUTTERFLIES OF MONTANA. 13* 



The butterfly exhibits a very complicated polymorphism, both sea- 

 sonal and sexual; nine forms are now recognized by entomologists. The 

 form occurrins in Montana is C. ladon ladon. 



Early Stages — Length, two-fifths of an inch, slug shaped, dark browa 

 head. Body white with a dusky line down the back and a greenish 

 tinge along the sides. 



Food — The larvae feed on dogwood, actinomeris, black snake-root, 

 sumac. si)iraea and many other plants. 



Distribution — Its distribution is very wide, extending from Alaska 

 south to Arizona, east to the Gulf of Mexico, and north to the St. Law- 

 rence. Coul)eaux reports it abundant around Big Sandy. 



THE WESTERN TAILED BLUE, Everes amyntula Boisduval. 



Fig. 102B. Everes amyntula, the two right hand figures, and Agriades 



rustica, left hand figure. 



Butterfly — "Closely resembling L. comyntas, of which," says Hol- 

 land, "It may be only a slightly modified western form. Until the test 

 of breeding has been applied we cannot be sure of this." 



Description of comyntas— Expanse of wings from .7 to 1 inch, 18 to 25 

 mm. Hind wings with one thread-like tail. The males are dark violet-blue 

 above, with a narrow blackish outer border. Along the outer margin of 

 the hind wings are several black spots, and usually one or two oi-ange 

 crescents. The female are blackish brown, some specimens with bluish 

 at the base. The black spots of the hind wings are often obscure. 



Underside whitisn gray; both wings with a double row of spots along 

 the outer margin, the inner row crescents; between this and the cells 

 a fow of black spots circled with white, the row on the hind wings broken 

 twice. Tuere is also a bar at the end of each cell, and on the hind wings 

 a spot in the cell, and one above. Near the anal angle are two or three 

 orange crescents, enclosing each a black spot with a circle of silver scales. 



Amyntula differs from the above as follows: The males are, lighter 

 blue above, the dark border much reduced. The black spots prevail, 

 reduced, but the orange crescent has reduced to a black spot. The fe- 

 males are brownish black with a trace of coppery brown, the primaries 

 with a large wash of blue over the posterior portion. The black spots 

 are larger than in the male. 



Early Stages — Unknown. 



Distribution — It ranges from the eastern foothills of the Rocky Moun- 

 tains to the Pacific in British America and the northern tier of western 

 states. There are seven specimens in the University of Montaan collec- 

 tion from Sinyaleamin lake in the Mission :\lountains. Coubeaux collect- 

 ed it in tne Bear Paw Mountains. 



