Genus Brenthis 



(3) Brenthis helena, Edwards, Plate XVIII, Fig. 16, 3, 

 under side; Fig. 17, $ (Helena). 



Butterfly, $ . — The wings on the upper side are fulvous, 

 greatly obscured by brown at the base of the fore wings and 

 along the inner margin of the hind wings. The usual black 

 markings are light, and the marginal border is also not so heavily 

 marked as in B. myrina. The fore wings on the under side are 

 pale fulvous, laved with ferruginous at the tip. The hind wings 

 are brightly ferruginous, with small yellow marginal spots, and 

 paler spots inclining to buff on the costal border and at the end 

 of the cell, about the region of the median nervules. 



$ . — The female is very much like the male on the upper 

 side, but the ground-color is paler. On the under side the 

 wings are somewhat paler, and all the spots and light markings, 

 especially on the secondaries, are far more conspicuous, being 

 bright yellow, and standing out very prominently upon the dark 

 ferruginous ground. Expanse, 1.40 inch. 



Early Stages. — The early stages of this insect are not as yet 

 known. 



Helena appears to be a common species in Colorado, Mon- 

 tana, and New Mexico. It is subject to considerable variation, 

 both in the intensity of the coloring of the under side of the 

 wings, and in the distinctness of the maculation. 



(4) Brenthis montinus, Scudder, Plate XV, Fig. 7, $ ; Fig. 

 8, ? , under side (The White Mountain Fritillary). 



Butterfly, $ . — The upper side is fulvous, closely resembling B. 

 cbariclea, but the ground-color is darker. The under side of the 

 hind wings is deep ferruginous, mottled with white, the most 

 conspicuous of the white spots being a white bar occurring at the 

 end of the cell, and a small round white spot at the base of the 

 wing. The hind wings have also a marginal row of slightly sil- 

 vered white spots. 



? . — The female is very much like the male, but the ground- 

 color of the upper side is paler. Expanse, $ , 1.50 inch; ? , 1.75 inch. 



This interesting butterfly is found on the barren summits of 

 Mount Washington, New Hampshire. It represents the survival 

 of the arctic fauna on these desolate peaks, and, like the arctic 

 flora of the spot where it is found, is a souvenir of the ice-age, 

 which once shrouded the northeastern regions of the United 

 States with glaciers. 



131 



