94 THE COMMON Ell BUTTERFLIES. 



body spinous, yellowish brown, uniformly variegated above with 

 blaekisli olivaceous ; spines mostly black. Length more than 

 1 inch. 



Chrysalis. — Greatly variegated with buff, olive-green, brown, 

 white and salmon-red; ocellar tubercles equal on basal half, con- 

 ical beyond, the notch between them broader than deep ; largest 

 abdominal tubercles not very much larger than tlie others. Length 

 nearly 1 inch. 



Tlie eggs, which are pale green, barrel-shaped and ribbed, 

 are laid singly on the upper surface of the leaves of the 

 food-plant and hatch in four or five days. The caterpillar 

 feeds openly on species of Kibes (currant, gooseberry, 

 etc.) and probably other Grossulaceae and will eat elm. 

 The chrysalis state varies from ten to sixteen days and has 

 been known to be as short as seven. The butterfly is a 

 northern species, hardly occurring south of lat. 40", is 

 fond of lanes and the vicinity of barns, and is greatly ad- 

 dicted to the moisture from drying fruit. It is double- 

 brooded, hibernating as a butterfly, coming out in March, 

 laying eggs about the middle of May, and continuing on 

 the wing into June. At the very eaid of June or early in 

 July the new butterflies begin to appear, lay eggs the same 

 month, and the second brood, which is the more abundant, 

 comes upon the stage in the latter part of August and 

 early in September; very few have not sought their winter 

 quarters by the middle of October. 



POLYGONIA FAUNUS— THE GREEN COMMA. 



(Grapta faunus, Vanessa f annus, Nymphalis f annus.) 



Butterfly. — Middle of outer margin of fore wings conspicuous- 

 ly crenate ; tail of hind wings not more than twice as long as 

 broad ; under surface of same wings dark gray- brown, much 

 enlivened by green and ashen along the outer third, especially in 

 the male, and with a central, heavy, silvery comma with expand- 

 ed tips. Expanse fully 2 inches. 



Caterpillar.— Head black with a pale W on the front, crowned 



