98 THE COMMONER BUTTERFLIES. 



partially gregarious, several being often found in a loose 

 company; they rarely seek concealment, though they some- 

 times do so after the manner of P. comma. The chrysalis 

 hangs from seven to twenty-six days according to the sea- 

 son and locality. The butterfly is a southern species rarely 

 found north of the Canadian border. In the northern part 

 of its range it is double-brooded, but at least triple-brooded 

 in the Southern States, probably everywhere hibernating 

 as a butterfly ; in the region with which w^e are concerned 

 it leaves its winter quarters early in May and flies until 

 the early part or middle of June, laying eggs late in May 

 and early in June. The first brood of the season's butter- 

 flies aj^pears early in July or the last days of June and con- 

 tinues flying until the middle of August ; the second brood 

 appears toward the last of August and continues to emerge 

 from the chrysalis even into October. 



This butterfly is dimorphic in much the same way as 

 P. co?n7na,one form (umbrosa) having the upjoer surface of 

 the hind wings much darker than the other (fabricii), but 

 differing also in the form of the wings ; as in P. comma 

 the butterflies of the first brood are mostly of the dark type, 

 but those of the second invariably, or with very rare excep. 

 tions, of the lighter type. 



Other species of this genus occurring- in our district are P. gracili\ 

 at the White Mountains of New Hampshire and northwestward ; an(^ 

 P. satyrus, a Pacific coast species occasionally found in southern 

 Canada. 



TRIBE SOVEREIGNS. 



16. Genus Basilarchia. 



BASILAECHIA ARTHEMIS— THE BANDED PURPLE. 



(Limenitis arthemis, Nymphalis arthemis, Nymphalis lamina.) 



Butterfly. — Upper surface of wings velvety chocolate-black, 

 with a broad white bow crossing both wings just beyond the 

 middle. Under surface very dark brown, with a similar bow, a 



