FAMILY BRUSH-FOOTED BUTTERFLIES. lOl 



and the next, but more nearly resembling the latter with 

 more or less distinct traces of the white bow peculiar to the 

 former, is found at places along the southern limit of 

 B. artliemis; by some it is regarded as a dimorphic form 

 of the present species. 



BASILARCHIA ASTYANAX— THE RED-SPOTTED PURPLE. 



(Limenitis astyanax, Nymplialis epliestion, Nymphalis Ursula, 



Limenitis ursula.) 



Butterfly. — Upper surface of wings blackish, the outer third 

 of the hind wings with three series of pale blue or green spots, 

 the inner of variable width and sometimes suffusing nearly the 

 whole wing, at least in some lights. Under surface brown, with 

 a double submarginal series of blue lunulate lines, a submarginal 

 series of orange spots in a black setting, and a few black-edged 

 orange spots at the base. Expanse 3-4 inches. 



Caterpillar. — Head brownish red, tuberculate, the summits 

 crowned with a large nearly spherical tubercle with small pro- 

 jections. Body naked, humped and irregularly tuberculate, 

 strangely streaked, blotched and mottled with brown, olivaceous, 

 and creamy tints ; a pair of long, clubbed, and prickly blackish 

 tubercles on second thoracic segment ; considerably more than 

 twenty minute smooth warts on most segments above the 

 spiracles. Length \\ inches. 



Chrysalis. — Grotesquely variegated with patches and streaks 

 of pale salmon, dark olivaceous, inky plumbeous, and yellow- 

 brown, the lighter tints prevailing; basal wing-tubercle rounded 

 or partially suppressed; tail- piece, seen from above, less than 

 twice as long as its width at apex. Length nearly 1 inch. 



The eggs, which are globular, pitted, briefly filamentous, 

 and bright yellowish green, are laid as in the last species, 

 but their duration has not been definitely ascertained. The 

 caterpillar is polyphagons, but seems to prefer Eosaceons 

 plants, especially Prunus, Crataegus, and Pyrus; its habits 

 are precisely those of the preceding species in every par- 

 ticular mentioned above. The chrysalis hangs for ten or 



