FAMILY GOSSAMER-WINGED BUTTERFLIES. 115 



looked for in open places in the neighborhood of pine 

 woods. In our district it has not been taken west of New 

 York, but it extends north into Canada. Winter is passed 

 in the chrysalis state, and the butterfly, which is single- 

 brooded, appears at the very end of April or early in May 

 and seldom flies beyond this month. The eggs are regu- 

 larly turban-shaped, rather pale green with white raised 

 reticulation, are laid singly in the latter part of May and 

 hatch in ten days. The caterpillars feed upon pines and 

 one was once found eating into the pod of a garden-pea; 

 they may take a long time to mature, for the chrysalis is 

 sometimes not formed until September. 



INCISALIA IRUS-THE HOARY ELFIN. 

 (Thecla irus, Thecla arsace, Thecla henrici.) 



Butterfly. — Upper surface of wings dark glossy brown, occa- 

 sionally, especially in female, with slight ferruginous tints, the 

 fore wings of the male with an obscure stigma at the end of the 

 cell. Under surface reddish brown, darkest on basal half of hind 

 wings, the fore wings with slight markings consonant with those 

 of the hind wings, the latter with the basal color outwardly lim- 

 ited by a strongly indented line, beyond which, especially on the 

 inner side, a hoary bloom is conspicuous by a sprinkling of lilac 

 scales ; an arcuate series of dusky lunules in middle of outer half. 

 Expanse fully 1 inch. 



Caterpillar. — Onisciform. Head minute, yellowish green. 

 Body naked, with fine pile, yellow-green above, red-brown on 

 sides, threaded by a faint green line, green on the lateral fold. 

 Length ^ inch. 



Chrysalis. — Black or brown-black with obscure red bands; a 

 narrow black stripe on each side in the middle of the abdomen, 

 not extending to the thorax ; a slender dorsal ridge on mesotho- 

 rax. Length f^ inch. 



This butterfly is about the least active of the lively group 

 of Hair-Streaks and is found about shrubbery in roads or 

 open spots. It is a southern form, but occurs as far north 



