FAMILY SKIPPERS. 169 



Another species of this genus, A. lagan, a southern form, is found 

 over nearly the same parts of our district as A. zabulon, but is far less 

 abundant, though it is not uncommon in the West and especially be- 

 yond the Mississippi ; and another species, found in New Jersey and 

 described under the name of Paiiiphila aaroni, is said to be closely 

 allied to these two species and may belong in the same genus. 



56. Genus Erynnis. 



ERYNNIS SASSACUS— THE INDIAN HESPERID. 



(Hesperia sassacus, Pamphila sassacus.) 

 Butterfly, — Upper surface of wings tawny, the outer margin of 

 the fore wings and all the margins of the hind wings heavily bor- 

 dered with blackish brown, the bordering of the fore wings in- 

 dented beyond the cell as if to receive the dark longitudinal patch 

 lying just outside it ; discal dash of the male velvety black, 

 slender, slightly arcuate, tapering a little at each end. Under 

 surface pale greenish buff, the markings of the fore wings ob- 

 scurely traced, and beyond the middle of the hind wings a faint 

 bent row of five not very large, square, pallid spots. Expanse 

 about If inches. 

 Caterpillar and Chrysalis uudescribed. 



This butterfly is found everywhere in the southern half 

 of our district in fields and meadows. It is single-brooded 

 and probably winters as a chrysalis. The butterfly appears 

 about the last of May and disappears by the middle of July. 

 The eggs, which are smooth, hemispherical, and almost 

 chalk-white when laid, become dirty yellow afterwards; 

 they are laid singly and hatch in about twelve or fifteen 

 days. The cater2:>illar is very plump at birth and feeds on 

 grasses, — Panicum and doubtless others; it is very sluggish 

 and less cleanly than others of the tribe and makes, at least 

 at first, scarcely an apology for a nest, living near the joints 

 of grasses where the blade embraces the stem. 



Several other species of this genus are found in our district : 

 E. manitoba, sparingly in its northernmost limits ; E. metea, known 

 only in a few localities in southern New England and in Wisconsin ; 

 E. attains, a southern species occasionally occurring in our southern 

 borders ; and E. uncas, which has been taken in Pennsylvania and 

 extends to Colorado. 



