LEPIDOPTERA 279 



wings; on the hind wings there is a broad band parallel with the front 

 wings when they are spread, a submarginal row of about fifteen spots, 

 and a row of dots on the outer margin near the anal angle. The wings 

 expand from 2$ to 4 inches. The larva feeds upon the passion-flower. 

 This species is found in the hotter portions of the Gulf States. 



The gulf fritillary, Dione vanillce. — In this species the front wings 

 are about twice as long as broad, but the markings of the wings resemble 

 those of a fritillary more than those of an heliconian. The wings are 

 reddish fulvous above; the veins of the front wings are black on the 

 outer two-thirds of the wing; the black expands into spots at the ends 

 of veins M 3 to anal; there are two white spots in the discal cell and one 

 at the apex of it, each of these spots is surrounded with black; cells M 3 , 

 Cui, and Q12 each contains a round black spot. The outer margin of the 

 hind wings has a broad black border, which contains a fulvous spot in 

 each cell. The wings expand from 2 to 3 inches. 



The larva feeds on the passion-flower. In addition to the six rows of 

 thorny spines, which characterize the caterpillars of many other fritillaries 

 this one has on the head a pair of backward bending spines branched like 

 the others. 



This species occurs from New Jersey and Pennsylvania southward, 

 also in Arizona and California. 



THE MILKWEED BUTTERFLIES 



These butterflies are of large size, with rounded and somewhat elon- 

 gate wings, the apical portion of the fore wings being much produced. 

 The discal cells of the wings are closed; the third anal vein of the fore 

 wings is preserved; and the antennas are apparently without scales. 

 Only a very few species of this family occur in our fauna. The two 

 following are the best-known. 



Fig. 480. — Danaus archippus. 



The monarch, Danaus archippus. — The upper surface of the wings 

 is light ruddy brown, with the borders and veins black, and with two 

 rows of white spots on the costal and outer borders as shown in Figure 

 480. The figure represents a female; in the male the veins of the wings 



