284 THE STUDY OF INSECTS 



are without tails, the eyes are hairy, and the lower surface of the wings 

 is pale ash-gray. This combination of characters will distinguish it from 

 all other blues occurring in the eastern United States. But the species 

 is not confined to this region, as it occurs in nearly all parts of the United 

 States, in a large part of Canada, and most of the Old World. 



This butterfly exhibits polymorphism to the greatest degree of any 

 known species. In this country alone there are thirteen or more named 

 forms. Some of these are geographical races; some are seasonal forms; 

 and some are distinct forms that exist at the same time and place as the 

 more typical form. In the Old World many other forms of this species 

 have been described. Two forms are represented in Figure 471, 1 and 7. 



The larva feeds on the buds and flowers of various plants, especially 

 those of Cornus, Cimicifuga, and Actinomeris. They are frequently 

 attended by ants for the sake of the honey-dew which they excrete from 

 osmeteria which they push out from the seventh and eighth abdominal 

 segments. 



The tailed blue, Everes comyntas. - — The butterflies of the genus 

 Everes can be distinguished from our other blues by the presence of a 

 small tail-like prolongation of the hind wing. This is borne at the end 

 of vein Cu. Our common species (E. comyntas) is distributed over nearly 

 all parts of North America. The male is dark purplish-violet above, 

 bordered with brown; the female is dark brown, sometimes flecked with 

 bluish scales. In the Eastern United States this is the only species of 

 the genus. 



The larva feeds upon clover and other leguminous plants. 



THE GENUS, FENISECA 



The wanderer, Ferns eca tarquinius. — This is the only known member 

 of the genus Feniseca. It does not seem to belong to either of the three 

 groups of genera mentioned above. A distinctive feature of this genus is 

 the fact that vein Mi of the fore wings coalesces 

 with a branch of radius for a considerable distance 

 beyond the apex of the discal cell; in this respect 

 it differs from all other members of the Lycsenidse 

 found in our fauna. 



The upper surface of the wings of this butterfly 

 ■Feniseca tar- (Fig. 486) is dark brown, with a large irregular, 

 orange-yellow patch on the disk of the fore wing, 

 and one of the same color next the anal angle of the hind wing. 



This species is of unusual interest, as the larva is carnivorous in its 

 habits. It feeds on plant-lice; and, so far as observed, it feeds only on 

 the woolly aphids. It is found more often in colonies of the alder blight 

 (Schizoncura tessellata) than in those of the allied species. It is found 

 from Maine to northern Florida and westward to Kansas. It is a very 

 local insect, being found only in the neighborhood of water where alder 

 grows. 



I do not know why the name the " wanderer " was applied to this butter- 

 fly, it may have been on account of its local appearance in widely sepa- 

 rated places, or because in habits the larva deviates far from the more 

 usual habits of caterpillars. The name is also appropriate as its nearest 

 relatives are found in Africa and in Asia. 



