THE COMMON BUTTERFLIES 



231 



The Compton Tortoise 

 Expanse two and one-half inches, mottled with dark red 

 and ochre yellow, like the colors of a tortoise shell. 

 A white spot_ is on the front of each wing near the tip. 

 The hind wings on the lower side each bear a small 

 L-sh.aped silvery or white mark. 



Spots; it is spiny. The caterpillars of the same brood live 

 together feeding on the lower sides of the leaves which they fasten 

 together making a protective abode. The food plant is nettle. 



The Compton 

 Tortoise. — This 

 butterfly resem- 

 bles ver}^ m.uch 

 the polygonias 

 even having the 

 '* embroidered" 

 initial on the 

 lower side of the 

 hind wings. 

 However, it dif- 

 fers in one par- 

 ticular. The 

 hind margin of 

 the front wings is 

 straight and not 



incurved. Its caterpillar is greenish in color more or less speckled 

 with lighter color. It has black, bristly spines and the caterpillars of 

 the same brood feed in a flock. The food plants are birch and willow. 



The Mourning 

 C/oa^.— This but- 

 terfly which is well 

 known in Europe is 

 very comm.on here. 

 It winters as a but- 

 terfly and is the 

 earliest of all our 

 butterflies to ap- 

 pear in the spring. 

 Its caterpillar is 

 velvety black cov- 

 ered with white 

 raised dots, and a 

 row of red spots 

 along the middle of 

 the back. It has 

 It feeds on elm., willow, poplar and other trees. 



The Mourning Cloak 



Expanse two and one-half to three and one-half 

 inches. Color purplish-brown appearing black 

 when flying. The wings have a broad, yellow 

 border sprinkled with brown and just inside the 

 border a row of blue or lavender spots. 



rows of black spines. 



