BUTTERFLIES OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 109 



In both northern and southern males the outer row of spots on 

 the hind wings may become mixed with white scales, the lowest two 

 or three sometimes being quite white. This is commonly coiTelated 

 with a whitening of the ground color within the submarginal chev- 

 rons on the fore wings from the apex downward. 



ARGYNNIS CYBELE CYBELE (Fabricius) 



Ctbele 

 Plate 15, Figures 1, 2 



Occurrence. — Common in wet meadows and along the marshy 

 banks of streams and numerous throughout wet woodlands, where 

 it is often seen along the roads and streams and in the more open 

 areas. Except as a straggler it does not occur in dry open fields or 

 in dry woods. Where an open field is traversed by a brook with 

 marshy or wooded banks it is usually to be found in its immediate 

 vicinity, but not elsewhere. 



Habits. — The flight of this butterfly is rather rapid, being usually 

 at the rate of about 15 miles an hour. It travels at a constant level 

 at a height of 4 or 5 feet above the ground with continuous and 

 fairly rapid wing beats, zigzagging from side to side, the angles 

 of the zigzag being obtuse. The flight of the females is less rapid, 

 less irregular, and less prolonged than that of the males, but the 

 differences are very slight, and the sexes can not with certainty be 

 distinguished on the wing, the larger males flying much like the 

 smaller females. Up to the middle of August the females are chiefly 

 interested in feeding; after that time they become more active and 

 wander widely. 



As a rule this butterfly will turn aside on meeting rising ground or 

 reaching a patch of woodland, preferring to keep to low open coun- 

 try, but often it will keep directly on among the trees. When in the 

 woods it is most frequent in the more open areas and along the road- 

 sides, where its actions are very similar to those of the vanessids 

 and other woodland butterflies. But it is not infrequently seen flut- 

 tering about with a more or less hovering flight, usually near the 

 ground, in the interior of dense thickets. 



The cybele is fond of sunning itself on convenient leaves of bushes 

 or of the lower branches of trees, or sometimes on grass blades, and in 

 the woods on the bare ground. During this performance the head is 

 always directed upward and the wings are expanded to the hori- 

 zontal with the fore wings drawn back so that their lower borders 

 make an obtuse angle with each other. 



When frightened it either dashes away at once or shows nervous- 

 ness by a slight quick elevation of the wings. If on a leaf or in the 

 road, it almost invariably flies off to the right or left, but if on a 



