BUTTERFLIES OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 113 



the wing-. In fact the female taken at Beltsville was identified as 

 afhrodlte more than 100 feet away, which led to its capture some 

 minutes later. 



In all its actions A. aylirodlte is more nervous and quicker than 

 A. cyhele^ but it is easier to catch, as it is less shy and does not dodge 

 into bramble thickets or thick undergrowth or drop into the grass. 

 It keeps always to the open, not entering thick woods or fluttering 

 about in the interior of thickets as A. cyhele is so fond of doing. 



It inhabits cool, grassy bogs on hillsides or in hilly or mountainous 

 country, and seldom strays far from its particular bog, in which it is 

 always abundant. It is much less of a wanderer than A. cyl>ele. 



Toward the last of August in eastern Massachusetts all the males 

 of this butterfly have disappeared, and the only individuals to be 

 seen are worn females laying their eggs. Flying about 4 or 5 feet 

 above the ground in their usual rapid and irregular manner, from 

 time to time they rather suddenly drop and crawl down into the 

 grass where, completely hidden from view, they walk about searching 

 for suitable violet leaves on which to place their eggs. But they are 

 always alert and are quick to jump into the air if approached too 

 closely. 



This butterfly spends the night as far down as possible among 

 the grass stems, or close to the ground in the interior of thickets, 

 especially blackberry or bramble thickets. It takes great care in 

 the selection of a suitable spot, and will sometimes crawl for 4 or 5 

 feet over the rubbish on the ground before it finds a hiding place 

 to its liking. If disturbed it takes wing at once no matter where 

 it is, and the rents so very common in the wings of this species are 

 due to grass cuts and other damage resulting from a too hasty 

 departure from a snug hiding place, not to attacks by birds. 



Mice are very fond of this butterfly, as they are of most butter- 

 flies. In our operations we found that the bodies of discarded 

 specimens dropped into the grass were invariably eaten by the next 

 morning. 



Remarks. — The records, taken in connection with the habits of this 

 butterfly, would seem to indicate that it is probably common in some 

 restricted area yet to be discovered between Silver Spring and Belts- 

 ville, Md., probably in the vicinity of Paint Branch. 



As the localities suitable for A. apkrodite become less and less 

 frequent southward, the butterfly becomes more and more closely 

 restricted to small and increasingly widely separated areas. In North 

 Carolina, while it is abundant wherever it is found, it is confined to 

 the mountains and is reported, as I learn through the kindness of 

 C. S. Brimley, only from Watauga, Avery, Buncombe, Henderson, 

 and Jackson Counties. 



