BUTTERFLIES OP THE DISTEICT OF COLUMBIA 67 



In the vicinity of the District, therefore, while the insect first 

 appears a month earlier than about Boston, its period of maximum 

 abundance is approximately the same in both regions, or possibly 

 very slightly later here. 



It would seem most probable that Mr. Shoemaker's unique very 

 late capture was an individual from an egg laid in the spring of 

 the same year. 



Notes. — Compared with a series of 24 specimens from Weston, 

 Mass., near Boston, the individuals from Beltsville are seen to be 

 uniformly darker and more grayish. 



The Massachusetts specimens (pi. 1, figs. 5, 6) all are of a some- 

 what yellowish brown, whereas those from Beltsville (pi. 1, figs. 3, 4) 

 are of a smoky brown. These last are above more nearly the color 

 of Neonympha eurytus than of that of the form of their own species 

 occurring about Boston. 



As in the north, the depth of color varies considerably. Though 

 the males are always quite dark and smoky, the lighter females are 

 only slightly grayer and scarcely darker than some northern females. 



In both series of specimens the males sometimes lack all trace of 

 spots on the fore wings, while in the females the uppermost spot on 

 the hind wing may be extended outwardly, tapering to a sharp point. 



In light southern females the light area on the outer third of the 

 fore wings is bounded by the row of four rounded spots, and the 

 apex of the wing is always broadly dark, the light band beyond the 

 end of the cell being seldom more than half its width. In light 

 northern females this light area extends beyond the four rounded 

 spots nearly or quite to the narrow submarginal band and sometimes 

 involves nearly the whole of the apical portion of the wing. 



It is evident that the specimens from Beltsville show an approach 

 to the form described as fumosus by Leussler, although the deviation 

 from the northern type is not very great either in color or in size. 



In 7 males from Beltsville the fore wing varies in length from 25 

 to 27 mm., averaging 26 mm. ; in 3 females the minimum is 25, the 

 maximum 27, and the average 26 mm. 



In 12 males from Weston, Mass., the fore wings varied in length 

 from 23 to 26 mm., averaging 24 mm. ; in 12 females the minimum is 

 24, the maximum 28, and the average 25.8 mm. 



Remarks. — In Lincoln, Mass., I once frightened one of these butter- 

 flies, which dashed away in almost a straight line, rising as it went. 

 It had not gone more than 10 feet when it was seized by a dragonfly, 

 which at once lit on a fern frond and was immediately caught. The 

 butterfly seemed quite dead. It had been beheaded and the hind 

 wings had been torn by the legs of the dragonfly during capture. 



