BUTTERFLIES OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 37 



comma) from time to time was seen. All the individuals were fresh, 

 and all were of the light form {harrisii). 



Seated on a muddy spot in a road in the center of the field was 

 a Camberwell beauty {Vanessa antiopa) ; another was caught on 

 some asters not far off, and a third was seen in the woods among the 

 trees more than 20 feet above the ground. 



A single female cabbage butterfly {Piei-^is rapae) fresh from the 

 chrysalis was taken by the roadside. 



A week later, on October 13, the autumn was somewhat more ad- 

 vanced. The weather was still warm, the maximum temperature being 

 85°. The flowers were mostly as before. Thistle flowers and the 

 flowers of Eupatoriwin coelestinum. still were numerous, but there was 

 a marked decrease in the goldenrod and in the small white asters. 

 In the woods the leaves w^ere falling, and every little breeze would 

 detach a shower of them. 



The songs of the grasshoppers and crickets were less strong. In 

 the marshy spots the rattling trill of the swamp cricket frog still 

 was to be heard. Along the brooks flowing through the woods were 

 many tree frogs sitting on the bank or on the fallen leaves floating 

 in the water. 



Swallowtails were rather scarce. In the course of about four 

 hours about a dozen blue swallowtails {Papilio philenor) were ob- 

 served. A single much-battered black female of the yellow swallow- 

 tail {Papilio glaucus) was caught, and a fairly fresh though much- 

 rubbed female of the parsnip swallowtail {Papilio polyxenes) . Four 

 milkweed butterflies {Danaus plexippus) were seen, all fresh from 

 the chrysalis. Three females of the cybele {Argynnis cyl)ele), all 

 extremely worn, were caught. These were the only butterflies that we 

 saw on the thistle flowers. 



The lesser sulphur {Eurema lisa) , though still common, was much 

 less abundant than it was a week ago. Nearly all the individuals 

 had very recently emerged. 



Though still abundant, the yellow clovers {Colias philodice) had 

 decreased in numbers very noticeably. Most of those caught were 

 fresh. Possibly the old, worn individuals can not long withstand the 

 cold of the present autumn nights. The orange clovers {Colias eury- 

 theme) had likewise decreased in numbers. Practically all we 

 caught had recently emerged. 



Pearl crescents {Phyclodes tharos) still were common, and a few 

 fresh individuals were taken — one or two males and several females. 

 There were a few tailed blues {Everes corny ntas) about, all very 

 worn. 



Skippers were very few. Most noticeable was the gray darter 

 {Pyrgus tessellatus), a few of which were seen flying swiftly and 

 erratically just above the grass tops. Most numerous were the 



