28 BULLETIN 15 7, V. S. ITATIONAL MUSEUM 



Very common on the thistles is the silver-spotted skipper [Epar- 

 gyreus tityrus)^ less common and much less readily perceived the 

 sachem {Atalopedes campestris) . Next commonest are the yellow 

 and the orange clover butterflies {Oolias philodice and C. eurytherne), 

 and two or three species of the smaller skippers. From time to time 

 one sees a Leonard's skipper {Erynnis leonardus), conspicuous be- 

 cause of its large size and the bright rusty under surface of the 

 wings. This skipper is not common, and you will not see more than 

 two or three in the course of an entire day. Even less frequent is the 

 American painted lady {Pyrameis mrginiensis) ^ but this becomes 

 common later in the season. 



Scattered everywhere about the fields are the clover butterflies, the 

 yellow {Golias philodice) outnumbering the orange {G. eurytheme) 

 about three to one. The white butterflies, which are fairly numerous, 

 aggregating about one-fourth of all the butterflies of this type, are 

 the white females of these species, nearly all of them of the yellow 

 one, which are easily distinguished from the infrequent cabbage but- 

 terfly {Pieris rapae) by their stronger, less meandering, and more 

 rapid flight. 



Here and there are seen quite commonly small yellow butterflies 

 {Eurema lisa) with a low, weak, wandering flight. They are more 

 numerous along the roads and where the grass is short than elsewhere. 

 Some of these are almost white, while others are of a brilliant yellow. 



More numerous than these, though less conspicuous because of their 

 small size and brownish coloration, are the pearl crescents {Phyci- 

 odes tharos) and the tailed blues {Everes comyntas)^ which are 

 everywhere to be seen flying near the ground. Together with these, 

 in somewhat lesser numbers, are the least skipper {Ancyloxypha 

 numitor), mostly seen dancing lazily among the grass blades, and 

 another skipper almost as small (PoUtes coras), usually to be 

 observed on small flowers near the ground. 



From time to time worn and battered females of the cybele 

 {Argynnis cyhele) are seen cruising about the fields hunting for 

 violets on which to lay their eggs. Occasionally they descend and 

 hover near the grass tops for a second or two, soon rising and going 

 on their way. Sometimes, though rarely, they will visit thistle 

 flowers. A few of these cybeles are fresh and brightly colored, 

 though always with torn wings, and these are more often to be 

 seen on flowers. There frequently apj)ear the females of the regal 

 fritillary {Argynnis idalia)^ which every 100 feet or so suddenly 

 drop like lead into the grass where they walk about for several 

 minutes depositing their eggs. These, though rubbed and faded, 

 are much less dilapidated than most of the females of the cybele, 

 and none of them are fresh or brightly colored. A few of the 

 males of the regal fritillary still are about and may be seen on the 



