BUTTERFLIES OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 129 



o°. Hind wings with the inner angle produced and broadened, 



forming a distinct rounded lobe Theclinae (p. 138). 



Subfamily Gerydinae 



The subfamily Gerydinae includes seven genera of dull little butter- 

 flies which are wholly, mostly, or largely black or dark brown above, 

 with markings of bright brown, ochreous, or white, rarely of viola- 

 ceous. They are distinguished from the other lycaenids most con- 

 spicuously by their curious legs, which are sometimes very long. The 

 tibiae or tarsi are commonly elongated, or are otherwise peculiar. 



The males have no secondary sexual characters, and usually do not 

 differ in color from the females. They have a strong irregular moth- 

 like flight, dancing about a favored locality or flying back and forth 

 along a path, and are very loath to leave any particular spot. In 

 some species they seem to become more active toward evening, but in 

 others they fly only in the middle of the day, and only on sunny days. 



The females for the most part remain in partial shade, fluttering 

 about among low bushes or the branches of trees. 



So far as we know, all the butterflies of this group are carnivorous, 

 the caterpillars feeding on aphids, coccids, jassids, and membracids, 

 which are attended by ants. 



The butterflies of this subfamily are found chiefly in southern Asia, 

 but a few are found in Africa, and one inhabits the Eastern United 

 States. In habits ours does not seem to differ appreciably from the 

 related Old World species, particularly the species of Gerydus. 



Genus FENISECA Grote 



FENISECA TARQUINIUS (Fabricius) 



Aldeei Butterfly 

 Plate 5, Figures 5 to 8 ; Plate 7, Figure 9 ; Plate 9, Figure 5 ; Plate 28, Figure 7 



Feniscca tarquinius Riley, Science, vol. 7, p. 394, Apr. 30, 1886; Amer. Nat., vol. 

 20, pp. 556-557, 1886.— W. H. Edwards, Can. Ent., vol. 18, pp. 141-153, Oct. 

 29, 1886.— Riley, Can. Ent., vol. 18, pp. 191-193, Dec. 29, 1886.— A. H. Clark, 

 Smithsonian Ann. Rep. for 1925, pp. 439-50S, 192(5. 



Occurrence. — Local and very erratic in its appearance, being com- 

 mon in or absent from the same locality in different years or at 

 different seasons. It is undoubtedly a common butterfly in the Dis- 

 trict, taken as a whole, but its gypsylike manner of changing its 

 haunts necessitated by the vicarious nature of its food supply makes 

 it difficult to locate at any given time. 



It is to be found about alders, beeches, or other plants growing 

 along or near running water and infested with woolly aphids. In the 

 summers of 1928 and 1929 it was common on the right bank of the 



