132 BULLETIN 15 7, V. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM 



from Arlington County, Va., where I have seen it in some numbers, 

 and it is represented by five specimens from the District in the 

 Schonborn collection. 



Habits. — The flight of this little butterfly is very characteristic. 

 It flutters rather rapidly along, sweeping irregularly first to one 

 side then to the other and often doubling on its course. The flight 

 is never long, for the little creature soon alights on the summit of a 

 weed or on a leaf with the wings closed and the fore wings drawn 

 well forward, exposing the black spots on the underside. It flies 

 only 2 or 3 inches above the grass tops, and 6 inches to a foot above 

 bare ground. 



It is very fond of sunning itself on the bare ground, stones, or 

 leaves with the wings halfway expanded. It is often to be seen 

 sucking moisture from the mud. It is very fond of flowers, particu- 

 larly of the flowers of the clovers. 



The males are much more active than the females and their flight 

 is more irregular and usually longer. They are very aggressive and 

 Mr. Scudder has noticed that they will " even assault the monster 

 Carolina locust {Dissosteira Carolina) ^ This unhappy insect is 

 tormented by all the aggressive butterflies in this region. I have 

 noticed six other species chasing it. These are, in the order of the 

 frequency of the performance, Phyciodes tharos, BasUarchia archip- 

 pus^ Junonia lavinia, Pyrgus tessellatus^ Pyraineis cardui, and 

 Vanessa antiopa. 



In settling their differences the belligerent males of the common 

 copper do not rise into the air as do so many butterflies, but always 

 keep near the ground. 



Mr. Scudder has remarked that this is one of the first butterflies to 

 appear after sunrise, and one of the last to disappear at nightfall. 



Seasons. — The common copper appears about the end of April 

 and by the first week in May has become common. This brood con- 

 tinues on the wing until about the first of June. The second brood 

 begins to appear in small numbers about the middle of June, and by 

 the end of the third week in June the individuals have become 

 numerous. The butterflies of this brood, which are much more 

 abundant than those of the spring brood, fly until after the first of 

 August. The third brood appears about August 1, and fresh but- 

 terflies increase in numbers for nearly two weeks, continuing to 

 emerge for at least three weeks. A fourth brood appears early in 

 September, and the insect continues to fly until the end of the season. 

 It is possible that there is a partial fifth brood early in October. 



Notes. — The individuals of the first brood differ slightly from those 

 of the later broods. The ground color of the fore wings is clearer, 

 there being less infuscation toward the base, and the black spots on 



