BUTTERFLIES OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 145 



INCISALIA IRUS (Godart) 

 Frosted Elfin 

 Plate 25, Figure 8 



Oocurrence. — Frequent, but very local. Mr. Shoemaker has found 

 it in Arlington County, Va., over Free Bridge, from April 18 to 

 May 1 on flowers, and of the four specimens from the District in the 

 Schonborn collection three are dated May 3. 



Habits. — Like IncisaUa augustinus this is a sluggish species and 

 always keeps near the ground. It rests on the ground, or on the 

 leaves of herbaceous plants, or on the lower leaves of bushes. It is 

 less given to concealing itself than /. augiostinus, and consequently is 

 more easily found. 



INCISALIA HENRICI (Grote and Kobinson) 



Occurrence. — I have met with this species only in the lowest of the 

 bogs near Paint Branch, where I took one on May 3, 1931, and 

 another on May 9, 1931. Both were much broken. The first was 

 resting on a huckleberry bush about 5 feet above the ground and the 

 other was on a small blueberry 4 or 5 inches from the ground. 



Remarks. — This species has been frequently confused with /. irus. 

 Mr. Scudder regarded henrici as a synonym of irios, and his colored 

 figure represents henrici and not irus. 



This species seems to be especially partial to the redbud {Gercis 

 canadensis). Abbot said that it frequents the blossoms of the red- 

 bud in old fields on the borders of swamps. In the National Museum 

 collection there are four specimens from Cadet, Mo., taken on red- 

 bud on March 2, 26, and 30 and April 4, 1896, and also three pupal 

 skins taken on redbud on March 30 and April 4 and 13, 1896. 



INCISALIA NIPHON NIPHON (Hubner) 



Banded Elfin 



Plate 25, Figures 9, 10 



Occurrence. — Generally distributed in pine woods and in woods 

 with numerous pines, and locally rather common. It often wanders 

 rather widely out over fields adjacent to woods and frequently 

 visits gardens. 



Mr. Shoemaker has found it common on pines in Arlington 

 County, Va., over Free Bridge, from April 18 to May 1, and I have 

 specimens from the same region taken on June 17. I have seen it in 

 Kock Creek Park and in woods across Sixteenth Street from the 

 Walter Reed Hospital in May. 



