146 BULLETIN 15 7, U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM 



It is most numerous in the woods along Paint Branch, where it is 

 found especially along their borders and in the bogs and clearings, 

 also wandering rather widely over the near-by fields. 



Season. — The banded elfin appears about the middle of April or 

 slightly before, and is most common toward the end of that month 

 and in the first half of May. It continues to fly until after the 

 middle of June. 



Habits. — This little butterflj^ is equally at home near the ground 

 and in the tree tops, but it prefers to keep at least 10 feet above the 

 ground. It may be seen flying about the branches of pines 30 feet in 

 the air, or resting on a muddy spot in a road. If disturbed when on 

 the ground or when resting on a leaf near the ground it will often 

 fly high into the trees, and it is sometimes observed to flutter from 

 the tree tops to the ground. 



It is fond of sunning itself on the leaves of herbaceous plants or 

 small bushes, and also on stones or on the ground. In the woods it 

 is perhaps most frequently noticed on the trunks of pines or on 

 exposed roots. 



Its flight is slow and leisurely, rather fluttering, direct or with 

 broad curves. If alarmed it is capable of considerable speed, in the 

 open flying rapidly away a foot or so above the tops of the herbage, 

 in the woods mounting gradually or abruptly to the tree tops. 

 Fights between rival males are very lively, but are never prolonged. 



On alighting the butterfly shifts its position several times, con- 

 stantly moving the hind wings alternately up and down, before 

 coming to rest. This habit makes it rather easy to detect. 



It is less sluggish than /. august'mus., spending a larger portion of 

 its time on the wing, and its flights are much longer. But it is almost 

 equally stupid and unsuspicious and is very easily caught. 



It is fond of flowers of various kinds, particularly the flowers of 

 Vaccinium in the woods and of Brassica^ Antennaria, Gnaphaliutn, 

 and Lupinus in open fields. It is also sometimes seen on damp earth. 

 When feeding on flowers it keeps its hind wings moving up and 

 down. 



Comparisons. — Local specimens are slightly larger than specimens 

 from the vicinity of Boston. In a series of seven males taken at 

 Paint Branch on April 29 and May 3, 1931, the fore wing measures 

 14r-16 mm., averaging 14.5 mm., in length. In a single female taken 

 at the same time the fore wing is 15 mm. long. Mr. Scudder gives 

 13 mm. as the average length of the fore wing in the male and 14 mm. 

 in the female. 



Specimens from the District are more richly colored than those 

 from New England. They are darker above, usually dark slaty 

 brown with bronzy and dark greenish reflections, and show two 

 rather large brownish orange spots near the anal angle, which may 



