BUTTERFLIES OF THE DISTEICT OF COLUMBIA 253 



It is much less powerful and energetic than the silver-spotted 

 skipper {Epargyreus tityrus), and it flies always near the ground 

 after the fashion of the frosted skipper {Achalatms hjciades). 

 Though often fast and irregular, its flight is typically slow — a 

 curious hovering flight with the body held at an angle with the 

 ground as if the tails were too heavy — much resembling the flight 

 of Poanes massasolt and, on occasion, of Atrytone pontiac. 



The caterpillar resembles that of the silver-spotted skipper, but is 

 easily distinguished by being longitudinall}' striped. It feeds chiefly 

 on various plants, both wild and cultivated, of the pea family 

 (Fabaceae). In parts of the South it does much damage to crops, 

 particularly to beans, turnips, and cabbages. 



THANAOS LUCILIUS (Lintner) 



Columbine Skippeir 



Plate 52, Figure 7 



This common butterfly is not known from the District, but it must 

 occur here, or at least it must have occurred here when the wild 

 columbine {Aquilegia canadensis) was a common plant in the rocky 

 woods about Washington. It is to be sought for, especially as a 

 caterpillar, on cultivated columbines. It is found as far south as 

 Raleigh, N. C, and northern Georgia. 



THANAOS TERENTIUS (Scudder and Burgess) 



Plate 52, Figure 3 



This species, which occurs in the coastal region from Florida to 

 Massachusetts, is to be looked for in the District. 



It resembles T. horatius^ but at the extremity of the cell of the 

 fore wing and above it there is a distinct cinereous patch paler than 

 the rest of the wing, and near the outer border of the wing there are 

 cinereous clouds. The glassy spots average much smaller than in 

 T. horathis^ and the cellular spot is always minute or obsolete. 



STAPHYLUS HAYHURSTII (Edwards) 



Plate 52, Figures 15, 16 



This skipper is to be looked for as a visitor to the District. 



In color it is prevailingly dark brown, and it is easily distinguished 

 from all our other dark-brown skippers by the curiously wavy margin 

 of the hind wings, the white underside of the abdouien, and the 

 markings as shown. 



