BUTTERFLIES OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 235 



Table 2. — Seasonal occurrence of butterflies in the District of Columiia — Contd. 



ODORS OF DISTRICT BUTTERFLIES 



The odors exhaled by the scent scales of the males of local butter- 

 flies furnish an interesting field for investigation. In only a few 

 cases have these been determined, and in no case have they been 

 described in such a way as to convey any really definite meaning. 



Most of the observations given below were made by myself, Austin 

 B. J. Clark, and Hugh U. Clark on butterflies caught in the District, 

 but the notes on Argynnis aphrodite^ which is very rare here, were 

 taken in Massachusetts. 



S. H. Scudder first described the odor of the males of A^'gymiis 

 idalia^ Lycaenopsis arglolits, and Pieris rapae, and W. H. Edwards 

 that of the female of Papilio pkilenor. The odor of the male of 

 Phoehis eubule was first described by Fritz Miiller from Brazilian 

 examples, and later by Miss Mary Murtfeldt from specimens taken 

 in Missouri, and George B. Longstaff from individuals caught in 

 Colombia. Dr. F. A. Dixey redescribed the odor of Piens rapae 

 from examples caught in England, and the odor of Papilio ma- 

 chaon was described to me orally by Dr. Peter Sushkin, of Lenin- 

 grad, Russia, his observations having been made in Germany. 



Family NYMPHALIDAE 

 Subfamily SATYRINAE 



None of the three species occurring in the District is known to 

 possess an odor. The males of Satyrodes ewrydice are entirely with- 

 out scent scales (androconia), but these are abundant in the males 

 of Neonympha ev/rytus and of Cercyonis aJope. 



Subfamily NYMPHALINAE 



Basilo.7xhia archippus. — The males have a slight sugary odor, the 

 females a pronounced and disagreeable odor comparable to that of 

 the females of Danaus plexippus. 



Junonia lavinia. — The males of both the wet and the dry forms 

 have a rather strong sugary odor, which sometimes quickly dis- 

 appears. 



