BUTTERFLIES OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 213 



Mr. Shoemaker has taken this species in the District early in 

 spring, and I have a considerable series of specimens from Cabin 

 John, Great Falls, and Silver Spring taken on April 13, 14, and 23, 

 May 25, July 18, August 6, 26, 27, and 28, and October 13. 



Seasons. — This is the first of all the skippers to appear in spring. 

 It is partially two brooded. The first brood appears in the first week 

 of April and flies until early in June. It is most abundant in the 

 second week in April and from then on into earlj^ in May. The in- 

 dividuals of the second brood appear irregularly over a long period 

 from about the middle of July until the middle of October, flying 

 until cold weather. Though very common in spring, this is a rather 

 scarce butterfly in summer. 



C atevpillcbr . — The caterpillar feeds on oak, especially on scrub 

 oak, and sometimes on other plants, particularly those of the pea 

 family (Fabaceae). 



THANAOS HORATIUS (Scudder and Burgess) 



Plate 51, Figures 1 to 3 



Occurrence. — Mr. Scudder recorded a specimen of this species from 

 the District in the Yale Museum which was taken by Mr. Dodge, and 

 Mr. Shoemaker has taken it within the District. I have specimens 

 taken in the fields beyond Cabin John and at Silver Spring on April 

 14, July 15, 18, and 24, and on August 16. 



Remarks. — Except for Thanaos juvenalis and T. icelus, this is the 

 commonest species of the genus in the District, and also the common- 

 est in open fields, especially in summer. It is two brooded, flying 

 from about the middle of April until June, and again from the mid- 

 dle of July until about the first of September. 



In addition to the species of Pyrginae treated in the foregoing 

 pages, the following are to be looked for here : 



Goniurus proteus (see p. 252). I Thanaos terentius (see p. 253). 



Thanaos lucUius (see p. 253). I Staphylus hayhurstii (see p. 253). 



Subfamily Hesperiinae 



KErr TO THE MALES OF THE SPECIES 



a*. Club of antennae not produced at the tip nor recurved; size 

 very small ; fore wings above mostly brown, hind wings dull 

 golden margined with brown; beneath, fore Avings blackish 

 broadly margined with dull golden, hind wings plain dull 

 golden (pi. 3, fig. 9) Ancyloxypha numitor (p. 217). 



a'. Club of antennae with a distinct, though sometimes slight, re- 

 curved terminal hook. 



