Sept. 1896.] Skinner: Study of N. American Butterflies. 117 



Satynts needs study and revision, and I do not care to say much about 

 them now, only that ariaiie has almost less than varietal value. Mr. 

 Edwards has published a most interesting and instructive account of the 

 species of Chionobas found in California, Oregon and Vancouver. He 

 shows that these forms differ slightly and also shows that in the certain 

 localities where they have been taken (where collectors are accidently 

 found) the characters of the localities are different. He also says they 

 are not found in the intervening territory. Now from my point of view 

 I would not expect them to be the same if taken many miles apart, but 

 would expect to find certain differences of less than specific value. 

 The part of his argument which does not seem to me to be conclu- 

 sive or proven is the alleged fact that the forms are not found in 

 the intervening territory. I think they are probably found in places 

 and that they would show the gradational, geographical, vertical, dis- 

 tributional differences seen in all Lepidoptera. I know this to be ab- 

 solutely true of other species occurring in Oregon and Vancouver, and 

 that they differ as much if not more than do Chionobas californica 

 and gigas. This is true, for instance, of Parnassiiis clodiiis. Are we, 

 therefore, to give one of these forms a new name? Of the semidea 

 group I have nothing to say at present. Libythea bacJmiani and carin- 

 enta I believe to be one species, larvata probably being a variety of the 

 latter form. Carinenta differs from its more northern representative in 

 the same way as many other butterflies found North and South — for in- 

 stance, like Paniphila var. egeremet and otho. Lemonias m^rmo, duryi, 

 cythera and virgulti need investigation both geographically and in re- 

 gard to seasonal broods. Calephelis species are open to some doubt. 

 Thecla and Lyccena need study badly, also from the geographical and 

 seasonal standpoints, especially the latter. All Lycfenidse should have 

 on pin exact date of capture as well as exact locality. Melinus is a 

 species of great variability and found all over the United States ; it is 

 the same thing whether from Maine, Vancouver, Florida or Arizona — 

 the same tune but with variations. There are too many to mention, 

 and I am sure there will be a certain amount of dropping in values. 



In Chrysopha/ms, on a guess, I should say arota and virginiensis 

 were perhaps seasonal diff"erences and xanthoides and dione differ be- 

 cause the one is found in California and the other in Iowa. Floras would 

 seem to be a variety of hel/oides, if it is not the dorcas of Kirby. The 

 Greenland hypophlceas differs wonderfully from Pennsylvania specimens, 

 and is more entitled to specific value than is sirius, the more Eastern 

 rubidus. The one shows the vertical differences and the other the hori- 



