A COLONY 



B TJ T T E I^ IF L I E S . 



About one hundred thousand years ago, during 

 the decline of the Ice period, a colony of Butterflies 

 settled in New England. They chose for their 

 territory Mount "Washington, in New Hampshire, 

 and their descendants occupy the rocky summit of 

 that mountain to this day. 



Mount Washington is 6293 feet high, and the 

 White-Mountain butterflies are not found below an 

 elevation of about 5600 feet. Between this height 

 and the often cloud-capped summit, the butterflies 

 disport during the month of July of every year. 

 The bare and inhospitable mountain-top afi^ords 

 little vegetation, yet the White-Mountain butter- 

 flies find there food upon which they thrive. Both 

 Mr. Sanborn and Mr. Scudder have found the cater- 

 pillar feeding upon the sedges, which grow, as best 

 they may, in hollows and between the rocks. The 

 dusky brown butterfly, which succeeds the cater- 

 pillar, measures about one and eight tenths inches 

 from tip to tip of the extended front wings. Above, 

 the four wings are feebly marked ; beneath, the hind 

 pair are crossed by a dark median band with its 

 outer edges deeper brown and irregular, while be- 

 yond the band the wings are marbled, brown and 

 white. 



Naturalists know the White-Mountain butterfly 

 by the name of Oeneis Semidea, and its first bio- 



