l60 NEW YOUK STATE MUSEUM 



board, a cavity in a tree or a similar place. It is one of the first butterflies 

 to come f( rth in the spring, frequently appearing before the snow has 

 entirely tlisappeared and occasionally it may be seen during unusually warm 

 wcatiier in midwinter The over-wintered individuals are said to pair 

 about the middle of April but eggs are not laid till the first half of May. 

 The deposition of the eggs has been observed a number of times. They 

 are placetl in somewhat alternating rows, the female recjuiring about 40 

 minutes to deposit 300 eggs, and as many as 450 have been recorded for 

 one cluster. The eggs require 12 to 15 days for hatching in the spring and 

 in midsummer but nine. The caterpillars are gregarious and when young 

 range themselves side by side with great regularity. They are more 

 frequently found near the top of a tree and as they increase in size, defoli- 

 ated branches usually give the first indication of their presence. The cater- 

 pillars are often found on a near-l)y partly stripped liml) which frequently 

 bends under their weight. Their habit of feeding close together makes 

 their injuries more apparent than would otherwise be the case. The cater- 

 oillars of the first brood attain their growth in New York State the latter 

 part of June or early July and butterflies from them may be seen oviposit- 

 ing (.luring July. The deposition of eggs was observed at Alban\- July 17 

 and nearly grown larvae were taken the latter part of August. Caterpillars 

 of this insect are much more abundant in June than later, and those 

 observed in August and September must be considered representatives of a 

 second brood. There is possil)ly a third generation some years. The 

 relative scarcity of the caterpillars later in the season may probably be 

 explained by the increasing abundance of their natural enemies and it is by 

 no means impossible that some butterflies of the first brood may hibernate 

 over winter as suggested by Professor Weed. 



Common names. I'his butterfly has received a number of common 

 names. One widely adopted and perhaps best known in this countr) is the 

 mourning cloak, a translation of the German Trauermantel. It has also 

 passed imder the names of antiopa butterfly and willow butterfly to a con- 

 sitlerable e.xtent, and the English designations of Camberwell beauty and 



