116 THE BUTTERFLIES OF THE WEST COAST 



persistent, which are found among the female butterflies of many 

 groups. 



At one time I was of the opinion that Amorphse was a hybrid 

 between Eurydice and Cassonia. My opinion was based on the 

 facts that Amorphse is only found at the south, where both Eury- 

 dice and Csesonia meet, and not at the north, where Eurydice 

 lives, but where Caesonia does not go ; that in early days Amorphae 

 was said to have a male as well as a female ; and that, as a wooer, 

 Eurydice is exceptionally energetic and persistent, not hesitating 

 to ignore all rules of propriety, of species, and of genera. But of 

 late years, as no male Amorphae is known. I have concluded that 

 Amorphic is simply a dimorphic female. But this possibility of 

 a hybrid form will be a delightful study for some future student. 



I give a good series of three individuals : and you will notice 

 that the early seasonal form is the deepest, and the latest or sum- 

 mer form is the palest of the series. 



75. Meganostoma Caesonia. 



Plate IX ; Figures 75, a, b. 



Fig. 75, Male, Palm Springs, Cal., April 20, 1885 ; Author. 



a, Male, Palm Springs, Cal., July, 1887 ; Author. 



b. Female, Colorado Desert, July, 1887; Author. 

 Caesonia is only found on the West Coast in the southeastern 



part of California. It is common in some parts of the Southern 

 Gulf States, but has never yet got much of a foothold on the 

 Pacific Coast. 



The preliminary stages are well known. 



The larval food-plant is trifolium, the clovers, and allied plants. 



Genus COLIAS. 



A large genus, inhabiting the temperate and arctic zones ; me- 

 dium to small in size ; colors almost always yellow, with strong 

 black border, to fore wings always, and to hind wings in part only. 

 The antennae are short, straight, and increase insensibly to ter- 

 minate in an obtuse cone, and are somewhat rosy. 



The sex is always unmistakably indicated in the pattern of the 

 ornamentation of the wings. 



The egg is fusiform, whitish when fresh, crimson later, and 

 black just before hatching. 



