GENUS GRAPTA 171 



in abeyance awaiting the publication of this book. This new 

 species is very different from any other known Synchloe ; and it 

 is a departure from the Arizona tangle of the species of the inter- 

 grading, Crocale type, for it is quite true and constant, not dif- 

 fering essentially at any point ; in fact, these examples here fig- 

 ured are the extreme forms, illustrated to show the outside varia- 

 tions. 



It is, so far as now known, an exclusively Californian species, 

 not having been taken in Arizona, or any other State, nor in 

 Mexico. 



The food-plant has not been positively determined, but presum- 

 ably it is helianthus. 



Genus GRAPTA. 



All Graptas that are found in Western America are very similar 

 in size and in appearance on the upper side, insomuch that fre- 

 quently you can scarcely tell a species by the upper side alone ; 

 but by the underside the determination is chiefly to be made. No 

 small sized Graptas are known anywhere. All Graptas are noted 

 for the deeply-excavated margin of both wings, and by the silver 

 crescent or comma, as it is called, in the center of hind wing on 

 under side. All Graptas are noted for being always constant and 

 true, any variation or aberration being unknown. The shape and 

 size of the silver crescent is constant in each species, but each dif- 

 fers from every other species in that peculiar mark, so that it af- 

 fords a good pointer as to what species the specimen belongs to. 



Western Graptas are found in places that are more or less for- 

 ested, in canyons, on hill sides, among scattered trees, and in wil- 

 low copses ; never out on the open plain, or on exposed places. 

 Graptas frequently live through the winter, by hiding away in 

 sheltered places. 



The West Coast Graptas appear to go in pairs of species, or 

 that two similar species of each type are found, these two closely 

 resembling each other, and being widely different from any 

 others : as Satyrus-Marsyas ; Faunus-Rusticus : Zephyrus-Gra- 

 cilis ; Silenus-Oreas ; and only the new species Chrysoptera, stands 

 alone. 



