238 THE BUTTERFLIES OF THE WEST COAST 



colored rays very distinctly. Nothing is known as to the prelimi- 

 nary stages, nor as to the food-plant. One cannot know every- 

 thing ; I deem myself fortunate in being able to show you the fine 

 series of figures of the species, it is so rare; and am willing that 

 some one else should name the plant. 



Genus PAMPHILA. 



The genera in butterflies are all small in the numbers of the 

 species they contain ; only Genus Pamphila contains a fair num- 

 ber of names ; for it is absurd to think of every species carrying 

 a generic name. Some attempts have been made to divide this 

 genus into many, but there are no manifest lines for such division, 

 and any attempt made has been met by dissent and counter 

 division, and whatever one author may do in the way of genus- 

 dividing is promptly contradicted by the next writer. All this 

 tends to confusion and to the disgust of the student, accomplish- 

 ing no good whatever, but only harm. 



I therefore in this book follow essentially the system of classifi- 

 cation of W. H. Edwards, the most competent captain of butter- 

 flies that this country has ever seen, and I shall adhere to it until 

 a better one is found, and one competent enough to acquire and 

 retain a following. For this old system has stood the test of time 

 for a century, more or less, and is good for a century to come. 

 Let the Pamphilas stand. 



The eggs of the "Skippers" are mostly dome-shaped, or hemi- 

 spherical, and are laid singly on the proper plants, which are 

 mostly grasses of various kinds. These butterflies will not lay 

 their eggs when in confinement without their proper plant is 

 present. 



416. Pamphila Ruricola. Not elsewhere illustrated. 

 Plate XXX ; Figures 416, b, c. 

 Fig. 416, Male, Sisson, Cal., August 20. 1891 ; Author. 



b. Female, Sisson, Cal., August 20, 1891 : Author. 



c, Female underside, Sisson, Cal., August 20, 1891 ; 



Author. 

 Ruricola is one of the first of California butterflies to be given 

 a name, as it was found and named in 1852 ; yet although it has 



