LYC.ENA I. 



LYC^NA VIOLACEA. 1—4. 



Lycxna violacea, Edwards, Proc. Ent. Soc. Phila. 1866. 



Male. Expands .9 to 1.2 inch. 



Upper side usually deej) glossy violet blue, but sometimes with a pink tinge ; 

 costal margin of primaries silvery ; hind margins of both Avings edged by a black 

 line which is expanded on the apical half of primaries into a border ; on this jiart 

 of the wing the fringe is black, but on the lower half and on secondaries it is white 

 with black at the ends of the ncrvules ; occasionally on secondaries it is entirely 

 white ; in many cases the black marginal line turns the anal angle and there thick- 

 ens so as to make a consj)icuous spot ; as often there is an elongated sj^ot at the out- 

 er angle and sometimes five or six dots between these two si:)0ts along the margin. 



Under side of both wings greyish-white, of uniform color entirely to the mar- 

 gin ; primaries have a dark grey discal streak, a sub-marginal transverse row of 

 six rather broad, mostly elongated black spots, the first next costa in advance of the 

 line, the others parallel to the margin, the 3rd, 4th, and 5th standing obliquely ; 

 along the margin a row of six jioints, often partly obsolete, each preceded by a dis- 

 tinct dark-grey crescent, these last uniting so as to make a crenated line. 



Secondaries have a discal streak ; three black spots in a row between the 

 streak and base, one being on either margin, the third midway between them ; a 

 transverse row of eight clear black spots across the disk, the two next costa largest, 

 much in advance of the others and over against the streak, with which and the 

 eighth spot they form a direct line ; the third is separated from the second by a con- 

 siderable space, the fourth is turned obliquely ; the seventh is long, lunular and 

 back of the line ; eighth, near the margin, elongated ; along the margin is a row of 

 six blackish dots, palest at outer angle, that next anal angle double, the one pre- 

 ceding largest ; each spot surmounted by a crescent as on primaries. 



Body above blue, beneath white ; \)-a\i)\ white ; antennae black ringed with 

 white ; club black tijijied with ferruginous. 



Female a. Same size ; paler and dull colored ; the hind margin and apex of 

 primaries with a broad blackish border ; costa of both wings obscured by same 

 color. 



b. Uj^per side uniform blackish-brown ; under side like the male. 



On the Kanawha River this is the earliest butterfly of the year. After the 

 stormy weather of March is past, usually about the 20th, on the first sunny day. 



