/ 



CHIONOBAS III. 



secoud. This stage of Icallda closely i-eseniljled the corresponding one of C. 

 Aello, as figni-ed by Mr. Scu(hler; but the egg ditiers in shape materially : that 

 of Aello being marked by straight beaded ridges, and being narrower at base 

 than towards the snmmit. So little is known of the preparatory stages of 

 species of Chionobas, that even the meager contril)ution I am thus al)le to 

 make will be an addition of some importance. 



Mr. Mead found leallda on Fred's Peak and on Tallac Mountaiu, near Lake 

 Tahoe, during the latter part of July and early in August, at an elevation ol" nine 

 to ten thousand feet above the sea. On the grassy northern slopes of Tallac 

 Mountain it was pretty abundant. He regards it as local and extremely rare in 

 most parts of its habitat, finding no examples in a very thorough exploration of 

 the mountain crests about Summit, which is also near Lalce Tahoe, and but i'ew on 

 Freel's Peak. Mr. Morrison, the same season, took a few examples about Sum- 

 mit, and Mr. Henry Edwards had occasionally taken one or more there in previous 

 years. The nielanized male figured on the plate (Fig. 5), was taken by Mr. 

 Morrison. The Qgg obtained by Mr. Mead was laid 1)y a female confined in a 

 small portable cage, contrived by him, and described in Psyche, vol. 2. p. ISl. 

 I copy his description, that his mode of obtaining eggs may be more exten- 

 sively known to Lepidopterists. " I have found a little device, very convenient 

 on excursions where only a limited amount of l)aggage can be carried, for 

 inducing butterflies to lay eggs. T had a number of wire frames made, each 

 consisting of two rings about five inches in diameter, connected by wire up- 

 rights, about seven inches high, the joints being all soldered. These frames will 

 fit in, side by side, so as to require only a moderate amount of room. I had a 

 similar number of round tin box covers made, dilTering in size sufficientlv to 

 nest together. A few cylindrical flat-bottomed bags of gauze, of suitable size to 

 fit over the rings, completed the apparatus. If the food-plant is not too large 

 it may be transplanted to one of the tin covers (in which the gauze-covered 

 frame is set) ; otherwise a branch may be placed in a liottle of water within the 

 cage and the female introduced. In this simple way the eggs of more tlian a 

 score of butterflies were obtained during the summer." 



Icallda is closely allied to C Chryxus Doubl, the differences being mainly in 

 color. Mr. Mead notices that Ivailda is almost exactly like Hipparchia Rld'nujs'd 

 Edw., " which," he adds, "has not only the appearance but the hal)its of a 

 Chionobas." 



On the Plate is also given the egg of C. Iduna, received from Mr. 0. T. Baron. 

 It is snbconic, broadest at base, nearly as broad as high, the top a little depressed, 

 the sides ornamented by about eighteen vertical ridges, which are somewhat sin- 

 uous, elevated, and sharp, their sides irregularly excavated. The larger part of 

 these extend from base to summit, about which they form a beaded rim (Fig. c). 



