buttp:rflies at the white mountains. 129 



pillar — also })arty-col()rctl, but hristliiig with spines — may be found both 

 on the black birches and the willows. AMiere both these plants are found 

 in such al)undance, search would seem to be vain, but if it is confined to 

 such sprays of the siuallcr plants as project forward toward the road — such 

 spots indeed as the butterflies select to alight upon — the patient search will 

 be rewarded. Another Polygonia, far rarer, P. gracilis, I had until 1887 

 taken only here and on the opposite side of Mt. Washington, perhaps a 

 couple of dozen in all in as many years ; and it is almost its only known 

 locality in New England, though it doubtless occurs in many other elevated 

 regions fiivorable for P. faunus. In 1887 it was tolerably common, and 

 was found to occu[)y a distinctly lower zone, below 2,500 feet. P. progne 

 is also common, belongs properly to the same zone, and I have taken its 

 lnYVii here on the wild gooseberry. Eugoniaj. -album is another butterfly 

 common in certain seasons at least, and I should consider this its favorite 

 New England ground, were it not that one night it flew by hundreds into 

 Sankaty lighthouse on Nantucket, where in several summers' residence on 

 the island I ne^'er saw it at any other time. Euvanessa antiopa is also 

 connnon enough at the White Mountains, but not much more so than 

 elsewhere. One may generally see a dozen on a good day in earlv June, — 

 seedy-looking individuals which have survived the winter. Aglais milberti 

 is also common in the lower country, feeding in swarms upon the nettles ; 

 and this concludes the series of Nymphalidi which need be mentioned. 



Argynnis atlantis occurs here in the utmost profusion, as nowhere else 

 in New England. One may easily take hundreds in a single day, the 

 sandal wood-scented males largely predominating. Brenthis myrina and 

 B. bellona are abundant in the restricted meadow-lands, and in about 

 equal numbers, though B. myrina is far more common in central New 

 England. But the region is one of the best for most of our Melitaeidi. 

 Phyciodes batesii occurs here early in June, and this is its only known 

 New England locality. P. tharos swarms (as it also does elsewhere) and 

 here is the best place to search for those very local species, Cinclidia 

 liarrisii and Eu[)hydryas phaeton. They can best be obtained in the larval 

 state, for they may always be taken in large numbers very early in the 

 spring in such conveniently accessible spots as the immediate borders of 

 the Glen road, liarrisii feeding in large companies on Diplopappus and 

 phaeton scarcely more dispersed on Lonicera. 



I have never paid special attention to the Theclidi in this region, nor 

 had them force themselves on my notice ; so that I am inclined to think 

 none of them particularly al)undant, or more so than elsewhere. Nor are 

 any of the Lycacnidi exceptionally common, excepting Cyaniris, which is 

 certainly far commoner — especially C. pseudargiolus lucia — than anvAvhere 

 else in New England, abundant as it often is. The roads seem at times 

 blue with them, and they swarm at all moist spots, occurring also to the 



