148 THE BUTTERFLIES OF NEW ENGLAND. 



hyperparasite, Tetrastichus semideae Pack., which comes to the friendly aid 

 of our mountain butterfly. Still another supposed parasite, Encyrtus 

 montinus Pack. (89:4), was obtained by Mr. Sanborn w^ithin the chry- 

 salis of semidea, but whether strictly parasitic upon it was not determined ; 

 all we know is that it was found alive and winged within an old chrysalis 

 case, early in July. 



Desiderata. The hotel at the summit of Mt. Washington and the easy, 

 if expensive, means of approach now enable one to carry on investiga- 

 tions on this insect far more advantageously than formerly, during the sea- 

 son (July-September) Avhen they are open to use ; and there are still some 

 questions to clear up. We do not yet know anything of the larva between 

 the first and penultimate stages, nor at what season these stages are passed ; 

 the natural length of the chrysalis period is not known, nor whether it 

 ever passes through the winter. A careful and prolonged search under 

 stones by the rock rivulets in the Alpine area in October before snows put 

 an end to search would enable us to know most about the wintering con- 

 dition, but it would have to be carried on under great difficulties, not to say 

 dano-ers, because of the season. The same should be said of the early 

 sprino-, which on the whole is the season when we now need the most help ; 

 a similar search, with a lookout for butterflies, in the latter half of May 

 would be most desirable. The facts gained by such a search would help 

 clear the doubt Avhich now hangs over the life history of the insect. The 

 early stages can perhaps be studied at ordinary levels by procuring the 

 eo-o-s on the mountain and feeding the caterpillar either on sedges or grasses. 

 It would be well for the occasional visitor in the latter half of July to seize 

 any rare sunny and windless day, especially before noon, to watch the 

 female ovipositing, to find out the place and method of laying eggs ; as the 

 insect is very timid, this should be done with caution. Search should be 

 made for this butterfly in July and August on all peaks which rise 2000 

 to 3000 feet above timber in the Rocky Mountains of Wyoming, Montana 

 and the Northwest Territories of Canada. 



LIST OF ILLUSTBATIONS.-OENEIS SEMIDEA. 



General. Laar/o. 



PL 89, fig. 4. Encyrtus montinus, a parasite. PI. 1, fig. 9. Right band upper surface 



?Jffg. male ; left hand lower surface female. 



PI. G4, fig. 8. Plain. 11 : 3. Both surfaces, plain. 



Caterpillar. 33:4. Male abdominal appendages. 



PI. TO, fig. 5. At birth. 38:5. Neuration. 



74:1. Fourth stage. 46:1. Androconium. 



2, 4, 1"). Full grown. 52 : 6. Side view of head and appen- 



7. First stage enlarged. dages enlarged, with details of the strnc- 



78 : 6-8. Front view of head, stages i, iv, v. ture of the legs. 



Chrysalis. 61:50. Side view of the digestive tract 



PI. 83, figs. 4,5. Side' and dorsal views. in the abdomen. 

 86 : 18. Cremaster. 



