224 THE BUTTERFLIES OF NEW ENGLAND. 



Chrysalis. Head more or less prominent, usually bifid in front. Tliorax large, 

 angulated at the base of the upper wings and with one or more prominences upon the 

 mesothorax ; the medio-dorsal line always more or less prominent near the middle of 

 the mesothorax ; posterior and superior margin of the wings prominent or considei'- 

 ably thickened, the lower surface nearly straight, with a very broad and regular 

 longitudinal curve. Abdomen tapering pretty regularly and generally about uniformly 

 toward the tip ; broadest at and about the third segment, so that the border of tlie 

 wings is raised more opposite this point and a broad, and deep or shallow curve fol- 

 lows their course to tlie base; furnished, particularly on the upper surface, with a 

 greater or less nimiber of prominences, either placed singly or in longitudinal series; 

 cremaster usually rather long, at least equal to one of the abdominal segments, broad 

 at base and tapering (excepting in Chlorippe). 



This is the most extensive subfamily of butterflies and embraces an almost 

 infinite variety of forms in every stage of its existence. With compara- 

 tively slight variation in the neuration of the wings, their outline and orna- 

 mentation present such wide diversities as to render any single description 

 impossible. The same may be said of the earlier stages ; and yet the as- 

 semblage united under this name is unquestionably natural and ordinarily 

 accepted, excepting that portions are often split off from the main body 

 by different naturalists. 



The flight of the butterflies is usually strong and as a rule they love the 

 sun and are seen most abundantly at midday. Fulvous and deep brown 

 are the prevailing shades on the upper surface of the wings, at least in 

 species from the temperate zones. Thwaites, speaking of the Indian 

 species, says (Moore, Lep. Ceylon, i: 26-27): 



The strength and tirm texture of the wings of the butterflies of this subfamily 

 enable them to keep up an unceasing activity during the bright hours of the day. 

 They seem to delight in displaying their exquisite beauty to the sun, coquetting witli 

 him untiringly while liis face shines ardently upon them. Their flight, though so 

 powerful, is not observed to sustain these charming insects in one uniform direction, 

 like the Euploea's, but serves rather to enable them, when rambling in their frolic, to 

 make wide sweeps within no very extensive area. 



The insect usually passes the winter as a caterpillar or an imago, and, in 

 the latter case, is perhaps occasionally accompanied by the chrysalis ; in no 

 known instance does the egg hibernate. The larvae all feed on angio- 

 spermous exogens but their habits diflfer widely. The following account of 

 the pupation is given by Harris (Inj. ins. veg. ) : 



Having finished eating, the caterpillar wanders about till it has discovered a suita- 

 ble situation in whicli to pass through its transformations. This may be the under side 

 of a branch or of a leaf, or any other horizontal object beneath which it can find suf- 

 ficient room for its future operations. Here it spins a web or tuft of silk, fastening 

 it securely to the surface beneath which it is resting, entangles the liooks of its 

 hindmost feet among the threads, and then contracts its body and lets itself drop so 

 as to hang suspended by the hind feet alone, the head and fore part of the body being 

 curved upwards in tlie form of a hook. After some hours, the skin over the bent part 

 of the body is rent, tlie fore part of the chrysalis protrudes from the fissure, and by 

 a wriggling kind of motion, the caterpillar-skin is stripped backward till only the 

 extremity of the chrysalis remains attached to it. The chrysalis has now to release 

 itself entirely from the caterpillar-skin, which is gathered in folds around its tail, and 

 to make itself fast to the silken tuft by the minute hooks with which the hinder 



