NYMPHALINAE: POLYGONIA FAUNUS. 357 



nicnts, this butterfly is not so shy as most species of Polygonia. It is 

 readily captured, especially on the highways, where it loves to settle, with 

 wings broadly spread, upon the ground or on twigs from three to ten feet 

 above the ground, projecting toward the road. It is much addicted to 

 the droppings of horses in the roads ; ]Mr. F. H. Sprague even says that 

 he once found them feeding on this strange food "in a state of apparent 

 intoxication, so that I picked up many specimens in my fingers with per- 

 fect ease ; three in one spot." It is seldom found far from the woods, al- 

 though rarely detected within their depths but rather in sunny openings, 

 beside mountain torrents, or in half shaded forest roads. Lintner wanting 

 of this species in the Adirondacks says : ' ' Usually extremely shy as are 

 all the Graptas, my approach startled only a few of their number, which 

 after a short circuit returned to their repast. I experienced not the least 

 difficulty in capturing twenty or more by hand." 



Its ordinary flight is from three to ten feet above the ground, where it 

 moves in a tolerably direct but slightly zigzag course, with intermittent 

 movements of the wings ; first there are three or four rapid, vigorous 

 flaps, then it sails a few feet, then the Aving beats are renewed and so on. 

 But if alarmed it will dash about in a headlong manner, abruptly termin- 

 ating its flight by pitching suddenly on a tree trunk or more commonly on 

 a leaf of a projecting twig. At such a time it is as daring as it is impetu- 

 ous, and even saucy, flaunting itself in your face and darting off again ; 

 or, if a dash is made at it with the net, it will double and throw itself after 

 the net. Starting up a pau- just at my feet one day on the Mount Washing- 

 ton carriage road, I stopped abruptly to see whether they Avould settle 

 again. After flying a few feet away to escape the cause of their disturb- 

 ance, one turned back and dashed straight at my face, turning only when 

 within three or four inches of my nose, and then suddenly w^hisked off with 

 a distinct click as it did so, snapping its fingers as it were in my very face. 



As stated, it often rests with expanded wings flat on the ground, sun- 

 ning itself ; the front pair are then brought forward so as to leave between 

 them and the hind wings a gap half Avayto the base ; the straight antennae 

 are raised at an angle of 45° with the vertical (about as the trunk is raised) 

 and diverge about 85°. When at complete rest the wings are tightly 

 closed, the fore wings brought down just sufficiently to leave no opening 

 between them and the hind wings, and the antennae are tucked between 

 the wings in an upright position, toward the middle of the outer margin. 

 When at ordinary rest the wings are held erect, but parted from each other 

 as in sunning, and the straight antennae, diverging 25°, are in direct contin- 

 uation of the extreme base of the costal margin of the fore wings ; the tip of 

 the hind wings touch the ground and the body is raised a little in front. 

 Some Avhich had been caged, when night came, himg from the under side 

 of twigs, the wings pendant and held as last described : the antennae were 



