408 THE BUTTERFLIES OF NEW ENGLAND. 



which were the first to reach that stage or such as may have had positions more 

 favorable for their development — disclose their butterflies at this unfriendly 

 season, when the cold autumnal winds so soon compel them to shelter them- 

 selves in winter retreats," On writing to Mr. Lintner for confirmation of 

 this assertion, he replies : " My statement seems as if I had carried some 

 of the chrysalids through the winter to emerge in the spring, but I have no 

 recollection of such an occurrence, nor do I find any record of it among 

 my notes." In accordance with his early opinion, however, are the state- 

 ments of several correspondents that they have taken specimens in April 

 apparently quite fresh, and as these butterflies almost invariably fly several 

 weeks before hibernating, they would not be likely to appear very fresh in 

 the spring ; moreover, since, as above stated, the females of the early brood 

 oviposit very soon after eclosion, those from wintering chrysalids would 

 have an opportunity of laying their eggs at the same time as the hiberna- 

 ting butterflies and thus produce no confusion in the ap])earance of the 

 broods. On the other hand, Gosse mentions (Can. nat., 356) finding a 

 pupa on December 25 ; and Mr. Saunders says he has "several times kept 

 the chrysalids of this insect over the winter, but," he adds, " they have 

 invariably produced ichneumons in the spring" ; and my experience has 

 been the same. There is also a difference of opinion among lepidopterists 

 concerning the hibernation of the species in Europe ; Dr. Sj)eyer thinks 

 they winter only in the imago state ; Dr. Meyer Diir says in his memoir 

 on the Swiss butterflies that the first butterflies of the spring are those 

 which have hibernated, but that others flying from the beginning of May 

 until toward the end of June are disclosed from hibernating chrysalids ; he 

 has, however, since written me that he does not believe they winter as chry- 

 salids. Herren von Prittwitz, Zeller and Wiesenhiitter all speak of it as 

 wintering only in the imago state, so that the balance of authority is de- 

 cidedly against the hibernation of chrysalids. It is certainly not very 

 creditable to the zeal of entomologists that this part of the history of a 

 butterfly so common on two continents should be undetermined. 



Wintering vrithout hibernation. Experiments made within doors 

 show the possibility of carrying this butterfly through the winter in the 

 house. Mr. Siewers of Newport, Ky., placed one caught September 7 

 (Can. ent., x : 115-116) in a paper box in a cold room where water would 

 freeze, with half an apple in a small dish covered with sugar and filled up 

 Avith water, renewed once a week. 



It placed itself on the side of the box, directly over and within reach of the dish, 

 and however I moved the apple I always found that it followed it around. It evi- 

 dently fed on warm days, but never opened its wings. ... It allowed me to handle it 

 and Avould lie flat on my hand without movement. In February I thought there were 

 symptoms of weakening. It no longer perched on tlie side of the box, but remained 

 on the l)ottora; leaning over very much to one side. Placing it in sunshine the last 

 week in February, it began to open its wings little by little, with short jerks. . . . When 



