416 THE BUTTERFLIES OF NEW EXGLAND. 



continuous with tlie line of the protliorax. The mesonotuni is considerably arclied 

 longitudinally, cavinate slightly along the median line ; on the anterior half just beyond 

 the middle, elevated to an anteriorly compressed, triquetral, pyramidal tubercle, not 

 very large, not so high as long, scarcely pointed. Inferior surface, including the ap- 

 pendages, straight from the base of the ocellar prominences to near the tips of the 

 wings. ^leso- and metanotum furnished with a median supralateral pair of ratlier 

 small, rounded, elevated Avarts, higher than broad; wing tubercles of a similar form, 

 with a short ridge running from its base toward, and away from, the supralateral tu- 

 1)ercles of the mesonotum, and a larger one, connecting it with the supernumerary 

 Aving tubercles ; the latter is little more than an elevation of this ridge to the height of 

 the basal Aving tubercle, from Avhicli it is separated by an angular, but not deep excision. 

 Wings protuberant in the middle of the upper half of the posterior border, but not 

 elevated to a tubercle. Abdomen less arched than in Polygonia, furnished Avith a 

 dorsal series of small, Ioav, inconspicuous Avarts on the anterior edge of the second to 

 the eighth segments ; a laterodorsal series of Ijluntly conical tubercles on the middle 

 of the first to the eighth segments, similar to those on the sides of the thoracic seg- 

 ments, but someAvhat larger, especially on tlie fourth segment, and excepting on the 

 first and eighth Avhere they are smaller; a suprastigmatal series of Ioav, inconspicuous 

 Avarts a little in advance of the middle of the third to the seventh segments ; and an 

 infrastigmatal series of similar Avarts on the middle of the fifth to the eighth segments. 

 Freanal button similar to that of Euvanessa, the bounding ridges very heavy. Cre- 

 master, vieAved from above, nearly half as long again as broad, scarcely tapering, the 

 bounding Avails loAV, broad, equal; vicAved from the side slightly tapering, consider- 

 ably enlarged at the tip. Hooklets rather short, not much enlarged at the tip, Avhich 

 is bent roundly at riglit angles, and has a sharply produced, short, doAvuAvard directed 

 apex. 



This group is represented by two species of moderate size ; one, mil- 

 berti, is found in North America north of the 42d parallel ; the other, 

 urticae, spreads over the Avhole of Europe and northwestern Asia, tliat is, 

 the Avestern tAvo-thirds of the Old World, north of the oGtli parallel, and 

 is found alike on plains and mountains, to the heiglit of 8,000 icct. The 

 American species is found throughout Xew England, but is very rare in 

 the southern portions. 



The tAvo species differ considerably, the European insect greatly resembl- 

 ing the species of Eugonia on its upper surface, except in haAdng the basal 

 half of the hind wings Avholly dark, and thus leaving a broad, tawny belt 

 betAveen it and the outer border ; Avhile the American form has most of the 

 base of the fore Avings similarly obscured, so that the colored belt is com- 

 mon to both Avings. The under surface is dusky, the basal darker than 

 the outer half, the Avhole traversed by short, delicate, transverse, darker 

 threads, and the outer margin obscurely marked Avith greenish or bluish 

 atoms on a dark ground. The changes undergone by the European species 

 in its longitudinal range in their direct relation to temperatm-e liave been 

 discussed by Reichenau (Kosmos, xii : 46-49). 



There are three broods of these insects in the most favorable localities, 

 although Meyer Diir says there is but one of urticae in the high Alps. 

 The butterflies hibernate and also some chrysalids. Dr. Meyer Diir Avrites 

 that he has often carried chrysalids of the European species through the 

 Avinter, which invariably disclosed ye/nale-s in April. The first brood ap- 



