NYMI'IIALIXAH: TIIK (JKNTS VANESSA. 435 



iniO([ual t<[)Ots and ii transvcrsio patcli of white or sonic hrinlit color depcml- 

 inii" iVoni the costal hordcr. Beneath, the niaikin<i's of tlie fore winjis in 

 each section are nuich the same as above though more variegated ; the 

 hind wings are alike in the two sections, infinitely diversified with dark 

 and light markings taking for the most part a transverse direction, darker 

 shades [irevailing to a greater extent in Pyrameis than in Neopyrameis, and 

 provided, conspicuously in Xeopyrameis, inconspicuously in Pyrameis, 

 with a suhmariiinal scries of rounded ocellate spots, varying in size and 

 abundance in tiic dift'crent s[)ecies. The two grou[)s differ also, as Double- 

 day pointed out, in having the paronychia distinctly bilaciniate (Pyrameis) 

 or the inner lobe rudimentary (Xeopyrameis) ; there are further diflTerences, 

 pointed out beyond, in the male abdominal a[»pen(lages. 



History and characteristics. In the tempei-ate i)arts of America at 

 least, the species are all double-brooded and all hibernate as imagines and 

 probably also sometimes as chrysalids, the hibernating butterflies and the 

 butterflies from hibernating chrysalids flying at about the same time in 

 spring. The first brood of caterpillars appears in early June, and the 

 second early in Ajigust. 



The eggs are laid singly, usually upon the up[)er surface of the leaves 

 of Compositae (especially of the tribes Cynaroideae and Inuloideae) and 

 of Urticaceae, — the former family of plants Ijcing the food by prefer- 

 ence of the kno\\-n larvae of Neopyrameis. the latter of those of Py- 

 rameis. The caterpillars live singly, usually in vertical nests ; those of 

 the section Pyrameis constructing theirs of a single leaf, the lower portion 

 of which they gradually devour, while the caterpillars of Xeopyrameis, at 

 least after attaining half their growth, form their nests of several leaves, 

 feeding only upon the parenchyma of the u])per surface of these leaves, 

 nntil nearly mature. When the insect completes its metamorphoses 

 before winter, the chrysalis usually hangs from ten to twelve days, but its 

 time mav be as short as eisrht or as long as fourteen. 



The butterflies have a rather powerful flight, irregular and wayward, 

 and are exceedingly active, although they frequently settle ; the Pyra- 

 meides sometimes sail, the Neopyrameides very rarely : they are all fond 

 of flowers and ripe fruit. On alighting they turn suddenly about away 

 from the sun, expanding their wings fully, sometimes even depressing 

 them : the antennae are straight, nearly or quite in the plane of the body 

 and spread at about right angles. The fore wings are often partially 

 raised and are then placed at a slight angle with the hind wings, the inner 

 border of the former resting on the plane of the latter. When at rest in 

 the shade, the winijs are closed back to back and the antennae, raised at a 

 considerable angle, are much less divaricate. When at rest at night, the 

 antennae are raised at right angles with the body, i.e. nearly perpendicu- 

 lar, and scarcelv divaricate. 



