NY]\iriIALL\AE: SPEYERIA IDALIA. 543 



be found for tlie first ten days or a fortniglit, and tlie female is generally 

 scarce until the latter part of July. Fresh specimens continue to emerge 

 from the chrysalis until after the middle of August, so that some observ- 

 ers have su[)i)oscd them to indicate a second brood (See Can. ent., xi : 

 211' ) . The phenomenon is the same as in the several species of Argynnis, 

 but there is no proof as yet of any interruption in the advent of fresh 

 material in the southern part of the range of this species. The butterflies 

 may be found on the wing until the end of the third week in Septeml)er 

 in the north, and probably later in the south. The efffrs are not laid 

 uiuil long after the cclosion of the earliest females, not indeed until the 

 last of August, commonly not until Septemlier, and I have had tliem laid 

 as late as the middle of the month in Cambridge, and Mr. Pxiwards 

 speaks of securing some the last of September in the south. Tlie larvae 

 hatch, and go at once into winter quarters, the remainder of the history 

 being carried out in the succeeding spring. 



Habits of the butterfly. It is found in meadows and ()[)en, breezy 

 places, sucking the juices of golden rod, thistle and common red clover. 

 It has a bold and rather majestic flight, sailing more frequently than the 

 other large Argynnidi : but it does not move Avith great rapidity even when 

 frightened, nor is it often seen at any great height, generally flying about 

 four feet from the ground. It is rather wary of approach and will generally 

 fly off in a somewhat labored fashion against the wind, but if pursued will 

 keep just out of reach, or may suddenly dart to one side and then, expand- 

 ing its Avings to the full, be borne along hurriedly by the wind far to the 

 rear of the pursuer. The flight of the female is much less vigorous and 

 sustained than that of the male. The latter generally flies a little faster 

 than one can walk hurriedly, the ample wings are flapped with great 

 vigor but do not seem adapted to swift flight. ^Ir. H. Skinner, speakino- 

 of the females, says "their flight is exceedingly rapid and generally in a 

 straight line for about one hundred feet, and then they do not alight on a 

 flower or bush or flutter about like the male, but suddenly drop like lead 

 in the long grass. It would be almost impossible to tell the exact spot 

 where they alight as they drop so suddenly, but on approach near it they 

 are oflTlike a shot again" (Can. ent., xiv : 20). 



The male has a slight musky odor. 



When resting in the sun, the wings are fully expanded or drooj) slightly, 

 the fore wings thrown forward so far as to show the upper extra-mesial 

 spot of the hind wings ; the hinder edges of the latter ]-est upon the 

 ground, and the front of the body is so raised that the plane of the wings 

 is at an angle of fully 30° with the surface of rest. The antennae are 

 straight, raised at a slight angle above the plane of the wings, and divari- 

 cate about 125°. When walking, the antennae, still straight, are brought 

 on a line with the upper surface of the body and divaricate only 80°. 



