XYMrilALlXAE: I'HYCIODES TIIAKOS. 641 



first brood of Inittcrfiies which dovchjp directly into the second as wc [)ass 

 from north southward vvoidd be a very interesting subject for investigation. 

 Much niit^ht be told by a comparative estimate in given localities of the 

 relative abundance of the butterflies of the first and second broods. 



Habits. The butterfly is partial to flowers, especially such as grow in 

 low, damp grounds, and when feeding it rests with its wings almost per- 

 fectly expanded, each raised at an angle of perhaps 5°-10°. Mr. J. G. 

 Jack observes that it sometimes persistently follows Anosia plexip[)us, 

 alighting when it does and rising only when the larger insect takes to 

 flight ; and he asks if this can be for the sake of protection from some 

 enemy ; it is more likely that it is startled into flight by the movements of 

 its gigantic ally. It is fond, too, of wet spots, as Mr. Edwards remarks, 

 assembling in hundreds with other thirsty butterflies. Its flight is invari- 

 ably slow, in keeping with its character, and for short distances only. It 

 is in no way pugnacious as other butterflies, nor do the males pursue 

 and tease the females to the same extent ; but each seems rather intent 

 u[)on a little more honey and willing rather to let alone and be let alone. 

 All this is in entire keeping with its sluggish nature through life. 



When resting quietly on a horizontal surface, the wings are closed, the 

 front pair so fully concealed that the costal edges of all the wings are 

 parallel and in the middle scarcely more than a millimetre apart. The 

 body is raised at an angle of 60° with the surface, the outer portion of the 

 inner margin of the hind wings resting on the ground ; the antennae are 

 extended on a line with the upraised body, and are very little arcuate 

 when viewed laterally, the club curving slightly downward ; they diverge 

 at an angle of 95° and their tips are about 13.5 mm. apart. 



Dr. C. S. Minot observed the position of the legs while the insect was 

 at rest, and informs me that the femur of the front legs is directed upward 

 and outw^ard, with its distal extremity posterior to the base of the tarsi, 

 which is a very unusual position ; the tarsi of the middle legs are directed 

 slightly forward ; the tip of the abdomen rests upon the ground. Just 

 before flying he observed the antennae quiver and the head turn in every 

 direction as if to see if the coast were clear. 



Dimorphism. The dimorphism of this species was first discovered by 

 Mr. Edwards, who had previously distinguished for the first time between 

 the two forms, regarding them as distinct species. His examinations have 

 been very thorough and his account in the Butterflies of North America 

 should be studied by any one wishing for information. With the prodi- 

 gality of illustration which he there oflPers, and the detailed account of his 

 experiments, nothing more is needed to make the matter perfectly clear. 

 He shoAvs conclusively that wherever the species is digoneutic, the earliest 

 brood of the season differs from the later ; and though it is certainly dif- 

 ficult sometimes to distinguish certain specimens of the first brood from 



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