NYMPHALINAE : CIIARIDRYAS NYCTEIS. 



GGl 



the border, usually edged with orange; the margin of the Aving is oruaincnted as on 

 the fore wings and is followed in a similar way by dull, silvery Innules of varying 

 sizes, the highest (as high as broad) being those of the costo-subcostal, upper sub- 

 costal and upper median interspaces, those of the lower subcostal and loAver median 

 being less than half as large and the others nearly or quite linear or obsolete; fringe 

 as on the upper surface. 



Abdomen blackish above, with a few scattered fulvous scales, especially at the apices 

 of the segments, and on the sides more than above; beneath white, often faintly 

 tinged Avith butt". Appendages of male (34 : 5, 6) with clasps scarcely longer than 

 broad, upper edge emarginate interiorly ; apical spines of nearly equal length, about 

 half as long as the clasp; the lower is bent doAvnward and backward and a little 

 inward, at its middle commencing to curve pretty strongly inward and a little upAvard ; 

 upper spine strongly recurved from its base along the upper edge of the clasp, in an 

 almost exactly opposite direction to the apical half of the interior spine, Avhich dooH 

 not, like the apical spines, delicately taper to a point. 



Described from 32 specimens, of which 15 AA'ere 3 , 11 9 . 



Comparisons. Specimens from West Virginia appear to be almost uniformly 

 smaller than the fcAV I have seen from New England, and still more so than western 

 examples. The species, which at first sight considerably resembles Phyciodes tharos, 

 can be distinguished from that species, above, by the general color of the surface, 

 which is not quite so deep, and is apt to be still paler in the middle than on the outer 

 third of the hind Avings ; by the much larger size and frequently pupilled condition 

 of the submarginal series of round black spots on the hind Avings ; by the greater 

 community of the black markings on the basal half of the same, rendering that part 

 of the Aving almost completely black ; and by the conspicuous altei'uation of black and 

 white in the fringe; beneath, by the paleness of the brighter tints of the fore Avings; 

 the color of the hind Avings, which is bufi" instead of ochraceous; the whole character 

 of the marginal markings as detailed in the descriptions : the much larger and more 

 ornamented character of the submarginal series of round black spots on the hind 

 Avings ; the quite diflerent nature of the mai'kings on the basal half of the hind wings ; 

 the presence of decided though dull silvery spots on the hind Avings, a part of Avhich 

 appear in some extreme individuals of P. tharos as a sort of silvery gray ; and finally 

 by a much less extended range of variation. The present is also a larger species. 



Secondary sexual peculiarities. In exceedingly scanty numbers I have found at 

 the base of the median interspaces on the upper surface of the forcAviugs, in the male 

 and not in the female, scales Avhich have the apical margin entire and well rounded, 

 and which I therefore take to be androconia (46 : 15), though I have not found others 

 in the Melitaeidi ; they are considerably more than twice as long as broad, subequal, 

 Avith A-ery broadly convex sides, and produced and rounded basal lobes; they differ 

 from the ordinary scales only in being uutoothed, and are about .125 mm. long. 



Egg (64 : 82). Half as high again as broad, provided above Avith sixteen to seven- 

 teen vertical ribs, .06 mm. apart, fading out below; color very pale green. Height, 

 .67 mm. ; breadth, .45 mm. 



This description Avas taken from specimens removed from the body of the parent. 

 Mr. EdAvards describes the lower third of the egg as smooth, the middle third marked 

 by hexagonal pits or cells, and the upper third by vertical ribs. 



Caterpillar. First stage. Head dark greenish broAvn, nearly black. Body dull, 

 pale yelloAvish, Avith a yelloAvish patch above on terminal segment, the raised parts 



