664 THE BUTTERFLIES OF NEW ENGLAND. 



ehady spots, or the edge of streams flowing between steep, wooded slopes, 

 and in ravines among low, thick growing timber. In New York Mr. 

 Lintner found them flying with Phyciodes tharos. 



Oviposition. The eggs are laid upon the under surface of a leaf of 

 the food plant in clusters of from a few to about a hundred, "side by side 

 and in regular roAvs" (Edwards), and the duration of this stage is from 

 nine to fourteen days. 



Food plant. The caterpillar feeds upon various Compositae, such as 

 Asters, Aster (Doellingeria) umbellatus Torr. and Gray, Rudbeckia 

 laciniata Linn., Helianthus divaricatus Linn., Actinomeris squarrosa Nutt. 

 and Verbesina helianthoides Nutt. Sunflower and Actinomeris appear to 

 be its favorite food. 



Habits of the caterpillar. While examining one of the eggs of this 

 species under the microscope, writes Mr. Saunders (Can. ent., iv : 161-2). 



One of the mandibles of the enclosed larva was thrust through the egg-shell near 

 the upper surface, and soon after the other appeared near by in the same manner, and 

 after some effort these were made to meet, and then shortly a small opening made, 

 which admitted of the head being partly thrust through, when the larva soon began to 

 eat the egg around, with the view of removing the top. The thickened striae of the 

 egg were not ruptured without much effort. . . . After tearing through two or three .... 

 the larva rests awhile from its efforts, and then begins afresh. . . . After one hour and 

 thirty-five minutes had been spent in these efforts (including frequent rests), the top 

 was gnawed nearly around, when the head Avas pushed up, and the lid tilted over. 

 The larva noAv rested for about ten minutes, although there was no obstacle to its 

 egress, and then commenced to extricate itself, by first bending its head backAvards 

 and forwards, and stretching upAvards. [After three or four segments Avere with- 

 draAvn] , working its body from side to side Avith the head upwards, and alternately 

 Avorking it round with the head dowuAvards, grasping Avith its jaws at adjoining eggs, 

 or anything else Avithin reach, the remaining segments Avere speedily Avithdrawn, the 

 whole operation not occupying more than five or six minutes. 



When young they are gregarious and feed only on the parenchyma of 

 the leaf, leaving the transparent membrane; and "AA^hen alarmed by a 

 sudden motion of the plant, they immediately loosen their hold to the leaf 

 and suifer themselves to fall to the ground, with their bodies bent in a circle. 

 After lying motionless for a few minutes, if not again disturbed, they . . . 

 arouse themselves and travel rapidly away to some place of concealment" 

 (Lintner). At a later stage "they consume the whole surface of the leaf, 

 which becomes very filthy from the excrementitious matter mixing Avith the 

 juices of the leaf; but the caterpillars emerge from the mire as clean as a 

 mole from under the ground" (EdAvards). They spin a slight Aveb on a 

 leaf Avhen they wish to moult, but do not construct one for concealment or 

 protection at any other time, hibernating without that aid. The only 

 statement that the}^ live within a web is by Miss Middleton (Rep. nox. 

 ins. 111., X : 82-83) who says that this species "like the phaeton, forms a 

 Aveb." Saunders, Lintner, Riley and Edwards say nothing of the sort. 



Life history. In the northern part of its range, i. e., in the region 



