750 THE BUTTERFLIES OF NEW ENGLAND. 



Fore legs greatly atrophied in tlie male, the tarsi consisting of a single unarmed 

 joint; but little altered in the female, excepting in size, the armature of the tarsi and 

 particularly of the last joint being nearly complete. Paronychia and pulvilli present; 

 claws very small, falciform. 



The structure of the male al^domen is very exceptional among Nymphalidae, the 

 eighth abdominal segment being produced into a median beak-like hook, or a pair of 

 lateral hooks with interlacing bristles between them, concealing the upper organ of 

 the male appendages, which is a slender, acicular process directed backward. Clasps 

 very simple, forming broad, compressed plates, very variable in form, sometimes 

 rounded and entirely concealing the other parts, at other times conforming more 

 closely to the diversified nymphalid type with projecting processes and hooks.* 



Egg. Elliptic in form, but slightly or distinctly produced apically, the extreme 

 apex truncate, the sides with many very elevated vertical ribs, traversed, like the sur- 

 face, by numerous liorizontal raised lines. 



Mature caterpillar. Cylindrical, unarmed, clothed only with pile arising from 

 tubercular points, the segments with four transverse divisions; markings in longitudi- 

 nal stripes. Head narrower than the body, globose, smooth, pilose. 



Chrysalis. Ovate, compressed, with rounded angles. Head blunt and quadrate, 

 dorsally not separated in outline from the thorax, which is well arched, carinate, and 

 the front of which has an abrupt descent; abdomen cylindrical, but tapering, and 

 mediodorsally carinate ; cremaster prominent, elongate. 



Characteristics and classification. This anomalous subfamily of 

 Nymphalidae may be readily distinguished by the excessive length of the 

 palpi, which in these butterflies greatly surpass those of any others (being 

 from a quarter to a half as long as the whole body) and by the peculiar 

 angulation of the fore wings, which are strongly and abruptly excised. 



The markings, too, are unique ; the dark brown of the upper surface, 

 on the basal half of the wings, is more or less obscured by fulvous in lon- 

 gitudinal areas, and the apex of the fore wing is supplied with large oval 

 roundish spots, fulvous or pale in color, transversely or diagonally ar- 

 ranged. 



The purpose of such an extraordinary extension of the palpi is not 

 apparent. Edwards, referring to it (Butt. N. A., vol. ii), remarks: — 



If they were not pacific little creatures, these butterflies might seem to be furnished 

 with an " engine," as Spenser calls it, to inspire with caution evil-minded foes, such 

 as wasps, dragon-flies, and that " wicked wight," " foe of faire things," the " greisly 

 tyrant spider." . . . And surelj'^ the fiercest enemy might hesitate before that porten- 

 tous beak and those red eyes blazing like carbuncles. Nevertheless I am sorry to have 

 to say that wasps and spiders maintain the mastery, and cause havoc, not only among 

 these, but all butterflies. And dragon-flies (Libellulae) pounce upon them as do hawks 

 on small birds, bearing away their prey to be devoured at leisure. 



De Niceville remarks in his Butterflies of India (ii : 301) : — 



The different species . . . are singularly uniform in size and outline, as well as in 

 colouration, but the specific distinction in the markings of the upperside are clear, and 

 in most cases constant. They all vary from a little under two inches to a little over 

 two inches in expanse ; all have the same peculiar outline and strongly falcated fore- 



* Its structure in the European species is araericana (purportini? to cover more than the 

 very insuflicieutly given by White; and the single species there introduced) applies only 

 description given in the Biologia Ceutrali- to the American forms. 



