804 THE BUTTERFLIES OF NEW ENGLAND. 



As this American genus appears to consist of only a single species 

 whose geographical distribution is given helow, nothing need be added 

 here upon that point. The species occurs not uncommonly in the southern 

 half of New England. 



The two sexes of the butterflies are quite different in appearance so far 

 as the shape of the wings is concerned, those of the hind pair being 

 broadly rounded in the female, but sharply bent at tlie anal angle in the 

 male ; in botli tliey are destitute of tails. They arc of rather large size 

 for Theclidi, — the largest among our New England forms — dark uniform 

 brown above, scarcely paler below, where they are ornamented with a 

 marginal series of red spots, bordered with black, nearly or quite obsolete 

 on the fore wings, and with a slightly sinuous series of roundish, black 

 spots in the middle of the outer half of the wings. 



The butterflies are single brooded, hibernating in the egg state : the 

 caterpillars feed on Rosaceae ; the chrysalids continue for about a fort- 

 night and the butterflies appear in July and lay their eggs in August. 

 They are rapid flyers but are easily taken upon flowers, of which they are 

 very fond and to which they often resort in companies. 



The juvenile larvae are described as of a roseate color, brighter on the 

 sides, sparingly clothed with curving hairs, mostly directed backward, and 

 longer than the body itself. The full grown caterpillars are slender and 

 the sides of the body slope acutely from the dorsal field ; their color is 

 green with rosy patches in front and behind and they are thickly covered 

 with microscopic hairs. The chrysalids are by no means so slender as 

 the larvae, of a pale, glossy brown with darker dots. 



EXCURSUS XXVI. — HYPERMETAMOBPHOSIS IN BUTTER- 

 FLIES. 



Licbes, leichtcs, luft'ges Ding. War's eiu Sylphe, der dein Kleid 



Schmetterliug, So bestreut, 



Das div iilier Bhiineii sehwebet, Dicb aus Morgeuduft gewebet, 



Nur von Thiiii und Bliiten lebet, Nur auf Tage dich lielebet? 



Bliite sell)St, ein fliegend Blatt, Seelclien, und dein kleines Herz 



Das, mit welcbem Eosenfinger I Poeht da unter nieinem Finger, 



Wer bepurpurt hat? Fiihlet Todesscbmerz. 



Fleucli dabin, Seelclien, sei 



Froh und frei, 



Mir ein Bild, was ich sein werde, 



"Wcnn die Kaupe dieser Erde 



Aucb wie dii ein Zephyr ist 



Und in Duft und TlJaii und Honig 



Jede Bliite Idisst. 



Herdkr. — Das Lied oom Sdimetterlinge. 



EvEUY caterpillar in its growth from tlie egg to maturity changes the 

 character of its coating. I do not refer to that periodic sloughing of the 

 skin conunon to the early stages of all insects, the reason for which is 

 quite apparent, since otherwise their inelastic coats would be too strait for 



