FAVOKIIK lU'TTKIUI-V IIAIM^. 817 



The butterfliof< are very iK'iiutit'nl and tlic sexes diller in colonitimi 

 above. Their winps iirc pretty well rounded, detititnte ol' tails ; they are 

 dark brown above, all the hind winj^s cxcfiitinjr the eoHtal niarjrin 

 (female), or only tiie middle portion oC their outer l)order (male), metallic 

 blue ; beneath they are of a duller blue, the f<u'C winfjs partially traversed 

 in the middle t)f the outer half by a series of eonneeted reddish spots, the 

 hind win^rs with a fiulimaririnal series of independent spots and an extra- 

 mesial, torluoiis stripe ottlie same eolor. 



Thev seem to appear on llic winjj twice in tlie yeai-, in May and .lidy, 

 and hibernate in the chrysalis state. Nothinjr more is known ot' their his- 

 torv than is gained bv the few dates of capture of the imago. 



EXCUIiSrS XXVII.— TIIE BEST LOCALITIES FOR COLLEC 

 TORS; FAVORITE BUTTERFLY HAUNTS. 



oil ! the bonny, bonny (tell, wbaur the primroses wonu, 



Liiikin'uol o" llieir loiives like wee sons o'tlie sun; 



AVhiiiir the wiltl roses liinj; like lliekers o' finnie, 



Anil fii" al tlie touih wi'a liainty slianic; 



AVhanr thr hvv swings ower the white-elovcr>' sod, 



.\n<l tlie liutterlly Hits like » stray thoucht o' God; 



Whaiir, like arrow shot frae life's unseen bow, 



The iliai;on-tly Imrns the sunliebt tlironi 



oil I the iHiiiny, bonny ilell, w baur I san^' to ecc 



The i^)3e and the primrose, the ilraigon and bee! 



MacDonald. — The Bonny, Bonny Dell. 



MoirxTAlX vallevs, in my experience, are the best localities for secur- 

 ing butterflies in number and diversity. Their plentiful moistiue, and 

 perhaps more than normal midday warmth, with their diversity of surface 

 render them favorable places for abundance and richness of plant-life, 

 upon which of course butterfly existence depends. It does not, however, 

 follow that diversity of flora is correllated with variety and abundance of 

 butterflv life. The island of Nantucket, for instance, has a very diversi- 

 fied flora, and tame as is the aspect of the somewhat monotonous surface 

 of the island, it is everywhere clotlied with verdure except upon the sea- 

 shore or the steeper parts of its bluffs. Yet its butterfly fauna is essen- 

 tiallv meagre and comparatively uninteresting. Kiver bottoms support a 

 luxuriant vegetation, but tinlcss the surface is broken or varied by groves 

 with openings partly filled with shrubbery, the butterfly fauna will not be 

 greatly varied ; for next to mountain vallevs for variety and abundance, 

 their miniature representatives, the ravines among the hills, will be found 

 the most attractive resorts ; here the little streams favor the growth of 

 copses, and by their twists and turns have so moulded the forms of the 

 surface as to oflTer nooks where the breezes may waft the but partly will- 

 ins butterflv into a haven of delight with others of his kind ; where 

 flowers of some sort are always in bloom to satisfy the appetite and the 

 quiet air permits them to open their wings softly to the warm sun. 



103 



