858 THE BUTTERFLIES OF NEW ENGLAND. 



two segments more rapidly, the last rather broadly rounded and at extreme tip sub- 

 truncate ; each segment rather strongly hunched, falling oft" abruptly at posterior mar- 

 gin, with three median depressions, one very slight aud dorsal, one more distinct and 

 lateral, and one much deeper and connecting with the one above so as to form with it 

 a C, open anteriorly, at the deepest part of which the broadly obovate spiracles are 

 situated ; on the second thoracic segment, the upper two depressions run together 

 Into a transverse sulcus ; and the first thoracic segment is marked posteriorly by a 

 very deep, dorsal, transverse, lozenge-shaped depression with emarginate sides, and 

 in front of it a central dent ; anteriorly this segment is tumid ; pile of uniform length 

 all over the body. 



Chrysalis. Diflering in form from that of Thecla in the considerably greater 

 inequality of the cephalothoracic aud abdominal masses, the abdomen being fuller 

 and shorter, more shortly and stoutly oval, the parts in advance tapering more rapidly, 

 scarcely interrupted by the rounded basal wing tubercle aud nowhere equal, to a nar- 

 rower head; in particular the tip of the abdomen is more regularly rounded, aud the 

 thorax more compressed. Hair-bearing papillae higher than broad, scarcely broader 

 than the bases of the hairs which are short and spiculiferous. Tracery of raised lines 

 as in Thecla. 



This American genus probably occupies all the eastern part of the 

 northern continent south of the isotherm of 50°, including the Antilles ; 

 a single species occurs in the eastern United States and finds its northern 

 limits in the southern half of New England. 



The butterflies are of nearly the same size and shape as those of Thecla, 

 and resemble them also in having an oval disk on the fore wings of the 

 male and two tinequal tails on the hind wings ; they are dark brown above, 

 having the disk more or less deeply suffused with yellowish brown. Be- 

 neath they are deep green, the fore wings traversed by a straight submar- 

 ginal white stripe, bordered interiorly with brown ; a similar but tortuous 

 and extra-mesial stripe occurs on the hind wings, which are also provided 

 with a few white dashes at the base and some brownish spots next the outer 

 margin. 



The butterflies are double brooded, appearing (at least in the north) in 

 May and August and hibernating in the chrysalis state. They are very 

 active. 



Gosse, speaking of a Jamaican species, says : — 



It pursues its game of aerial play with its fellows in incessant and unwearied per- 

 tinacity, half a dozen or more whirling about each other in the air with a rapidity of 

 contortion that the eye of the observer vainly attempts to follow. Often two or 

 three will begin to play around an orauge tree and in a few seconds others which 

 we had not seen before, coming from no one knows where, suddenly join in the gam- 

 bols and thus the little group increases to eight or ten which after a while separate 

 and disperse invisibly as they came. Their small size and great rapidity of motion 

 doubtless help to produce this efl'ect. They delight in the full beams of the burning 

 sun ; the hottest part of the day is the season of their greatest activity and even the 

 shadow of a passing cloud will spoil their play (Ann. mag. nat. hist., (2) ii:272). 



The eggs are of a greatly depressed echinoid shape, resembling those 

 of Thecla, and studded wdth conical prominences connected by rather 

 coarse ridges. 



