922 THE BUTTERFLIES OF NEW EXCLAXD. 



European by Jenner Weir (Entom., xix : 50-52) ,: and the two broods 

 differ from each otiier wherever they occur, with slight exceptions. But 

 whether single or double brooded, they hibernate in the chrysalis state, 

 and the iniagos of the first generation (or, in the north, of the only genera- 

 tion) are among the very earliest butterflies to emerge from the chrysalis, 

 and may be considered true harbingers of spring. The most delicate 

 winged of all butterflies, and quite as active as most, they not only fly 

 when nearly all insect life is still beneath the spell of winter, but seem no 

 -shorter lived on that account. Like violets and hepaticas in color, they 

 fly in the season of these flowers. The eggs hatch in a week or less, and 

 the chrysalis, if it does not pass over the winter, gives out the butterfly in 

 about three weeks. If there is a second generation it differs from the first, 

 or agrees with its latest member and flies in July, and is nuich less num- 

 erous than the preceding. 



Speaking of our species, Gosse says (Lett. Alab., 144-145) : — 



It appears to be very pugnacious, attacking witli Quixotic kniglit-erranti-y any in- 

 truder, no matter how miic-la bigger than itself. It is particularly gamesome a few 

 hours after sunrise; taking its stand on some prominent leaf of a bush, it rushes out 

 upon evei-y butterfly that passes by ; then they perform such swift and tortuous evolu- 

 tions that the eye is unable to follow them : this lasts only for a few seconds ; for 

 having pursued the traveller three or four yards, tlie [butterfly] returns to the very 

 same leaf, to watch as before. . . . This constancy of resort to one individual leaf ortwig 

 is very singular and unaccountable : sometimes on my approach to one so situated, it 

 has been alarmed and flown to a considerable distance, but, taking a flight round, it 

 returns to the place ; and presently there is the little thing alighting on the very leaf 

 again. 



The common European species, C. argiolus, is described by Meyer Diir 

 as inhabiting the low and hilly parts of Switzerland, up to the height of 

 2700 feet, where, in sunny spots near the border of leafy forests, it hovers 

 singly, at some distance from the ground, around the projecting branches 

 of trees. It does not settle on the ground, nor, like other Lycaeninae, 

 fly in meadows from flower to flower, — its whole conduct agreeing rather 

 with that of the Theclidi. Our own species is constantly on the ground, 

 alighting on damp spots, but like its Eiu'opean brother has no passion for 

 flowers. 



The transformations of the species are pretty well known. The cater- 

 pillars feed somewhat indiscriminately upon flowers, seed vessels and 

 leaves of a great number and exceptional variety of plants, rarely the 

 same even generically in Europe and America, though as a general thing 

 the same families are selected : thus among the Ranunculaceae we 

 have Cimicifuga ; among Cruciferae, Nastiu-tium (in confinement), and 

 among Anacardiaceae, Rhus — all these in America only. Among Eham- 

 naceae, Rhamnus in both countries and Ceanothus in addition in America ; 

 among Sapindaceae, Aesculus in America ; among Leguminosae, Robinia 

 and Dorycnium in Europe and in America Erythrina, Apios and in con- 



