LYCAENINAE: IIEODES HYPOPHLAEAS. 1007 



Gosse, in writing of this insect, says (Can. nat., 21!l) it 



would be perhaps the most spleiulkl buttcrlly we liiive, if its size corresponded with 

 its bcaiity. . . . Thi- riclinessof tlio glowing, llame-coloured wiii^s is wortliy of admira- 

 tion, ami the under surfu'-e is very delicate; and I do not sec tliat it is less beautiful 

 because it is diminutive; thou>;h if it were as lavse as a swallow-tail or a Camlierwell 

 beauty, it would strike the attention more readily. 



It is curious to watcli tiicii' proceedings in jiairing time, wliioli remind 

 one strongly of tlie I^nglisli sparrows. One may be seen perched on a. 

 leaf, its iiind wings quite still and iiorizontal, while the front pair are 

 slightly raised and in a constant flutter. Its follower will be close beliiud 

 it, apparently unconcerned, but as it walks after the leader, the latter 

 walks off a little further ; the little play will proceed a while when the 

 leader flies away, quickly followed by the other. Which sex takes the 

 lead in this jicrformancc I have not determined. 



Postures and sleep. These butterflies are very fond of resting on 

 bare spots fully exj)0sed to the sun ; wherever they alight, even if on a 

 twig, they at once turn around so as to bring their back to the sun, and 

 open their wings at right angles, the fore wings partially concealed by 

 the hind pair ; the antennae diverging at an angle of from 95°-100°. 

 When resting in the sliadc, the wings arc closely apprcssed, the fore wings 

 concealed by the hind pair, so that the costal edges are brought together ; 

 the antennae, viewed from above, are perfectly straight, and spread at an 

 angle of 85°, their tips being about 11 mm. apart; when viewed from 

 the side thcv are sli^jhtlv curved downward, but otherwise are straight and 

 nearly continuous with the body. When walking, even on a perpendicu- 

 lar surface, the tip of the abdomen is trailed on the ground and the fore 

 legs are used like the others. 



When they emerge from the chrysalis they at once seek a vertical sur- 

 face to expand their wings, which then hang, when fully expanded, so 

 that the costal edges of all the wings are together, and the inner edge of 

 the hind wings just touch the surface of rest : the antennae are then held 

 quite horizontally (or later are slightly raised), and are .scarcely parted, 

 the clubs often in actual contact. 



Miss Caroline G. Soide, observing this butterfly clinging, toward sun- 

 set, to grass blades, with drooping wings, made some experiments to see 

 how soundly it slept (Psyche, v : 42) : — 



Approaching one, I gently touched the grass, but the butterfly remained as before. 

 I shook the grass, then shook it less gently, but the butterfly did not stir. Then I 

 picked the blade and carried it in my hand, not taking any care to keep it upright, for 

 five blocks [in tlie city], and even then it was only as the sun struck the grass, when 

 I crossed the street, that the butterfly awoke, and lazily flew to a sliady place, resting 

 as before. I followed, and this time a touch was enough to startle it. I did not 

 arouse it a third time, but afterwards, in the country, I tried the same experiment sev- 

 eral times, always with tlie same result. 



I have always found the butterfly in the same position, more than half way up the 



N^ « 



