1382 THE BUTTERFLIES OF NEW ENGLAND. 



ridges crossing tlie uintli abdominal segment ; within tlie embrace of tlie liorseslioe- 

 sliaped ridge is found a ronndisli snnlien floor witli a longitudinal Assure. Cremaster 

 as long as the seventh to uiutli abdominal segments, as viewed from above broad at the 

 base, immediately contracted and beyond tapering to a truncate tip with rounded angles ; 

 the. base witli a deep and largo triangular sulcation ; beneath, it is very broadly and some- 

 what uniformly sulcate throughout ; viewed laterally it is arcu.ate over the narrowing por- 

 tion, and tapers slightly to a l)luntly rounded tip, which is transverse and contains all the 

 hooks; these are long, slender, not enlarging before the extremity of the tip, where 

 they are strongly arcuate, almost coiled, expanded, dorsally rounded, the extreme tip 

 bluntly pointed, bearing a reversed, slightly compressed cup. 



This is one of the most characteristic genera of American Hesperidae 

 and finds its metropolis in the tropical parts of the continent ; it is com- 

 posed of numerous widely distrihuted species and reaches to about the 

 33d degree of North Lat., and probably to the same degree on the 

 southern continent ; one species, following northward the warm Atlantic 

 shores, has been found in a few instances as far north as New York city, 

 and in a single locality in Connecticut. 



The butterflies of this genus may at once be distinguished by the long 

 heavy tails to their hind wings, supported by a prolongation of the sub- 

 median nervure. The upper surface of the wings is dark brown, the front 

 pair adorned with a transverse median series of irregular squarish, vitreous 

 spots of medium size and a strongly arcuate series of similar smaller spots 

 descending from the costal border near the apex and striking the middle of 

 the transverse series. Beneath, the wings are paler and grayish, the hind 

 pair traversed transversely and more or less distinctly by two blackish 

 sti'ipes of moderate width, tlie inner furcate next the costal margin. 



The history of the different species is but little known ; the one with 

 which we have to deal is double brooded, the imago flying in August and 

 at the end of September, the latter probably hibernating ; the chrysalis of 

 the first brood continues over six weeks. 



"We are informed by Mr. Swainson," says Westwood (Gen. diurn. 

 Lep., ii : 510), "that the fligiit of the butterflies of this genus is exceedingly 

 rapid in the morning and evening, and that they rest with all the foiu- 

 wings horizontally extended." Wallace says they prefer open ground in 

 the hot sunshine. 



The caterpillars taper considerably toward either end, the neck being 

 quite small, the head very large and considerably bilobed above ; the body is 

 green, striped longitudinally witli yellow and dark green and specked with 

 dusky spots. 



The chysalids are well rounded, the thorax more than usually arched, 

 the wing sheaths pretty full and the abdomen tapering only on the apical 

 half. 



