IIESPEIUDI: IIESPERIA CENTAUREAE. 1545 



finest possible point and terniinutlng in a short flagellum (48 : 2e\ the whole about .175 

 mm. long; besides these are similar slender and delicately lanceolate scales (2d, 

 [between c and e]) but bluntly and roundly tipped ; these l)otli appear to have a granu- 

 lar structure ; and so do other scales similar to tlie last but more peg-sliaped, the apical 

 half and sometimes nearly tlie whole being equal (2a) and truncate, or even broadly 

 bind at tip; but others which appear much like tlie last, but for being broader (2c, f) 

 are clearly striate. Perhaps these last should in no case Ije considered .androconia; the 

 resemblance of the peg-shaped, pronged scales to some of those common in Pamphllidl, 

 will be noted. The cover scales (2 b) are mostly very large and broadly and irregularly 

 oval. 



This I)uttcrHy has a very extraordinary distribution ( 29 :3 ) . Until a com- 

 paratively recent time it was believed to belong to the scanty number of 

 butterflies belonging to high northern latitudes, having been found 

 only in eastern Labrador in this country and in Lapland and the mountains 

 of central Scandinavia in Europe. But of late years it has been taken on 

 the Canadian hills bordering the state of Vermont (Fyles), on Long 

 Island (Calverly teste Edwards), Washington, D. C. (Edwards) and 

 Coalburgh, W. Va. ! (Mead teste Edwards). French even credits it to 

 North Carolina, but without further specification. Thus, although it has 

 never been found in Europe south of the points mentioned, it has been 

 taken in America far below its normal habitation, crossing even the whole 

 width of two great faunas. 



Wallengrcn says it flies in Scandinavia in June and July ; in Labrador, 

 according to Moschler, it is on the wing in July, when it is not abun- 

 dant. Mr. Mead's specimens were captured in West Virginia in the latter 

 part of Aprd ; it is then perhaps single brooded, flying late in the 

 spring. 



Desiderata. Collectors in the higher parts of New England should 

 search for this butterfly in June, for it certainly must occur within its limits. 

 The dates of capture should be noted and every fact recorded which can 

 help form a history of the species, or acquaint us with its characteristics in 

 the preparatory stages, of which we know nothing. As for its food plant, 

 Mr. Fletcher tells me that there are no true Malvaceae in Labrador, its 

 central home, and that probably the only Labiatae are Mentha, Lycopus, 

 and Scutellaria. Probably it will be found on one of these. 



LIST OF ILLOSTSATIONH.-HESPEBIA CENTAUREAE. 



Imago. PI. 48, fig. 2. Scales of male imago. 



PI. 15, fig. 5. Both surfaces. General. 



3o : 4o. Male abdominal appendages. PI. 29, fig. 3. Distribution in North America. 



>W 



