1554 THE RUTTf:RFLIES OF NEW ENGLAND. 



clubbed antennae, long, porrect palpi, with the greatly produced apical joint, 

 their feeble wings and their excessively slender body, all form characters 

 whicli are in marked contrast to the uniformity of the other members of the 

 family in these particulars. They are among the very smallest of Hesperians 

 — and indeed of butterflies, their wings broad, entire, and dark brown, varied 

 above with fulvous discal areas of greater or less extent, the under surface 

 of the hind wings almost wholly fulvous. 



The transformation of none of the species are perfectly known but the 

 northern species is triple brooded, probably hibernating as a chrysalis. 



The buttei-flies differ from all other members of the family to which they 

 belong, in the feebleness of their flight and their general lack of vigor ; 

 their flight is even weaker than that of the Satyrids and recalls them in its 

 dancing movement, not strictly in accordance with that of the Hesperidae. 

 They are fond of moist and hot situations, living beside streams through 

 sunny meadows. The larvae feed on Gramineae, constructing, from the 

 beginning of their life, little nests wherein to live. 



The eggs are neai'ly hemispherical, flatter than those of any other of our 

 Hesperidae and thus readily distinguished. The juvenile lax'vae are un- 

 usually short and the dermal bristles have no apparent enlargement at tip. 

 The full grown caterpillars are not known, but one species in the second 

 stage is uniform pale yellow, with a brown head all covered with pile. 

 The chrysalis of the same, according to Harris, is slender with a bluntly 

 rounded head and conical, rapidly tapering abdomen with large cremaster. 



EXCURSUS LX.—A BUDGET OF CURIOUS FACTS ABOUT 



CHE YSALIDS. 



What are called butterflies, however, are generated from 

 caterpillars; but caterpillars are generated from green leaves, 

 and especially from raphanos, which some call cabbage, 

 and at lirst, indeed, something less than a grain of millet is 

 produced; afterwards small worms originate from this; 

 ' and these increiisinj.', in the space of three days are formed 

 into small catripillars. Such caterpillars, also, when 

 increased, cease from motion, change" their form, and are 

 called chrysalides, or aureliae. ... In a short time . . . the 

 shell bursts, and winged animals fly out of it, which we call 

 butterflies. 



Aristotle. — History of Animals (Taylor's transL). 



Examine any butterfly chrysalis you please and you will find on either 

 side of the head, close to the base of the antennae and partially overlapped 

 by them, a smooth crescent-shaped belt, which generally contrasts rather 

 strongly with the roughened surfaces about it. It corresponds closely in 

 position with the curving row of simple ocelli found on the head of the 

 caterpillar, where it is generally marked by a distinct impression ; it also 

 lies across the middle of the convexity which marks the position of the 

 compound eye of the inclosed butterfly ; the convex case of the rest of the 



