1582 THE BUTTERFLIES OF NEW ENGLAND. 



Table of species, based on the imago. 



Base oi median interspaces of fore wings with at most but exceedin'riy faint markings on up- 

 per surface, the lowest with none; extra-mesiul scries of pale markings on under surface of 

 hind wings obscure, the whole wing flecked with lilac scales on a pur[)lish ground.. . .vialis. 



Base of median interspaces of fore wings with a series of pale markings on the upper surface, 

 parallel to the costal margin; extra-mesial series of pale markings on under surf.iceof hiud 

 wings distinct, the whole wing flecked with pale yellowish green scales on a dark brown 

 ground samoset. 



AMBLYSCIRTES VIALIS.— The roadside skipper. 



[The roadside skipper (Scudder) ; two-spotted brown skipper (Maynard).] 



Mesperia vialis Edw., Proc. acad. uat. sc. 348-349 (1886) ; — Fern., Butt. Me., 103-104 



Philad., 1862,58(1862). (1884) ;— Mayn., Butt. N. Engl., 57-58, pi. 6, 



Pamphila vialis KiVb., Syn. catal. Lep., figs. 86, 8(ia (1886). 



608(1871). Papilio Abb., Draw. ins. Geo. Br. Mus. 



Amblyscirtes vialis Scudd., Syst. rev. Am. vi : 83, figs. 121-3 (ca. 1800). 



butt., 54 (1872) ; Butt., flg. 178 (1881);— French, Figured also by Glover, 111. N. A. Lep., pi. 



Eep. ins. 111., vii : 161 (1878) ; Butt. east. U. S., H, fig. 1 ; pi. K, figs. 7, 10, ined. 



Gay knots of butterflies with pulsing wings. 

 That scatter at the loue wayfarer's feet. 



Midsiimmer noon. 



Twine ye in an airy round, 



Brush the dew and ))rint the lea ; 

 Skip and gambol, hop and bound. 



Drake.— The Culprit Fay. 



Imago (10:4). Head covered above with nearly uniform bl.ackish brown hairs, 

 below with a few whitish scales mingled with thera. Palpi blackish, chocolate brown, 

 hoary on the basal half beneath by an iutermiugliug of white scales, which increase 

 in abundance toward the base, and a few of which continue even to the extremity of 

 the middle joint, accompanied by a few reddish scales; apical joint uniform blackish. 

 Antennae black, narrowly annulated at the base of each joint with white, which, at the 

 middle of the under surface, extends over nearly or quite the whole of each joint, and 

 on the basal half of the club widens and forms a continuous patch tinged with yellow ; 

 excepting at the extreme base the upper surface of the club is wholly black; a few 

 whitish scales are scattered over the distal half of the under surface; the crook is 

 naked and castaneous, but nearly as dark as the club. Tongue piceo-testaceous, testa- 

 ceous at tip, the papillae (61 : 57) consisting of only half a dozen, very distant, minute 

 prominences set in depressions on the outer edge of either maxilla. 



Thorax covered above with blackish brown scales and hairs, the latter becoming 

 tinged with dull tawny at the hinder extremity ; bene.ath covered with dark reddish 

 brown hairs, miugled with silvery white hairs, especially on the coxae; legs blackish 

 brown, with a maroon tinge, profusely flecked with mostly independent, silvery white 

 scales, most abundant on the femora, which are fringed below with white and black 

 hairs, the former preponderating; beyond the femora the pale scales become tinged 

 with dirty yellow, or yellowish brown, to a greater or less extent, and on the tarsi are 

 most abundant at the b.ase of each joint, and generally absent from the apex of the 

 same as well as from that of the tibiae; spurs dark brown, largely flecked with silvery 

 white, often wholly white; spines reddish; claws dull luteous. 



Wings above rich dark brown. Fore wings with the superior subcostal nervules tipped 

 with white. The lowest three subcostal interspaces have each a small, white, generally 

 longitudinal, dull white spot, forming a series iu the middle of the pouter half of the 

 wing, nearly at right angles to the costal margin, but generally a very little arcuate, 

 the convexity inward and tapering as it recedes from the margin ; in the middle of the 



