1682 THE BUTTERFLIES OF NEWENGLAND. 



variety in the same individual ; in one group there are hair-like androconia, 

 sometimes jointed ; in anotlier group, besides hair-like androconia, tliere 

 are usually some which are spoon-shaped with long handles, or of other 

 odd forms. 



As a general rule these androconia are present in the patches to which 

 we have before alluded as forming one phase of the antigenic characters of 

 the male ; but more often, as in the blues and whites, they are scattered 

 indiscriminately, or in rows, over the upper surface of the wings ; they 

 sometimes occur in patches on the hind wings, as in the fold next the 

 inner margin of the swallow-tails ; but, with the exception of the discal 

 spot of the hair-streaks, they seem to be present in all patches found on the 

 front wings, occasionally forming the principal part of such patches, as in 

 many yellows, and again taking no part in the display. Take, for example, 

 the fritillaries, where so many small black scales are crowded against cer- 

 tain veins as to give them a thickened appearance ; the androconia are also 

 present in great numbers, but entirely concealed; only by removing the 

 scales can even the tassels of their long and slender blades be seen. Per- 

 haps even more curious than this is the arrangement by which all the 

 androconia of the swallow-tails and of the Hesperidi are tightly inclosed in 

 the fold of the costal membrane to which reference was made in a recent 

 excursus. Indeed, with rare exceptions, such as in the patches on the 

 fore wings of the Theclidi, every provision seems to have been made for 

 their concealment. In the Pamphilidi for instance, though the patch which 

 contains them is conspicuous enough, it is so mainly because of the great 

 imbricated scales which are massed so as to conceal the androconia proper. 

 In other instances where they are not massed into patches, they are indi- 

 vidually smaller than the other scales and concealed by them, so that there 

 concealment may be looked upon as definitely related to their use. 



The nature of this use was first detected by Fritz Miiller, who gave them 

 the name of duftschuppen, or scent scales, as has already been stated in the 

 excursus on Aromatic Butterflies. There can certainly be no doubt that 

 this is their office in some instances, and all analogy would lead us to be- 

 lieve it true of all, although we have not such power of scent as to be able 

 to prove it. 



But when this is granted there is much more to be said. They differ 

 marvellously from ordinary scales in the variety of their form and exquisite 

 structure, and we have still to inquire the meaning of this. Ordinary 

 scales almost seem made on a single pattern ; they are small enough, but 

 they are huge as compared with most androconia ; why such delicate and 

 exquisite patterns on such a microscopic scale ? Who is to see and benefit 

 by them? Assuredly not the insects themselves ; they may profit, indeed, 

 by their function, and no doubt natural selection has perfected that to the 

 uttermost, even beyond our ken ; but we have seen that such objects are 



