1730 THE BUTTERFLIES OF NEW ENGLAND. 



few blades of grass together and lining tlicra with silk, was almost erect and seemed 

 to be kept from lying against the cocoon by a few strands of silk. (Rep. ent. soc. 

 Ont., xix: 87-88). 



Life history. The butterfly is double brooded in the central part of its 

 range, single brooded in the northern, and in both passes the winter as a 

 chrysalis. The first generation makes its appearance in Massachusetts dur- 

 ing the last week in May, usually between the 20th and 25th. In a week 

 it becomes abundant, and by the middle of Jime most specimens are badly 

 rubbed ; a week later it Ijegins to diminish rapidly, and yet a few speci- 

 mens may often be found throughout July. Early in June the females 

 begin to lay their eggs, and continue to lay them until the middle of July. 

 The second brood of butterflies, which is generally less abundant than the 

 first, appears near the end of the first week in August, sometimes during 

 the last week of July, becomes abundant in about a week, lays its eggs at 

 least fi'om the middle of the month onward, and continues on the wing until 

 the latter part of September ; the caterpillars from these eggs probably 

 ciiange to chrysalis before hibernation. It is quite improbable, however, 

 that larvae from eggs of the first brood laid as late as the middle of July, 

 mature rapidly enough to reach chrysalis in time for it to disclose the butter- 

 fly the same season, and this will account for the scarcity of the second 

 brood, whicli is found as far north as Ottawa. In northern places with 

 late springs, like Nova Scotia and Xcpigon, the insect is certainly single 

 brooded ; eggs laid by fresh butterflies early in July, probably never mature 

 so as to reach chrysalis until late in the season. The instance mentioned 

 above, due to Mr. Fletcher's care, is the only one known to me in which the 

 insect has been carried from egg to chrysalis ; in this case tlie eggs carried 

 to Ottawa hatched in thirteen days, the first moult was passed eight days 

 thereafter, and the caterpillar lived for only a week less than three months, 

 changing to chrysalis the middle of October ; all the later moidts were 

 passed in the month of August. 



Habits of the butterfly. The buttei-flies frequent open fields, mead- 

 ows, roadsides, patliways and exposed sunny spots. They are fond of 

 flowers and Guignard reports finding one entrapped in a Cypripcdium. 

 When feeding upon a flower the fore wings are usually raised so much as 

 to be at right angles to each other, while the hind wings are horizontal. 

 The antennae, viewed from the side, are straight and depressed at an angle 

 of about 25° with the plane of the body ; viewed from above they are 

 curved a little, the convexities outward, and diverge broadly at an angle 

 of about 140°, bringing the antennal tips 12 mm. apart ; the crooks of the 

 clubs are bent backward. 



Parasites. The only known instance of a parasite disturbing a member 

 of tiiis tribe, tliough probably it is common enough, is in an egg parasite 

 which I obtained from the egg of this species at Nepigon. It emerged 



