HOW BUTTERFLIES SUCK. 1737 



first and last. Body plump, smooth, scarcely at all inoniliform, largest in the middle, 

 tapering forward on the very extensible ttioracic segments, and backward from the 

 middle of the sixth abdominal segment; terminal segment considerably depressed, 

 well rounded, its edge furnished with a single close fringe of short hairs; all the 

 segments full beneath, so as to present little difference between those furnished and 

 those not furnished with prolegs. First thoracic .segment witli a very narrow dorsal 

 shield in the middle, no broader than the legs, continuous, tapering below and not 

 attaining the spiracles. Body covered profusely with niiiuite, short, tapering hairs 

 arising from minute wartlets. Spiracles small, with a raised rim, obovate, twice as 

 broad as long. Prolegs exceedingly short. Legs short, equal. Body highest at 

 about the fifth abdominal segment, pretty well arched, of equal width when contracted 

 excepting the first thoracic and last abdominal segment. 



This genus, moderately rich in species, is peculiar to North America 

 and extends across the continent south of Lat. 45° as far as Cuba, where 

 one species occurs. Two are found in New England, both only in the 

 southern portion. 



The butterflies are of small size and the males provided with a linear 

 discal streak on the fore wings. They are dark brown, generally almost 

 wholly devoid of markings, but sometimes with a few pale or semi-vitreous 

 spots across the middle of the fore wings and an obscure, transverse, pale 

 streak on the under surface of the fore wings. 



Very little is known of their history or of then- early stages. They are 

 single brooded, flying in July. The caterpillars much resemble those of 

 Atrytone, but are liveher in color with a slender black thoracic shield, set 

 off by the pallid front of the first thoracic segment. 



EXCURSUS LXXIII.—HOW BUTTERFLIES SUCK. 



"Schmetterling 



Kleines Diug 



Sage, wovon lebst Du, 



Dass Du nur in Liifteu sohwebst?" 

 "Blumeuduft, Sonueuschein, 



Das sind die Nahrung mein." 



Der Knabe wollt' ihn fangeu, 

 Da bat er mit Zitteru und'Bangen: 

 "Lieber Knabe, thu' es nicht, 

 Lass mich spielen im Sonuenlicht. 

 Eh' vergeht das Morgenroth, 

 Lieg ich doch schon kalt und todt." 



Hey.— /uiafie und Schmetterling. 



In the caterpillar we find on either side, besides the biting jaws, a pair 

 of appendages of simple structure called the maxillae ; they are seated on 

 a common hemispherical prominence and look like supplementary an- 

 tennae, these latter organs having in the caterpillar much the same struc- 

 ture ; the joints of the maxillae possess only the power of withdrawal and 

 protrusion ; the outer and larger appendage consists of several joints ; the 

 inner of only a single joint, which becomes enormously developed in the 

 butterfly to form a sucking organ of curious construction ; while the outer 



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