THE TRIBE OF THE FRITILLARIES 127 



summer, the eggs hatching into larvae that take no food 

 until the following spring. They then feed upon the violet 

 leaves, become mature, and change to chrysalids in time for 

 the butterjBdes to emerge in June in New Hampshire. 

 These butterflies remain upon the wing for several weeks. 

 They usually appear a week or two earlier than Aphrodite 

 or Cybele in regions where all three species are found. It is 

 worth while for the collector to take a hint from this fact 

 and do his Silver-spot collecting early. For after the 

 other species appear it is not so easy to tell which is Atlan- 

 tis when the butterflies are on the wing. It is most likely 

 to be found in open places in the woods, apparently pre- 

 ferring such situations to the broad expanse of fields and 

 meadows. 



The White Mountain Fritillary 



Argynnis montinus 



This is distinctly a mountain butterfly, known to be 

 found only near the top of Mount Washington and other 

 neighboring parts of the White Mountains. It generally 

 occurs between the altitudes of four thousand and fifty- 

 five hundred feet. It is doubtless closely related to a 

 somewhat similar form found farther north and west, but 

 its isolation from them is complete. Apparently it is 

 single-brooded and very little is known of the early stages. 

 The butterflies visit the flowers of goldenrod and those of 

 the alpine sand-wort which are abundant in the sub-alpine 

 home of this species. 



This variety is interesting as a living souvenir of the 

 day when New England was buried beneath the ice-sheet. 



