224 BUTTERFLIES 



mountain is covered with rocks between which grow a few 

 stunted sedges and over which grows the ever-present 

 reindeer moss. It is a bleak, bare, gray environment, 

 constantly swept by terrific winds, where snow is seen in 

 August and is likely to remain until June. So the summer 

 season is of briefest duration and the climatic conditions 

 are so severe that one can only wonder how a fragile 

 creature like a butterfly is able to survive the twelve long 

 months. 



Habits and Life-history 



From a first glance at the mottled gray-brown wings of 

 these insects one would guess that here was a distinctive 

 example of obliterative coloring, and it is true as all observ- 

 ers testify that when the butterfly lights upon the stones 

 and turns sideways, as apparently it does habitually in 

 deference to the force of the wind, it becomes very diffi- 

 cult to see, for the wings are closed and only the rounded, 

 mottled under surface shows. It appears also to have the 

 habit of some of the Graylings when hard pushed of simply 

 closing its wings and dropping to the ground feigning 

 death. In deference also to the winds its flight is just 

 above the surface. Doubtless if it rose high in the air it 

 would be swept away to lower regions where evidently 

 it is unable to survive for long periods. 



These butterflies appear early in July and continue on 

 the wing for several weeks. They lay their small eggs 

 upon or near a species of sedge which is abundant on these 

 alpine summits. About two weeks later the eggs hatch 

 into sluggish little caterpillars which feed upon the sedge 

 leaves, apparently eating only at night and hiding in 

 crevices between stones by day. As one would expect 



