THE TRIBE OF THE BLUES 263 



is full of interest at all stages of its existence. It should 

 lead one to a new respect for the familiar things in the 

 natural world when one learns how baflfling to the wits of 

 the wisest scientist is this little creature with its protean 

 forms and the wonderful structure of its caterpillars. 



Scudder's Blue 



Rusticus scudderi 



This beautiful little butterfly is perhaps the most 

 richly colored of all our northern Blues. The upper sur- 

 face of the wings in the male is a nearly uniform hue, ex- 

 cept for a narrow dark border around the margin. In the 

 female there is, in addition, a series of black-centred 

 orange spots inside of the black border, the series being 

 more prominent on the hind wings than on the front ones. 

 The under surface is very pale with distinct marks in 

 black scattered over the basal two thirds, with a row 

 of orange spots outside of these and another row of 

 small blackish spots just inside of the blackish border 

 stripe. 



This butterfly is a northern species. It occurs in New 

 England, New York, and Michigan, and thence extends far 

 north into Canada. The caterpillar feeds upon blue 

 lupine and apparently the butterfly is likely to be found in 

 most places where this plant grows. The eggs are laid 

 upon the leaves or stems and the little caterpillars come 

 out of the shells through small holes which they have 

 gnawed. 



"The caterpillar," wrote Mr. Scudder, "has a very ex- 

 tensible head and flexible neck, and its manner of feeding 



