264 BUTTERFLIES 



immediately after birth is rather remarkable; it pierces the 

 lower cuticle of the leaf, making a hole just large enough to 

 introduce its minute head, and then devours all the in- 

 terior of the leaf as far as it can reach — many times the 

 diameter of the hole — so that when the caterpillar goes 

 elsewhere, the leaf looks as if marked with a circular 

 blister, having a central nucleus; the nearly colorless mem- 

 branes of the leaf being all that is left, and at the central 

 entrance to the blister the upper membrane only." Later 

 in its life it often modifies this feeding habit somewhat, and 

 as it approaches full growth it is likely to devour the entire 

 blade of the leaf. 



These larvae have the curious nectar-secreting glands on 

 the seventh abdominal segment which are discussed in 

 connection with the preceding species. Many ants are 

 attracted by this secretion so that it often happens that the 

 easiest way to find the caterpillars is to look for these 

 attendants. In New England there are two broods of the 

 butterfly, one appearing early in June and the other late in 

 July. 



The Tailed Blue 



Everes comyntas 



The tiny, thread-like, white-tipped tail projecting from 

 the hind angle of the hind wings distinguishes this species 

 at sight from any other found in eastern North America. 

 The species, however, occurs clear to the Pacific Coast 

 and ranges north and south over most of the northern con- 

 tinent. The small slug-like caterpillar feeds upon the 

 flowers of various clovers and other legumes. 



