OF NORTH AMERICA. 11 



(loc. cit. ) that it is found in the neighborhood of Sacramento, 

 which being in a broad valley and nearly at the sea level, would 

 indicate a wide range. Mr. Edwards describes the flight as peculiar, 

 the insect after a flight of a few yards dropping suddenly among the 

 herbage, and when captured simulating death in the net. This latter 

 characteristic does not obtain with any of the other species found on 

 this coast. 



5.-ALYPIA RIDINGSII, (Pi. i, fig. 3). 



Alypia Ridingsii, Grote, Proc. Ent. Soc. Phil., Vol. 3, p. 521. 

 (Plate 5, fig. 1, 3.) (1864). 



"3. — Anterior wings, black, with a slight sub-cyaneous metallic 

 tinge; apex, produced, rounded; costa, swollen at the base. A large, 

 sub-triangular, verj' pale yellow spot on the median vein, beyond 

 which is a small, rounded, similarly colored spot on the disc. In the 

 terminal space, is a series of five paler, elongated spots, neatly sepa- 

 rated by the black veins. Posterior wings, black; a single moderate, 

 pale yellow, rounded discal spot, beyond which, in the terminal half 

 of the wing, is a large, somewhat ovate, pale yellow spot, divided infe- 

 riorly twice by the black veins. Fringes on all the wings, black, except 

 at the apices of the anterior wings, where they are marked with white; 

 under surface, resembling upper. Head, palpi; orbits of the eyes, 

 black; prothorax, whitish; tegulce, thorax, abdomen and legs, black, 

 with a blueish metallic tinge; middle tibiae with bright orange tufts on 

 their upper surface, not reaching the apex of the joint." 



Grote (loc. cit. ) 



Expanse of wings, 1.30 inches. Length of body, 0.55 inch. 



Habitat. — ^Colorado Territory. Mr. Ridings. (Coll. Ent. Soc. Phil.) 

 California. (Coll. Edwards, Behr, Behrens, Stretch. ) 

 Nevada. (Coll. Eaves). 



Resembles A. Maccullochii, from Canada, and A. Lorquinii and A. 

 Similis, from California. Mr. Grote (loc. cit.) thus describes the dif- 

 ference between this species and A. Maccullochii: "The basal spot 

 on the anterior wings is more triangular, not elongated outwardly, nor 

 divided by a black line, the vein being covered with identically colored 

 scales; the terminal band is broader, composed of five, instead of six 

 spots; the 'whitish longitudinal one, of the under surface on the costal 

 area,' is wanting; the spots on the posterior wings are quite diff"erent, 

 there being but two spots in our species, the basal one small, rounded, 

 undivided and differently placed; the 'costal streak is also wanting.", 



