Chionobas semidea, Say. 



V>\ A. (i. Weeks, Jr. 



So little has been said regarding the i ollecting of our rare mountain 

 butterfly, Chionobas semidea, that a few words in that resp< rig the 



spots on Mt. Washington, where the in see t Hies, may prove of value to 



-i ime of your readers. 



C. semidea is not found below the timber line, but inhabits the rocki 

 barren ground, five thousand feet above sea level. Those taken l>v me 

 were found eight hundred to twelve hundred feel below the summit. 

 none being seen above or belcw this line. 



1 recommend the ascent from the Crawford House, by the bridle path 

 Over Mts. Clinton, Pleasant, Franklin, and Monroe, a distance of eight oi 

 nine miles. After passing Mt. Monroe, a level area comes into view, form-: 

 irig .1 part of Mt. Washington, and about one thousand feet below die 

 summit. This spa.ee is one to two miles long, running north and south. 

 bordering Tuckerman's Ravine, and called as it reaches the southern cliffs, 

 Boott's Spur. The butterflies were scattered over this "field", hut most 

 commonly in the line of die path and along the summit slope to the 

 cliffs. As one ascends towards the -summit they become scarce, and 

 finally disappear altogether about two hundn d feet ab< rve die level ground. 

 Walking around die summit on the westerly side, none were seen until 

 another comparatively level area was reached, extending from the railroad 

 track easterly to die cliffs overlooking the ravine, called the Gulf of 

 .Mexico. Here a number were found, but they were not as plentiful as 

 on Boott's Spur. hut lew more were found outside of dux- two s] 



In its flight, C. semidea resembles closely our small moths, when 

 rous d from their hiding places during the daw Rarely raising more than 

 two or three feet, they drop clumsily into the grass or among the stones, 

 perhaps twenty feet away. When they rise From the ground the wind 

 usually takes them and carries them out of sight, rendering collecting 

 hard ami disappointing. Although clumsy and sluggish in the use of 

 their wings, they are not so with their legs, and move about with a quick 

 motion. 



Although these butterflies do not gather in swarms, they nevertheless 

 ek companionship, and, one being stalled, another may b< 

 found son, i ten feet away. 



The\' do not stop on flowers or on grass blades. When at rest they 

 either remain on th« side ofboulders or tucked away under die grass, 

 from which it takes uie time to free themselves. 



They wei :en flitting aboul as do their brethren in the valleys. 



None were n on h w ng unless aroused by some one approaching. 



