Genus Melitsea 



Caterpillar. — The larvae are cylindrical, armed in the mature 

 form on each segment with comparatively short spines thickly 

 covered with diverging hairs, or needle-shaped 

 spines. They are known in some species to 

 be gregarious in their early stages, and then 

 to separate before maturity. They feed upon 

 the Scropbu/arjaceo', upon Casfileja, Diplo- 

 pappus, and other plants. 



Chrysalis.— The chrysalis is pendant, 

 rounded at the head, provided with more or 

 less sharply pointed tubercles on the dorsal 

 surface, and generally white or some shade 

 Fig Qi.-Neuration of light gray, blotched with brown or black, 



of the genus M^'/z/cri?. & & J' 



and marked with reddish or orange spots 

 on the dorsal side. 



This genus is very large and is distributed widely over all the 

 colder portions of the north temperate zone. There are many 

 species found in Europe, in Siberia, in China, and in the northern 

 islands of Japan. On the upper slopes of the Himalayas it is also 

 represented by a few species. In North America the genus is 

 well represented, the most of the species being found upon the 

 mountain-slopes and in the valleys of the Pacific coast region. 

 Only two species occur in the Eastern States. 



(i) Melitaea phaeton, Drury, Plate XVI, Fig. i, 5 ; Plate V, 

 Figs. 15, 16, chrysalis (The Baltimore). 



Biiiterfly, ^ . — The upper side is black, with a marginal row 

 of red spots, followed by three rows of pale-yellow spots on the 

 fore wings and two on the hind wings. Besides these there are 

 some large red spots on the cells of both wings, a large red spot 

 about the middle of the costa of the hind wing, and a few scat- 

 tering yellow spots, forming an incomplete fourth row on the 

 fore wing and an incomplete third row on the hind wing. On 

 the under side all the spots of the upper side reappear, but heavier 

 and more distinct, and on the hind wings there are two additional 

 rows of yellow spots, and a number of irregular patches of red 

 and yellow at the base of both wings. 



$. — The female is much like the male. Expanse, 5, 1.75- 

 2.00 inches; ?, 2.00-2.60 inches. 



Egg. — The egg which is outlined upon p. 4, Fig. 8, is 

 brownish-yellow when first laid, then changes to crimson, and 



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