212 NORTH AMERICAN INSECTS. 



black veins, and a black border with two rows of white 

 dots. The body of its caterpillar is of a light violet color, 

 with brown, red, and yellow lines. The chrysalis is round, 

 green, and embellished with golden dots. 



The Argynnis is another genus of beaufiful butterflies 

 belonging to the diurnal lepidoptera, which we can not 

 omit, although we can give it only a brief notice. A num- 

 ber of its species are natives of North America, and some 

 are common in all parts of the United States. They are 

 all of a yellowish-red color, with black spots on the upper 

 side of their wings, and silvery spots on the under sides. 

 These last so much resemble the mother-of-pearl in their 

 glistening color, that the Germans call the insects Mother- 

 of-Pearl Butterflies. The distribution and forms of these 

 colors, as well as the size of the individuals, constitute the 

 different species. Their caterpillars are cylindrical and 

 thorny, and their chrysalis of an angular form, and orna- 

 mented with golden or silvery spots. 



One of the most common species of this genus is the 

 Idalia {Argyniiis Idalia), Fig. 56. Its fore wings are red 



w^^*^^" 



The Idalia. 



