140 



gave butterflies from 3d to 6th September. All of these which 

 were to be of any avail in keeping up the species should, accord- 

 ing to the theory, have stopped at the third larval stage and gone 

 into lethargy. But none at all did so. Next, eggs laid 21st 

 August, plainly by females of the third generation in direct de- 

 scent, but which Mr. Scudder would make out to be his festivals 

 just come to the fore, gave caterpillars wihch did go into lethargy, 

 not direct from the egg, however, as theoretically it was their duty 

 to do, but after seeo7id moult, by 20th September. 



Eggs laid 8th September of same generation, gave cater- 

 pillars which went into lethargy after second moult, before 2d 

 October, and eggs laid 15th September, of same generation, gave 

 caterpillars which passed first moult and died before second. 



Here then are three annual generations of Myrina, in the 

 Catskill Mountains. The first, proceeding from the hibernating 

 caterpillars which reached their second moult in the fall, was on 

 the wing at least during the whole month of June. The second, 

 proceeding from the first, was on the wing all July, running a 

 little into August. The third, proceeding from the second, was 

 on the wing the last half of August and part of September, and 

 from them came the caterpillars, which hibernating at second 

 moult, produced the May and June butterflies the next year. 



Everything here given is written down in my note book, 

 written from day to day just as it occurred, and I merely make 

 a transcript from it. There is no trusting to memory or incom- 

 plete memoranda, and no guessing. 



Three annual generations, each on the wing a month at least, 

 all the females capable of laying eggs shortly after emerging 

 from chrysalis, the eggs wanting nothing but impregnation when 

 the female came forth ! Some of the first generation must have 

 been flying when individuals of the second generation began to 

 appear, and some of the second when the third began to 

 appear ; and as almost invariably the females taken in copulation 

 in all species of butterflies where I have been able to make 

 observations, are fresh from chrysalis, or but a short time from 

 chrysalis, while nearly all the males so taken show signs of con- 

 siderable age, it follows that the males of one generation may 

 easily mate with females of the next. So that the generations 

 commingle more or less ; and this may very probably be the 

 reason why, in Myrina, no tangible difference can be discovered 

 between the butterflies of the several generations. 



It will also have been observed, that in no case did a cater- 

 pillar go into lethargy immediately after the Qgg\ and in no case 

 did a caterpillar, proceeding from any generation but the last one, 

 go into lethargy at all, and then always after second moult. So 

 that all start fair in Spring, and feed and go on to chrysalis and 



