66 



The mature larva and chrysalis of Chalcedon are figured in But. N. 

 A. Vol. I, fi-om drawings by Mr. Stretch. This larva indicates rather 

 indistinctly the white points which cover the surface, but gives no idea 

 of the tangle of white hairs which proceed from these points, which 

 often quite conceal the surface of the body; other larvae, however, have 

 a minimum of points and hairs, and the figure more correctly repre- 

 sents such. The first lateral spines are represented as coming from 

 blue-black bases, instead of black; otherwise the figure is correct. The 

 figure of the chrysalis is a good one. The larvae, in But. N. A., are 

 stated to feed on Dipsaciis. Castilleja, and Lonicera, but chiefly on 

 Scrophularia. 



Mr. W. G. Wright, of San Bernardino, in 1883, sent me multitudes 

 of eggs and larva:-. The first larvae were from Penstemon antirrhm- 

 oides; others, or eggs, were from Penstemon ternatum. On 25th April 

 came about fifty larvae nearly full grown, a few past third moult, and two 

 which were smaller than the rest, were thought by Mr. Wright to be 

 either M. Gabbii. or Leanira. They all at last proved to be Chalcedon. 

 I put the larvae in a jar with leaves of Chelone barbata, Actinomeris 

 sqiiarrosa (on both which M. Phaeton feeds) and Aster, and an hour 

 later found them eating the first two. On 27th the first larva pupated. 

 They suspend themselves in form of a ring, as does Phaeton, also the 

 species of Phyciodes. My larvae did not flourish, and, from the fifty 

 received, there resulted but fifteen pupae. I attributed this in great 

 degree to lack of sunshine, as Mr. Wright says the larvae delight in 

 the hottest sun. 



On 1 6th May came four larvae which Mr. Wright said he had found 

 the preceding fall, — part of a large colony within a web, high on the 

 mountains, not less than about 5000 feet. What species they might 

 be he did not know. Certainly not Chalcedon, which butterfly he had 

 never seen at such an altitude. The web was as large as a man's hand, 

 and in it were hundreds of larvae. Mr. Wright kept the web and con- 

 tents through the winter, and was much astonished on finding that the 

 larvae gave Chalcedon butterflies; because, in the low grounds, the 

 habits of Chalcedon are different from this. Mr. Wright says: " Down 

 in the valley they form into small colonies, and make small webs near 

 the ground, at the ends of twigs, on the lower branches of the food- 

 plant. At third moult, or closely after, they drop to the ground, or 

 run down the stems and hibernate in the ground. The little webs are 

 very inconspicuous; even when there are eight or ten ot them on a 

 twig, they are not noticed, except on searching for them, and they are 

 so small that they each hold but few larvae. Now, apparently, here is 

 a clear case of the influence of climate on the habits of larvae. Both 

 colonies came out Chalcedon, and yet had widely different habits. It 

 would seem as if in the cold altitudes the larvie ought to hide in the 

 ground, and that in the \'allev they might be comfortable in a web on 



