NEONYMPHA I. 



Chrtsalis. — Length .46 to .52 inch : greatest breadth, at abdomen, .14 

 inch ; cylindrical, abdomen conical ; head case scarcely produced beyond meso- 

 notum, narrow, excavated at sides, ending in two sharp, divergent projections, 

 the depression between angular ; mesonotum prominent, carinated, angular, the 

 summit i-ounded ; followed by a shallow depression ; wing cases flaring on 

 dorsal side ; color of abdomen and dorsum from buff larva sordid yellow-buff, 

 the wing and antennae cases and the projections all more yellow ; the surface 

 finely streaked brown, irregularly and mostly longitudinally ; from posterior 

 base of mesonotum to 13 a brown band ; the wing case shows an irregular, wavy, 

 brown stripe on disk, and a stripe on costal margin ; each nervule ending in a 

 blackish dot. (Figs, h, h, natural size, h^, magnified.) 



From green larvse green chrysalids; blue-tinted, the dorsum and abdomen 

 streaked with whitish ; wing cases without stripe ; the dorsal edges of wing 

 cases carmine, and top of head case cream-color. Duration of this stage, in May, 

 eight days. 



The attitude of this larva in suspension is peculiar. From 13 to 5, the body 

 hangs almost straight, the dorsum incurved ; the anterior segments bent at right 

 angle, the head turned down on 2. When at rest, in all the later stages, the 

 larva holds the head bent under, so that the horns are nearly in the dorsal jjlane. 

 (Fig. d.) 



Gemma is quite a common species in certain localities near Coalburgh, W. Va., 

 but altogether wanting in others which would seem equally favorable for it. It 

 is abundant in the grassy streets of a small village, and there are stretches of 

 road through the woods, or near the creeks, where one is sure to find it during 

 its season. I have never seen it on the hillsides. It has a slow, tremulous 

 flight, near the ground, rests frequently, and returns to its haunts. 



There are here three annual broods : the butterflies appearing in AjDril and 

 May, in June and July, about 20th August and through September. The late 

 larvEe hibernate. They feed on grasses, and eggs are easily obtained by confin- 

 ing the females over grass set in flower-pot. Eggs laid 21st April gave butterflies 

 from 2d June. Eggs laid 7th August hatched 11th. The larvae were mature 

 3d September, and pupated 5th. On 23d August, I got sixteen eggs. Several 

 of the larvas were placed in alcohol, but the remainder were mature, though in 

 a lethargic condition, 20th November. I failed to carry these through the 

 winter. Another female, 30th September, gave two eggs. From these, I raised 

 one larva, which was lethargic and mature 24th November. This was kept in 

 the house, and at intervals moved a little and fed ; finally pupated 4th February. 

 As described above, the larvae of the spring brood have all been green, those of 

 the later broods brown. 



