94 BUTTERFLIES 



fall, and winter and come forth as butterflies early the fol- 

 lowing spring. The insect has thus adapted itself in a 

 most remarkable manner to the yearly history of its plant 

 host. 



The Falcate Orange-tip 



Synchloe genutia 



The Falcate Orange-tip is about the only member of 

 this tribe generally distributed east of the Rocky Moun- 

 tains. This is a beautiful insect which is sparingly found 

 even as far north as New England. It is more abundant 

 throughout the Southern states, occurring south at least as 

 far as Texas. It appears to be a good illustration of the 

 adaptation of its development to that of its food plants. 

 The eggs are laid upon leaves or stems of such spring- 

 flowering Cruciferae as rock cress (Arabis), and hedge 

 mustard (Sisymbrium) . On hatcliing the caterpillars feed 

 upon stems, leaves, flowers, and even seed pods of these 

 plants, becoming mature in a few weeks and 

 changing to chrysalids under the protection 

 of such shelter as they can find. In the 

 Northern states these chrysalids remain un- 

 changed until the following spring when the 

 butterflies emerge and are found upon the 

 Egg of symhjoe ^zinff for a fcw wccks in May and early June. 



genutia, magnified ~ . 



?Frora^HJ)fiand7* ^^ somc southem rcgious at least the species 

 is evidently double-brooded, as Dr. HoUand 

 reports that he has taken the butterflies in late autumn in 

 the western portion of North Carolina. 



This Falcate Orange-tip is one of the daintiest and most 

 exquisite of northern butterflies. It is a prize which any 



