NOTES ON RHOPALOCERA 



KARL R. COOLIUGE 



Terias linda Edwards 

 This sijecies, as Godman and Salviii long ago pointed out, is synonymous with 

 T. tenella, Boisduval, an excessively common insect in Mexico, Central and South 

 America. While linda is placed in our lists and given the habitat Arizona, I am not 

 aware that any definite captures have been recorded from within the limits of our 

 fauna. Edwards, in his original description, Papilio, Vol. IV, p. 53, 1884, writes, 

 "From I m., 1 fm., taken in ISIexico, a short distance from the boundary line of Ari- 

 zona, by Mr. Morrison." T. tenella is exceedingly prone to variation, as can be at- 

 tested by its synonymy, which includes T. circumcincta Bates, T. nisella Felder, T. 

 nelplie Felder, T. stygniula Boisduval, T. venustula Staudinger and Thecla xami 

 Reakirt. It seems to be an overlooked fact that T. blenina Hewitson, is a synonym 

 of this species, as was shown in the Biol. Cent. Americana, Rhop. Vol. II, p. 48, 

 1887. Siva Edwards, is known to be a synonym of blenina, and I would also place 

 here castalis Edwards. Strecker, Cat., p. 89, 1878, puts castalis under damon, 

 Cramer, but erroneously so. The chief difference between blenina and castalis 

 seemed to be in the presence of a white spot at the base of the secondaries beneath 

 in the latter, but as this character is variable, I can see no need in further separat- 

 ing them. The case is somewhat similar to that of T. dumetorum Boisd., and equal 

 T. affinis Edwards. T. xami seems to be a rather rare insect in Mexico. 



Melitaea colon Edwards 

 There appears to be no apparent reason why this species should not be united 

 with M. chalcedon Boisduval. I have gone over the original description carefully 

 and find that in a series of chalcedons quite a few answer the description perfectly. 

 Holland, Butt. Bk., p. 140, 1898, writes, "Of the same size and general appearance 

 as M. chalcedon, with which I believe it to be identical, the only possible satis- 

 factory mark of distinction which I am able to discover on comparing the types with 

 a long series of chalcedon being the reduced size of the marginal row of yellow 

 spots on the upper side of the primaries, which in one of the types figured on the 

 plate are almost obsolete. They appear, however, in other specimens labeled type." 

 Wright says. Butt. West Coast, p. 147, 1905, that "Colon is a hill species of North- 

 ern California," and that "The types are said to have been taken on Mt. Hood, 

 but I believe that the collector made a little mistake about that locality." Edwards, 

 in his description, Papilio, Vol. I, p. 45, 1881, remarks, "From 3 ms., 2 fms., taken 

 at Mt. Hood, Oregon," but this is corrected later by Morrison, Papilio, Vol. Ill, p. 

 43, 1883, to "Sides of hills which line the banks of the Columbia river in West 

 Washington territory and Oregon, being especially common near Kalama." 



Doxocopa codes Lintner 

 Described in Papilio, Vol. IV, p. 141, 1884, from two specimens taken in Texas, 

 presumably in the neighborhood of the Rio Grande. Has been standing in our 

 lists as a valid species, although Messrs. E. M. and S. F. Aaron correctly noticed 



