HESPERTD.E. 167 



a qnotatioii ])y Prof, G. H. Frencli from Prof. C. V. Riley. Tlie 

 larva lives inside the stem and root of the yucca. The eggs, which 

 are pale green, are deposited singly on the leaves, and when hatched 

 the caterpillar conceals itself in a web near the tip of the young leaf. 

 As it grows, it generally works to the base of the leaf, feeding as it 

 goes, entering the stem when it is about one-foui'th grown. The 

 young larva is dark brick-red, witli the head and top of the second 

 segment pitchy black. The full-grown larva, is two and one-half 

 inches in length, and of a dull, translucent white covered with a 

 white, glistening, powdery secretion of a waxy natui'e. 



The l)urro\v made by this caterpilhir often extends two feet or 

 more below the surface of the ground. Pefore pupating, the larva 

 makes a place of exit for the butterfly, lightly closing the cavity near 

 the end. It then makes a cell sufliciently farther down to give room 

 enough to ptipate, and in this it undergoes its transformations. The 

 perfect fly emerges in April or May. There is but one brood in a 

 season. There are two other species of this genus found within the 

 borders of the United States, btit their life in the caterpillar and 

 chrysalis state has not yet been worked out. They, doubtless, boi-e 

 in the stems and roots of sub-tropical plants. Central and South 

 America have representatives of this genus. 



To the genus Thanaos (^Nisoniades) belong a number of widel}^ 

 distributed, dttll brown or black insects with broad, flat wings, having 

 a few small white dots and sometimes a row of dark ptirplish mark- 

 ings on the upper wings. 



These insects usuall}^ appear early in the spring, and are among 

 the first whicli a collector may take with the net. They are to be 

 found along roads or paths in wooded districts, or in open spaces 

 near woods. They delight to sport among low shrtibs and bushes, 

 and fly quite rapidly, two or three chasing each other about from 

 bush to bush, often alighting and spreading their wings out flat, 

 holding themselv^es ready to immediately take wing. They are quite 

 pugnacious, and readily give chase to other insects that may pass 

 their wa3\ Great care is necessary in separating the species, as many 

 of them resemble each other closely. Some are double-brooded, first 

 making their appearance in April and Ma}', and again the latter part 

 of summer. Although so plain in coloring, these butterflies come at 

 a time when tlie more attractive and larger kinds have not come forth 

 to delight the collector. They are sufficiently numerous that one 

 may secure perfect specimens with no great difficult}^ and the most 



