LYC^ENID.E. 195 



fringe extends along the outer margin. The lower wings are 

 slightly darker brown than the upper pair, sometimes having a deli- 

 cate violet tinge on the upper portion. Near the base of tlie wing 

 are several white dots and two orange red spots. An area about the 

 lower angle of the wing is black, and the tails and the fringe along 

 the outer margin are also black. A row of metallic violet or purple 

 blue spots extends along the lower margin of the wing, just inside of 

 the black fringe and above the base of the tails. Two rows of shin- 

 ing green spots, the lower row ending in a long spot of bluish purple 

 next the inner margin, extend nearly across the wing in its lower 

 portion and separate the brown from the black area. The head, 

 thorax and legs are black with numerous tine white dots, and the 

 abdomen is orange red tipped with black. 



This handsome butterfly is an Inhabitant of the southern states 

 and Mexico. It is occasionally taken as far north as southern Ohio 

 and Illinois, and westw^ard in California. It is not a rare insect in 

 Florida early in Marcli, my ])rother having seen and taken speci- 

 mens near Jacksonville in that month. It is a strong and rapid flyer, 

 frequently alighting, but rather shy, and difficult to take with tlie 

 net. In Florida it is to be found in sand}^ districts on the edges of 

 forests. It frequently circles about the trees and when frightened 

 flies up and alights on twigs high up out of reach. I have several 

 fine specimens from Tennessee which are at least a third larger tlian 

 those taken by my brother in Florida. It is from these Tennessee 

 specimens that the illustrations are made. 



The larva I have never seen and know nothing of its habits. It 

 is said to feed on the leaves of the oak. 



W 



Theola sinilacis. 



A rather rare Thecla, and one which differs in a striking manner 

 from our other native species, is TJievla smilacis. It is a double- 

 tailed species, the upper pair of prolongations being exceedingly fine 



