282 MOTHS AND BUTTERFLIES. 



if made with the point of a very fine pen, distributed over the 

 greater part of the surface of tlie under side of the wings. In 

 liabits and mode of flight this butterfly resembles others of the 

 genus already described. It often alights on the roads where they 

 traverse woods, and is so active and wary as to make its capture dif- 

 ficult. The species is found in northern New England and Canada, 

 and is generally considered somewhat rare. 



The genus Phyciodes contains a large number of small and 

 })lainly colored butterflies of a tan or brownish orange color with 

 dark brown or black markings. They are found over all parts of 

 our country and are usually among the commonest of butterflies, 

 actually sw^arming in Ma}^ and June and again in August and Sep- 

 tember. So much alike are the different species that a collection 

 containing the many kinds will at first give one the impression that 

 they are all of one or two s[)ecies with variations. A^arieties dif- 

 fering both in colors and markings are common, and whei'e the 

 different species are so much alike, it is scarcely necessary to state 

 that it is at times exceedingly difficult to separate them. 



As the many kinds of these butterflies are interesting only to the 

 specialist, I shall not weary the reader with figures and descriptions 

 wdiich nuTst of necessity be very diy and lacking in interest to a 

 lover of tlie beautiful, the rare and the curious in Nature. 



Pliyeiodes tliaros is a very common little butterfly in June and 

 again in August in our fields and meadows, where it delights in 

 the blossoms of the low ])lants, several butterflies sometimes Ijeing 

 seen on one flower. It is slow and feeble in flight. The larva feeds 

 on the plantain, and is dark in color and covered with short bristles. 



The genus MeUtcea contains a large numl)er of butterflies of 

 rather small size, which are closely related to Phi/ciodes. They 

 are inhabitants of the north temperate parts of the world, particu- 

 larly in mountain districts, and the western part of our country is 

 rich in species. The genus is well represented in western Nevada 

 near the base of the Sierra Nevada, where in June several pretty 

 species may be taken in large mimbers. 



Our eastern species, Melitcva phaeton, is one of the finest of the 

 genus, and is a general favorite with collectoi's. The coloi- is 

 brownish black with several rows of buff I'ound s[)()ts and crescents 

 on the outer half of the wings. Along the outer margins of both 

 sets of wings is a row of brick red sjjots. The l)odv is black with 

 several small whitish dots alono' the sides of the alxlonien. (_)ntlie 



