410 ARGYNNIS. By Dr. Th. Lehmakn. 



paler than ,^, the basal half Buffused with a richer red than in cybele. Under surface of hind\^ings deep fer- 

 ruginous, the band being almost entirely crowded out. Expanse: ^ 2,0—2,2", $ 2,6". — Egg, larva and pupa 

 closely resemble those of cyhele. The mature caterpillar has, however, a velvety-black spot at the base of 

 each spine, making 6 longitudinal macular velvety bands. The chrysalis has the tubercles on the back shor- 

 ter than in cyhele, the basal segments party-coloured, not unicolorous a? in that species. The pupal state 

 lasts 17 — 27 days, aphrodite is common throughout the less elevated parts of Eastern Canada (Quebeck, Ontario, 

 Nova Scotia) and of the Eastern United States, from Maine southwa^rd to Pennsylvania, and in the Alleghanies 

 to West Vii'ginia. In the West it is met with as far as Illinois. Very common in the Catskills (State of New 

 York) up to an altitude of about 2000 ft., where it takes the place cf cyhele; flying with A. ailantis at the 

 end of June and in July in open woods and on forest-meadows, and easily recognizeable, especially in bright 

 sunshine, by the bright red tints. Like cyhele, it has in the South two broods, in the northern States and 

 Canada ojily one. It is not found in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, being replaced there by A. 

 ailantis. 



ciprifi. A. cipris Edw. (87 a) is a western, rather variable representative of the aphrodite grou^) which it re- 



sembles in many respects. But aside from the larger size, the forewings are relatively longer and narrower than 

 in aphrodite; the black markings of the upper surface in both sexes finer, the dusky clouding at the base of 

 the wings less pronounced, a.nd the general colouring brighter fulvous. On the under surface the forewing 

 lacks in the c? the deep pinkish tinge of the base and inner margin, which distinguishes aphrodite. Both sexes 

 have the inner % of the hindwings deep cinnamon-brown, distally defined by a very narrow submarginal band 

 of buff, deeply invaded proximally by rays of the dark ground-colour. Expanse: 2,8 — ■3,2. Colorado, Utah, 

 New Mexico; also Montana (Judith Mountain), Alberta and Assiniboia. Flies in Colorado from the end of June 

 to the end of August. The life-history is not known. 



alcestis. A. alcestis Edw. (87 a) is regarded by some authors as a westeni variety of aphrodite, from which it 



may be most easily distinguished by the uniformly dark cinnamon-brown ground-colour of the under surface 

 of the hindwings, reaching from base to termen, only interrupted by the silvery spots; the narrow buff sub- 

 marginaJ band found in aphrodite is entirely wanting, or occasionailly faintly indicated by a narrow streak of a 

 paler subcolour. Spots large and well silvered. $ above darker, more red and much more obscured at base 

 than (^; marginal lines broad, on the forewing partially confluent; submarginal spots heavy, as all other 

 markings. Under surface of forewings fiery-red; apical area of forewings as well as the hindwings uniformly 

 and deeply olive-brown or red-brown, very much as in (J. All the spots large and, like the costa at the base 

 and the inner margin, brightly silvered. Expanse: 3* 2,2 — 2,55", $ up to 3,0". • — Egg conoidal, ^^ith about 

 18 vertical ribs, very much like that of aphrodite. The larva takes 25 — 30 days to hatch and generally goes 

 at once into lethargy ; full-grown it is velvety-black, with concolorous spines that are yellow at the base. Head 

 black, yellowish behind. Feeds on violets and the wild pansy (V. tricolor). The pupa resembles in shape that 

 of aphrodite, but is more slender, reddish-brown or grey, irregularly mottled and striped with black; abdo- 

 minal segments slaty-grey, marked with black at the edges, which are provided with short, sharply angular 

 points. Pupal state lasts 20 days. The range of alcestis comprises the middle West as far as the Rocky 

 Mountains; in the prairies of northwestern Ohio and southern ^Iichiga,n it begins to replace rt;j/;rof/?7e which has 

 here its westei'ly limits, extending to Colorado, Nebraska and Montana. It seems to be rather local and con- 

 fined to a pretty narrow belt of Latitude, since specimens taken only a few miles farther iiorth, in a timbered 

 region, belong almost without exception to aphrodite (Worthington). Flies from the end of June till the end 

 of Aiigust. 



nausicaa. A. nausicaa Edw. (86 a) is likewise closely allied to aphrodite, which it replaces in Arizona. From 



its near allies aphrodite, alcestis, cipris and from the likewise similar halcyone it i.?, aside from the darker 

 ground-colour, easy to distinguish by the much shorter and less prominent tuft of hair above the sub- 

 costal nervule in the hindwing of the (^, which in the other mentioned species is very plain. It is rather 

 smaller in size than alcestis or cipris, about like aphrodite. Upper surface dusky reddish-brown, the submarginal 

 lunules separated, the mesial band on the hindwings not continuous, but broken into separate spots. Under 

 surface of the forewings pinkish-brown, the apex yellowish; submarginal spots lanceolate, the lower ones black, 

 those next to the apex brown, the upper 6, as well as the subapical patches imperfectly silvered. Hindwings 

 beneath cimiamon-brown, mottled with buff in the inner half; submarginal band buff, occasionally thinly sca- 

 led with brown, narrow, but pretty clearly defined; the bright silvery spots small, but very distinct; the basal 

 part of the costal margin likewise silvered. $ approaching in size the o, but with the black marldngs broader 

 and heavier; the submarginal lunules enclosing on the forewing pale fulvous, sometimes almost white spots. 

 Under surface of the forewings deeper red, the yellow apical area extending farther inwards, covering the outer 

 corner of the cell; the silverspots larger. Expanse: 2,25 — 2,5". nausicaa is quite common in the mountain 

 valleys of Arizona, at an altitude of from 6000—7300 ft., particularly in July and August. Originally it was 



