I'ub/. 5. VI. 1013. ARGYNNIS. By Dr. Th. Lehmann. 417 



and with the terminal border, enclosing on botli wings small, triangular, pale marginal dots wliioh, like the 

 almost quadrate light discal patches on the forewings, contrast vividl}' with the dark ground; this is even 

 more marked in the oval spots on the tliscal area of the hindwings corresponding to the row of silvery spots 

 underneath, which are paler buff than the rest. Under surface of the forewings yellow isli buff, at the base and 

 on the lower nervules dusted with fuKx)us. Hindwings dark fulvous to the outer third, with the submarginal 

 band clear buff; the sjjots large and well silvered. $ on the ^\hole paler than o, the discal area of both 

 wings as well as the median and submarginal spots on the hindwings nearly whitish; the black markings even 

 heavier than in (^. Also underneath it resembles the ,3, but is slightly paler. aiUippe is easily recognized 

 by the deep obscuration of the basal areas of both wings and by the striking contrast formed by the uncom- 

 monly pale colour of the discal and median spots with the dark ground. Expanse: (J 2,3", $ 3,0". According 

 to Dr. Behr, calli'ppe is very common throughout California, especially in the lower parts of the country. Near 

 San Francisco it is by far the commonest Argynnis, flying in June together with the much rarer liliana 

 and semiramis. About its habits Wright writes from San Bernardino: "callippe is found from the sea-coast 

 up to an altitude of about 2500 ft., preferring the dry, deep, sheltered valleys. Tts season is rather short, lasting 

 only about 5 weeks, and everything indicates that thei'e is but one brood. The SS aj^pear about on the 

 2()th of May; they fly restlessly about, only rarely alighting on some flower to sip a little honej'. In the begin- 

 ning of July the $$ apjjear; these, in contradistinction to the ,^o- fly '^wt little; one sees them generally 

 near and among the dead twigs and branches of the shrubs growing on the steejJ slopes, in whose scanty shade 

 certain species of violets thrive in spring, the leaves of which die off already in June; they are never seen to 

 grow on the bottom of the valleys, only on the sloping sides; nor do the $$ ever seek out green, fresh-looking 

 plants, but flutter or crawl aliout ])etween the dried-up leaves and twigs; as soon as a favourable place is found, 

 they push their body as far as possible into the loose rubbish or half-decomposed leaves, depositing one or more 

 eggs, after which they seek another similar place to repeat the same game. The larvae are hatched after 

 about 12 days and go at once in lethargy, in which state they spend the entire summer and following winter 

 until early spring. In spring-time I never succeeded in finding a single caterpillar". 



A. juba Bsd. from California is, according to its author, so closely allied to cullippe that it may be re- juba. 

 garded as a local race. Both sexes have the ujiper surface bright fulvous, but without the blackish tinge 

 characteristic of callippe (^. Underneath it differs very little from that sjiecies. Edwards, on the other hand, 

 inclines to the belief that it is a form of the highly variable coronis, representing a transition to the cal- 

 lippe gvovi\)\ LoRQUiN again treats it as a separate species. Whichever view is correct, can only be decided by 

 breeding experiments. 



A. nevadensis Edw. (86 c, d) stands in the markings of the upper surface and in the form and size ncvodensis. 

 of the silvery spots nearest edwardsii. c? above pale yellow-fulvous, but slightly obscured at base. Termen 

 bordered by 2 rather heavy black parallel lines enclosing a narrow fulvous streak intersected by the nerves, 

 and joining the rather fine, confluent submarginal lunides. The black discal spots reduced, but very distinct, 

 similar to those of edwardsii. The median band on the hind\\ings confluent. Forewings on the under surface 

 pale buff, the basal area suffused with reddish as far as the cellular spots; the apex and posterior submarginal 

 spots greenish olivaceous, the upper submarginal and the subapical spots well silvered. Hindwings greenish, 

 with moderately broad, but sharply defined, submarginal band of dull buff, and strikingly large, very 

 pronounced silver spots. Abdominal margin and the basal portion of the costal margin likewise silvered. 

 $ like the cJ, but larger and somewhat lighter; the outer border of the forewings more broadly black, 

 enclosing some insignificant traces of fulvous spots. The light patches enclosed by the submarginal lunvdes, 

 and the discal spots corresponding to the second silvered row of the hindwings pale buff. The foi'ewings 

 underneath as in the (J, pale buff, but with the base and inner margin deep fulvous red. Hindwings underneath 

 like those of the cj, but the green colouring darker and more lustrous, mottled with })ale olive, and adorned 

 with large and conspicuous silvery spots. Exj^anse : t;^ 2,25", $2,4 — ^2,6". Nothing is known of the earlier stages. 

 A. nevadensis is a wide-spread species, being found in the mountainous parts of Utah, Nevada, Wyoming, 

 Montava, Washington and the adjacent jjarts of British Colombia, but apparently always local. H. Edwards 

 was the first who discovered it, near Virginia City in Nevada. "It particularly abounds in the wai'm ravines 

 (canons) near Washoe Lake, a lovely mountain-lake 2 miles wide and 7 long, situated 6500 ft. above 

 the level of the sea in the lower mountains, the highest elevation of which is Mt. Davidson, on the slopes 

 of which Virginia City is built. In spring the borders of the lake are covered with the most luxuriant vegetation, 

 in which Compositae, Violaceae and Liliaceae play an important part. Here A. nevadensis abounds; but on 

 account of its rapid, restless flight its capture is, like that of most mountain-butterflies of the Rockies, 

 enormously difficult and laborious in that wild and broken country. Just to get to those places, the collector 



V 53 



