418 ARGYNNIS. By D, . Th. Lehmann. 



must often tramj:) for miles over perfectl}' arid and, steep hills, where there is neither path nor any trees to 

 afford shelter from the sun ; sage-brush everywhere ; springs of water are exceedingly scarce, and he may consider 

 himself lucky if during an entire day's climb he finds a few drops of water" (Edwards). The species was 

 by Dr. Staudinger and Moeschler regarded as identical with the European aglaja, but the whole appearance, 

 the shape of the wings, the form and arrangement of the silver spots and the colour of the under surface in 

 both sexes differ so much, that they cannot even be classed with the same group (Elwes). 



meadii. A. meadii Ediv. (87 c) was by some authors treated as a form of A. edwardsii; but the difference 



between them appears two great and constant; rather one might take it for an extreme, dwarfed variety 

 of A. nevadensis. Forewing, in contradistinction to edwardsii, but slightly arched, with moderately produced 

 apex. Upper surface rather darker, deeper yellow-fulvous than in nevadensis, but little obscured at base, 

 the veins broadly dusted with blackish, and the median band narrow, confluent on the hindwing. Under 

 surface of forewings pale cinnamon-brown at base and along the veins on the disk, the remainder light 

 buff, except the apical area and. outer margin which are deeji green. The upper submarginal as well as the 3 

 subapical spots well silvered. Hindwing wholly of a glossy, rather dark golden green, with a strong silky 

 lustre that distinguishes this among all other American Argynnis. The submarginal band but faintly indicated 

 by a pale yellow streak between the two outer rows of silvery spots. All the spots as well as the costa 

 at base and the abdominal margin well silvered. $, as in the preceding species, very much like the ^J, 

 deviating only in the paler colouring and heavier markings. The sexes are approximately of the same size, 

 about 2,2". The early stages not known, meadii is found among the mountains of Colorado (Turkey Creek 

 Jn., June, Mead), in Utah, Montana (Dr. Hayden) and the Canadian province of Alberta. 



edwardsii. A. edwardsii Beak. (= aglaja Edw.) (86 d) is, in the same way as aphrodite with cybele and atlanfis, 



closely allied to nevadensis and meadii, from which it differs above in the brighter ground-colour, the broader 

 obscuration of the basal area, the broader black termen, especially of the $9, and the olive-brown tint 

 of the under surface of the hindwings. On the upper .side the (^ has the submarginal lunules connected with 

 each other and the inner terminal line, enclosing small spots of a paler shade than the ground-colour. On 

 the hindwings the discal spots rather much reduced. Under surface of forewings with the base pale reddish 

 and with similarly tinged nervures; the outer half pale buff, onlj^ the apex and inner margin suffused \\-ith 

 greenish. Submarginal spots well silvered. Hindwings light olive-brown, mottled with yellowish. The buff 

 submarginal band narrower than in nevadensis and meadii, strongly invaded by the dark ground-colour. The 

 silverspots distinct. $ above even more obscured than q. almost resembling callippe which it approaches 

 also in the uncommonly pale colour of the submarginal lunules on both wings and especially of the discal 

 spots of the hindwings. On the forewing the apex rather paler than the ground. Underside as in <^, but the 

 apex and outer border of the forewings as well as the entire hindwing of a deeper olivaceous tint, on which 

 the yellowish mottling of the 3* appears as a very faint streak; the submarginal band reduced even more 

 than in (J, not rarely completely absent or but slightly indicated, much as in aphrodite. The spots are large, 

 those of the outer row triangular, thinly edged with black proximally. Expanse: 2,8 — 3,3". Originally described 

 from specimens captured by Ridings in August 1864 in the mountains near Empire City (Colorado). The early 

 stages, described by Edwards in Can. Entom. Vol. XX, p. 3, are very similar to those of A. atlantis. Out- 

 side of Colorado it is also found in Nevada and Utah, but apparently always at higher altitudes than nevadensis. 



rupestris. A. rupestris Behr. (87 c). f^: Upperside of forewings deep fulvous, the obscuration of the basal 



area almost reaching the mesial band, which latter is, like all other markings, very heavy. Under surface 

 buff, at base and inner margin suffused with reddish; near the apex a slight ferruginous patch; the submar- 

 ginal lunules brown, darkest ^posteriorly. Marginal spots pale buff, without any silver. Hindwings likewise dull 

 buff, shaded with cinnamon-brown, varying from pale to dark. Submarginal band buff, at the lower end 

 somewhat invaded by the darker ground-colour. None of the spots silvered, only sometimes sprinkled with a 

 few silvery scales. $ above resembles ^, but the marginal and other markings much heavier, the ground paler, 

 in the discal area rather yellowish ; the submarginal spots whitish. Under surface brighter coloured than in (^. 

 Forewings from base to below the upper median nervule and along the veins on the disk uniformly light 

 red, beyond buff. Hindwings as in ^, only the spots always more or less silvered. Expanse: <^ 2,0", $ 2,2". 

 Nothing is known about the life-history, rupestris is not scarce at higher elevations on Mt. Shasta in Cali- 

 fornia, and on Mt. Bradley and the Weber Mountains in Utah. 



semiremiis. A. scmiramis Edw. (87 d) combines the characteristics of A. coronis (under surface) and A. adiante 



(upper surface); indeed some authors regard it as a southern, prairy-form of the former. ^J above bright fulvous, 



