POLYGONIA. By Dr. A. Seitz. 455 



cold regions they oftt-ii liiliernate as imagines. They are distinguished by having strong angles or teeth at the distal margins, 

 between vvhii'li the wings are often deeply emarginate. The palpi are long and strong, biit not inflated, the antennae long, 

 strong and straight, with the ehibs spindle-, not spoon-shaped, the head and body in the speeies which hibernate as butter- 

 flies, at Iea.st in the autumn brood with tliick. furry hair. The colours are nearly always very bright, with fiery red or variega- 

 ted bands or margins. They are all good fliers, rivalling birds in the rapidity of their movements. They are protected by 

 no internal fluids, but- the butterfly when at rest is mostly concealed by the Ijark- or leaf-like under surface. JIany species 

 are fond of flowers, while numerous others do not touch them, but frequent tlie flowing sap of wounded frees, syrup, fruits, 

 rotten substances, etc. The larvae are all spined. the .spines harder, longer and more pointed than in the jjreceding group: also 

 the pupae mostly have stronger and more pointed angles than those of An/ipuiin and McVdaea. often with silver or gold tips. 

 In America the species extend from Alaska to Patagonia and ascend in the momitains to very considerable elevations. 



9. Genus: Pol^'^'Oiiin Wm. 



Here belong about 5<l fornisdistribiitedover the northern hemisphere, which are all very similar. They 

 were formerly referred to the genus Vantssa and are even now better known under Kirby's generic name 

 Grnpta. They are easily distinguished from the true Vanessa by their larvae, which are not gregarious but 

 solitary and bear spines on the frontal hemispheres, which are commonly designated '"eyes." From Pyrameis, 

 to which they likewise approximate, they differ in that the larvae live free, not in spun-up leaves. The eggs 

 are also differently shaped from those of Vanessa and Pyrameis and are mostly not laid in clusters but piled 

 up one upon another into chains. Attempts to separate Polygonia anatomically from Vanessa in the imago have 

 not thus far been .successful and even the anatomical inve^tigation of the paljial scaling, the genitalia of the 

 (J, etc., have failed. Superficially, ho^^ ever, the genus is easily distinguished by the more deeply excised mar- 

 gins of the wings, the almost absolutely unicolorous upper surface (bi'own, with dark spots) and by the very 

 great similarity of the butterflies where the larvae often differ greatly. The latter live principally on Urticaceae 

 and are very strikingly colotned. The l)utterflies are met with at almost every season of the year, even on 

 warm winter days, and they fly both in the gardens of the towns and also at the edges of woods and on the open 

 fields. Almost all the species of the genus are at least locally common. 



P. iilterrogationis /'. (= fabricii Edw.) (93 a). The largest form of the genus and the one with the inierroga- 

 strongest sexual dimorphism. The forewing has below the apex a long tooth, pointing downwards, and the '"'"*• 

 hindwing in the distal margin a tail, as long as that of a Pajiilio niacliaon. At the end of the cell of the 

 hindwing beneath there is a bright metallic c or g, sometimes interrupted. — umbrosa Lintn. (93 a) is umbrosa. 

 the summer form, with a shorter tail, the teeth below the apex of the forewing also shorter, but especially 

 distinguished by the almost entirely black-brown upper surface of the hindwing, which is only relieved with red- 

 brown in the basal and costal part, and by the somewhat more confused markings of the under surface. — Egg 

 green, either laid singly or in chains of 4 — 8. Larva dirty white or light flesh-coloured, isabelline yellow or whi- 

 tish grey, also even blackish with brownish or yellow red, thick, almost knob-like spines: on nettles, elms, hops, 

 etc. Pupa wood-coloured grey-brown with very long dorsal tubercle and small silvery points on the back of 

 the abdomen. The butterfly lives from the autumn until May and again, as umbrosa, in June and July. There 

 is not, however, such a constant distinction between the two generations as in Araschnia prorsa and levana: 

 often eggs laid at the same time produce half one and half the other form, much as in the European c-album 

 (on the other hand in the East Asiatic r-aureiim.-pryeri a constant alternation takes place in the species, the 

 hibernated specimens always belonging to the form pryeri). Common almost everywhere in the United States, 

 only wanting in the western states; throughout the year, even in the earliest spring on sugar-maple. 



p. comma Harr. (= harrisii Edir.) (93 a). Mostly smaller than the preceding, the under surface nuich comma. 

 more variegated, usually traversed by a rosy white, light violet or fleshy reddish irregular median band, which in 

 the disc of the forewing .sends out light stripes along the veins. On the upper surface the hindwing may be red- 

 brown with dark spots or (in the summer form) entirely suffused with dark black-brown: the latter is the form 

 dryas Eda-. (93 b). which stands in the same relation to coi/nita. as umbrosa to interrogationis. — Larva very va- dryas. 

 riable, black with white spines, grey, tinged with greenish, or entirely snow-white, with similar or variegated 

 spines. Like the preceding, all the year round on elms, hops, nettles, etc. Pupa with somewhat shorter 

 dorsal protuberance but very strong points on the back of the abdomen. Like the preceding widely distributed 

 over the east of the LTnited States from Canada to Texas, Init wanting in (he west. Common. 



P. satyrus Edu\ (93 b). This species differs from the preceding in the lighter yellow-brown ufper sahjrus. 

 surface, on which the dark marginal markings are reduced, particularly on the hindwing. Lender surface more 

 unicolorous, more yellow than dark brown, ^•haded with dark brown across the middle of the wings and at the 

 distal margin between the teeth. — marsyas Edw. (93 b, c) is the lighter form, in which the hindwing has mostly marsyas. 

 only traces of dark shading towards the distal margin. — Larva black with yellowish or reddish spines; from 

 the 3rd segment onwards runs along the dorsum a broad, greenish or greyish white saddle-stripe. Like the pre- 

 ceding on nettles, etc. From Ontario westwards, over the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific coast but more 

 sparingly and more local. 



