AEGYNNIS. 173 



history. Probably it will be found that the ovaries of the females are imperfectly developed, and that they consequently 

 never lay any eggs ; or that they hybernate, and lay their eggs in the spring, as do the Vanessa;. 



The Pufje are more or less angulated, constricted across the back, the head often bifid, the abdominal segments 

 furnished with a double row of tubercles on the dorsal surface. They are generally of some shade of brown, often 

 marked with metallic spots. The pupa? of the species composing the second section are rounder at the head, and 

 altogether less angular than those of the first section ; in this approaching the next genus. 



The Perfect Insect generally makes its appearance about two weeks after the change to the pupa state. 

 The prevalent colour of the upper surface, in nearly all the species, is a more or less bright fulvous orange, marked 

 with black spots, arranged into transverse bands ; and, below, the same or similar spots are repeated on a rather paler 

 ground, mingled on the lower wings and at the apex of the upper with silvery or pearly spots, sometimes also with 

 green ; or the posterior wings are shining green, splashed with silver. In Argynnis Idalia the posterior wino-s are 

 fuscous above with blue reflections, the base chocolate-coloured, the middle crossed by a band of white spots, beyond 

 which is a band of fulvous ones ; below they are chocolate brown, with numerous silvery spots. In the rare 

 Argynnis Diana the wings above are of a rich velvety black, with purple reflections, broadly bordered with 

 fulvous externally ; whilst, below, the colouring is much paler, and there are in addition some slight silvery 

 markings. The species of the second section commonly have the lower surface of the posterior wings much paler 

 than the upper, the black markings of this latter reproduced in a fulvous hue below, with the addition of some 

 silvery spots. 



The males of some species, as Argynnis Paphia, Arg. Adippe, and Arg. Sagana, have the median nervules clothed 

 with hairs and scales of a peculiar form, resembling those of the patch on the posterior wings of the males of 

 Lachnoptera Iole. Some of these scales are so extremely slender as to seem reduced to the state of hairs, for which 

 they may be the more easily mistaken as the tuft at the apex readily becomes detached, when it is only the very 

 slight enlargement of the base which distinguishes them from the hairs mingled with them. 



The larger species of the genus which compose the first section differ materially in their habits from those of the 

 second section. All are partial to the open parts of woods, or to wild heaths and the skirts of mountains ; but those of the 

 first section are generally insects of stronger and bolder flight than those of the second. Their flight is .rapid, and often at 

 a considerable elevation. In Europe they frequent the flowers of the brambles and thistles ; in America I found 

 Argynnis Daphnis and Arg. Idalia abundant on the blossoms of the common red clover in fields near woods. 

 Argj nnis Diana, scarcely met with since the days of Cramer, I first saw in a clover field in a beautiful valley 

 amongst the mountains of North Carolina, and subsequently captured several specimens, at an elevation of perhaps 2000 

 feet, on the mountains near the Warm Springs in that State. It has much the flight of our Argynnis Aglaia, but more 

 rapid. It appeared to be partial to the blossoms of a species of Apocynuin, on which plant I took all my specimens; it 

 I icing impossible to follow them over the broken rocks, through the magnificent forests with which the Blue Mountains 

 are covered. 



The second section more commonly frequent the open parts of woods, are insects of slower and weaker flight, and 

 rarely rise far from the ground. In North America, Argynnis Myrina and Arg. Bellona precisely replace our Argynnis 

 Euphrosyne and Arg. Selene. 



This genus, being a typical or at least a subtypical one, has an extensive range. It is found throughout the whole 

 temperate parts of both the Old and New Worlds, and extends in Europe northward to its northernmost shore, and in 

 Ameriea to Repulse Bay and still more northern regions. In America I am not aware of its occurrence within the 

 tropics, but possibly some species may be met with in the high regions of Mexico. In Asia Argynnis Childrena? and 

 Arg. Issaea have a wide range over Northern India, and Argynnis Niphe ranges thence southward until it reaches 

 the northern shores of Australia. No species, to my knowledge, has been yet found in Southern Africa, and only 

 one in the southern extremity of the New World. 



There is considerable difficulty in precisely discriminating some of the species of the second section. I have con- 

 sequently, as a general rule, preferred following those who have had more ample means of observation than myself. 

 The extreme northern species arc those upon which it is least easy to come to a satisfactory opinion. 



June, 18+8. 3 



