GENUS MELIT^EA (THE CHECKER-SPOTS) PL. XIX 



Generally small or medium-sized butterflies. Palpi not 

 swollen; the third joint finely pointed; clothed with long 

 hairs. Antennae about half as long as the costal margin of 

 fore wing, ending with a short, heavy, spoon-shaped knob. 

 The cell hi the fore wing is closed, in the hind wing open. 

 The spots and markings are differently arranged from those 

 in Argynnis and Brenthis; the wings are never silvered on the 

 under side. Eggs subconical, flattened on top, fluted on the 

 sides. Caterpillars gregarious when young, then separating; 

 cylindrical, covered with short spines set with diverging 

 hairs; feeding upon the Scrophulariacece, Castileja, and allied 

 plants. Chrysalis rounded at the head, with sharply pointed 

 tubercles on back, white or pale gray, adorned with dark 

 markings and orange spots on back. 



There are many species in the north temperate zone. Most 

 of the more than thirty species in North America are confined 

 to the western part of the continent, only two being found east 

 of the Mississippi. 



(1) Melitcea phaeton (Drury), Plate XIX, tf (The Balti- 

 more). 



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