Genus Melitsea 



?. Much like the male. Expanse, $, 1.50 inch; ?, 1.75 inch. 

 Early Stages. Unknown. 



This pretty insect ranges from southern California and Arizona 

 to Nevada, Montana, and British America. 



(23) Melitaea wrighti, Edwards, Plate XVII, Fig. 9, $ ; Fig. 

 10, ? , under side (Wright's Checker-spot). 



Butterfly. Much like M. leanira, but with more fulvous upon 

 the upper side of the wings, and the under side yellow. The 

 black bands on the secondaries are reduced, and the dividing- 

 lines between the spots are confined to the nervules, which are 

 narrowly black. This is probably only a varietal form of the 

 preceding species. I figure the types. Expanse, $, 1.30 inch; 

 ?, i. 80 inch. 



Early Stages. Unknown. 



Habitat, southern California. 



(24) Melitsea alma, Strecker, Plate XVII, Fig. I, $ (Strecker's 

 Checker-spot). 



Butterfly, $ . The upper side of the wings is bright fulvous, 

 with the margins and veins black. There are three rows of 

 transverse spots paler than the ground-color. The fore wings on 

 the under side are pale fulvous, with pale-yellow spots and a sub- 

 marginal and marginal row of yellow spots separated by a narrow 

 black line. The hind wings on this side are yellow, with the 

 veins and margins black, and a transverse double band of black 

 on the outer margin of the median area. 



? . Much like the male, but larger, and redder on the upper 

 side. Expanse, $, 1.25 inch; ?, 1.50 inch. 



Early Stages. Unknown. 



The specimens I have came from the Death Valley. The spe- 

 cies occurs in southern Utah and Arizona. 



(25) Melitaea thekla, Edwards, Plate XVII, Fig. 15, $, under 

 side; Fig. 16, $ (Thekla). 



Butterfly, $ . The upper side of the wings is fulvous, black 

 toward the base and on the outer margin. The primaries are 

 adorned with a large oval pale-fulvous spot at the end of the cell, 

 a small one on the middle of the upper side of the cell, and another 

 small one below the cell, at the origin of the first median nervule. 

 The discal area is defined outwardly by a very irregular fine black 

 transverse line, beyond which is a transverse band of pale-fulvous 

 oblong spots, an incomplete series of spots of the ground-color 



M7 



