Genus Vanessa 



Butterfly. A rather small species, with light-fulvous fore 

 wings, shading into yellow toward the outer margins; the dark 

 markings slight, but deep in color. The secondaries are heavily 

 bordered with black on the outer margin. On the under side the 

 wings are very dark, variegated with paler shades, somewhat as in 

 G. gracilis. Expanse, 1.85-2.00 inches. 



The early stages have been quite fully described by various 

 authors, and the reader may consult "The Butterflies of New 

 England," vol. i, pp. 266-268, for a full account. The caterpillar 

 feeds on the elm, but more commonly on various species of the 

 Grossulacece, or currant tribe, wild or domesticated. It ranges 

 from Siberia to Nova Scotia, and southward as far as Pennsyl- 

 vania. 



There are several other species of Grapta found in our fauna, 

 which are not delineated in this book; but they are rare species, 

 of which little is as yet known. The types are in the collection 

 of the writer, and if the reader finds any species which he cannot 

 identify by means of this book the author will be pleased to help 

 him to the full extent of his ability. 



Genus VANESSA, Fabricius 

 (The Tortoise-shells) 



Butterfly. Medium-sized insects, the wings on the upper 

 side generally some shade of black or brown, marked with 

 red, yellow, or orange. The head is moder- 

 ately large, the eyes hairy, the palpi more 

 or less heavily scaled, the prothoracic legs fee- 

 ble and hairy. The lower discocellular vein 

 of the fore wings, when present, unites with 

 the third median nervule, not at its origin, but 

 beyond on the curve. The cell of the primaries 

 may or may not be closed. The cell of the secon- 

 daries is open. The fore wings have the outer mar- 

 gin more or less deeply excavated between the 



, ... ... ,. , , ., r- ,. FIG. 96. Neura- 



extremities of the upper radial and the first medi- tion of the genus 

 an, at which points the wings are rather strongly Vanessa. 

 produced. The hind wings have the outer margin denticulate, 

 strongly produced at the extremity of the third median nervule. 



167 



