BUTTERFLIES OF MONTANA. HI 



Carefully I followed until the time was favorable for a sweep, when it 

 was safely landed, much to my delight. Eurymus alexandra is not 

 abundant here, but is often seen sailing gracefully over the tops of 

 the dense bushes, out of reach but aggravatingly near. It was a per- 

 fect specimen, the only one seen or taken during the day. 



I started before two. Along the road I went slowly, seeking the 

 Argynnids. They were out. Such beautiful and dainty creatures they 

 are. Leto was out in all its glory, but my captures were few. I simply 

 could not do it. I was too awkward, slow, or something. They would 

 not rest. Again and again their course would be near me and I would 

 try, only to fail with an AH, and sigh of regret. Beautiful, dainty, deli- 

 cate creatures, sporting in tne open forest, flitting from open sunshine 

 where the resplendent colors show in all their glory to the shadow of 

 the forest where they may have a little respite. Their gaudy colors 

 make them conspicuous a long distance off, and their large size makes it 

 possible to detect them and distinguish them from others. Of the size 

 of cybele of the east, which was my early delight, it lends a charm to 

 the forest superior in some respects to that given by music of birds or 

 odor of flowers. Gorgeous in array, gentle in movements, short of life, 

 its life nistory unknown, what wonder that it has charm. The day was 

 too hot for Leto to be in the open. I sought, but in vain. A return to 

 the forest brought its company. Its flight is rapid and undulating. Rarely 

 did it rest. Pursuit into the forest beyond the road was impossible be- 

 cause of brush, fallen logs, stumps and stones. Again and again I made 

 a desperate sweep for a dark female or a more brilliant male. Thrice 

 was I successful, but many times did I fail. But one sweep was granted. 

 With the swish of the net through the air it was off in that peculiar 

 zigzag course common to most butterflies, the angles of flight and the 

 lines of flight as sharp and as numerous as the zigzag lines on the wing. 

 It was not so abundant as formerly, for annually it has been taken near 

 the laboratory for five seasons. 



Other Argynnids were out. Hesperis and one I took to be atlantis, 

 but which may prove to be different, were on the wing. The time to 

 take pie is when it is passing. The time to take butterflies is when 

 they are to be had. There is no more fatal error than to fail to take 

 specimens because they are plentiful. They may not be so to-morrow. 

 Every naturalist will no doubt recall irreparable losses because he failed 

 to take specimens when they were to be had, but delayed for a more 

 convenint season. 



Atlantis was abundant. It is not so large nor so gorgeous as Leto, 

 but is nevertheless beautiful. The underside of the species captured is 

 dark buff with a slight submarginal band. It was abundant. It seemed 

 to be especially fond of resting on Spiraea lucida. It rested often, and 

 was not difficult to capture. The afternoon's catch resulted in 23 speci- 

 mens of this and Hesperis. Atlantis was frequently interrupted in its 

 rest on Spiraea lucida by Phyciodes tharos. Whenever a tharos was near 

 it would invariably fly to the atlantis on the shrub. They would arise 

 together and circle about before separating. Frequently the two were 

 taken together. Tharos was invariably the aggressor. Whether it 



