BUTTERFLIES OF MONTANA. 13 



The butterfly exhibits a very complicated polymorphism, both sea- 

 sonal and sexual; nine forms are now recognized by entomologists. The 

 form occurring in Montana is C. ladon ladon. 



Early Stages Length, two-fifths of an inch, slug shaped, dark brown, 

 head. Body white with a dusky line down the back and a greenish, 

 tinge along the sides. 



Food The larvae feed on dogwood, actinomeris, black snake-root,, 

 sumac, spiraea and many other plants. 



Distribution Its distribution is very wide, extending from Alaska 

 south to Arizona, east to the Gulf of Mexico, and north to the St. Law- 

 rence. Coubeaux reports it abundant around Big Sandy. 



THE WESTERN TAILED BLUE, Everes amyntula Boisduval. 



Fig. 102B. Everes amyntula, the two right hand figures, and Agriades- 

 rustica, left hand figure. 



Butterfly "Closely resembling L. comyntas, of which," says Hol- 

 land, "It may be only a slightly modified western form. Until the test 

 of breeding has been applied we cannot be sure of this." 



Description of comyntas Expanse of wings from .7 to 1 inch, 18 to 25 

 mm. Hind wings with one thread-like tail. The males are dark violet-blue- 

 above, with a narrow blackish outer border. Along the outer margin of 

 the hind wings are several black spots, and usually one or two orange 

 crescents. The female are blackish brown, some specimens with bluish 

 at the base. The black spots of the hind wings are often obscure. 



Underside whitisn gray; both wings with a double row of .spots along 

 the outer margin, the inner row crescents; between this and the cells 

 a fow of black spots circled with white, the row on the hind wings broken 

 twice. Tuere is also a bar at the end of each cell, and on the hind wings 

 a spot in the cell, and one above. Near the anal angle are two or three 

 orange crescents, enclosing each a black spot with a circle of silver scales. 



Amyntula differs from the above as follows: The males are lighter 

 blue above, the dark border much reduced. The black spots prevail,, 

 reduced, but the orange crescent has reduced to a black spot. The fe- 

 males are brownish black with a trace of coppery brown, the primaries 

 with a large wash of blue over the posterior portion. The black spots 

 are larger than in the male. 



Early Stages Unknown. 



Distribution It ranges from the eastern foothills of the Rocky Moun- 

 tains to the Pacific in British America and the northern tier of western 

 states. There are seven specimens in the University of Montaan collec- 

 tion from Sinyaleamin lake in the Mission Mountains. Coubeaux collect- 

 ed it in tne Bear Paw Mountains. 



