158 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Octobcr, 



RANDOM NOTES ON LEPIDOPTERA. 



By Henry Skinner, M.D., Philadelphia. 



This Summer Pamphila hobomok $ , and the two females (black 

 one Pocahontas), were quite abundaht May 31st, and eggs were 

 secured. P. zabidon % was also rather common at the same 

 time, I have never seen a female oi zabulon yellow like the male, 

 and am sure it does not exist in this locality if at all. I have 

 found the male and the black female in copulation a number of 

 times. I can distinguish the females of zabulon and hobomok 

 without any difficulty, and feel sure that the two species are en- 

 tirely distinct, and at some future time will have more to say about 

 them. June loth I saw a female P. nianataaqua ovipositing, she 

 went down in the grass near the roots and close to the ground, 

 and walked about in the miniature woods depositing an egg here 

 and there near the base of the blades and on the dead and de- 

 caying grass. These eggs hatched June 17th. This species was 

 exceedingly abundant on a grassy embankment, and the speci- 

 mens darted from flower to flower by a succession of quick jerks. 

 I mention the occurrence of the species here in such numbers as 

 it is usually considered quite rare. After one becomes acquainted 

 with it, it can be readily distinguished from cernes even on the 

 wing. P. fusca was common in Fairmount Park June 9th, and 

 nice, fresh specimens of Eudamus lycidas were taken. Pamphila 

 Aaroni v!2ls moderately plentiful at Cape May, N. J., June 14th. 

 Mr. Philip Laurent has also taken the species at Anglesea, N. J. 

 It is a very wary fellow, and has a very quick flight, but if you 

 get him in his favorite place, the trumpet-like flower of the wild 

 morning-glory, he is at your mercy. He flies straight for the 

 flower, and alights on the lower edge, and walks slowly in until 

 he reaches the sweets, and keeps very quiet, and you would not 

 know there was a specimen around until you learn his artful 

 tricks. A cyanide-jar at the opening of the flower means busi- 

 ness and a fine, faultless specimen. 



P. delaware is a great rarity here; I saw one fine specimen on 

 a ball-bush flower July nth, and he was so pretty and fresh, with 

 his brilliant yellow-orange under wings, that I tried to induce 

 him to go into a small cyanide bottle, but he did not agree with 

 me on the subject. Next time I see that fellow I will use a net. 

 I think the types were caught here by Mr. James Ridings. P. 



