RILEY HACKBERRY BUTTERFLIES. 



The Lycaon Butterfly {Afatura Lycaon, Fabr.) 

 IF'Sr- 3-] 



195 



Apalura Lycaon — a, egg; b, lar\-a, dorsal view; c,d, chrysalis, dorsal and lateral 

 views; e, imago J", the dotted line showing form of $ — all natural size. 



During the month of May the larvae of this species may be 

 found on the above-mentioned trees, coming to their full grow^th, 

 pretty uniformly, by the end of the month. They are then (Fig. 

 3, b, and Fig. 4, g-) rather more than an inch long, of a pea-green 

 color, with a series of yellow spots along the middle of the back, 

 and three yellow lines each side, the intermediate one undulating, 

 often obsolete on the anterior part of each joint, and containing a 

 little lead-colored dimple. The body is more or less thickly gra- 

 nulated with pale papillae, reminding one of Faphia, swells in the 

 middle, from which it tapers both ways, the anal extremity end- 

 ing in two horns. The back and sides are flattened, the latter 

 sloping slightly, roof fashion. The most characteristic feature is 

 the head, which, though variable in color, is always surmounted 

 at this age with two antlers. 



This lai-va is found when at rest on the underside of the leaf, 

 usually on a carpet of silk, and often with a portion of the leaf 

 bent around it. The lower part of the head is then drawn un- 

 der the neck and the antlers thrown forward (Fig. 3, 3). In pre- 

 paring for the chrysalis state, it spins on the underside of a leaf a 

 little bunch of silk in which to entangle its anal prolegs. Some- 

 times, but not often, it partially covers itself with a curled leaf, or 

 with two leaves drawn together. Here it rests for about two 

 days, when the larval head and skin split open, and the soft and 

 unformed chrysalis works them back to the extremity of its body. 

 It then secures itself, knocks oft' the shrunken skin, and soon 

 assumes the delicate green color marked with cream-yellow, and 

 the elegant form (Fig. 3, c, d) which Nature has imposed upon 



