JONES — ON NOVA SCOTIAN DIURNAL LEPIDOPTERA. 21 



First appearance, June 4th, 1866. 

 Latest, ** let week in November. 



frequenting the flowers of the faU dandelion, (Leontodon autum- 

 nale) the only field plant left in bloom. 



Although a field may appear covered with them, yet if a cloud 

 overshadows the same for even a few minutes, not a Colias is to be 

 seen. It is a happy circmstance that this species is not destructive 

 to our garden crops, merely resorting to the plants of the field for 

 nourishment in the caterpillar and imago states. It resembles 

 greatly the clouded yellow (^Colias edusa,) of England. There 

 are two broods of this species, the first in May and the last in July 

 or August. Mr. Belt says that there are probably three broods, 

 but as in the case of some birds which breed earlier or later 

 according to circumstances, I fancy the newly bom specimens of 

 this butterfly which we see in September, are late cases of a 

 second brood. 



Danais archippus, (Fabr.) 



This may be considered a very rare species in Nova Scotia, only 

 a few speeimens being observed each summer. In \h.Q autumn of 

 1863, Mr. Belt took a few specimens on the Citadel hill, and 

 about that time I saw a specimen in the hands of a child in the 

 Dutch Village. Mr. Downs, however, informs me on the 

 authority of Mr. John Winton, that it is not so rare in the valley of 

 the Shubenacadie. This large and handsome butterfly is very 

 common in the Bermudas, where I have taken several specimens 

 as well as the caterpillar which feeds upon the ipecachuan plant 

 (^jisclejnas curassavica) . It is also common in Lower Canada, 

 United States, and I believe also the northern parts of South 

 America, for I have specimens which were blown on board a vessel 

 when ofl* Cape St. Roque in Brazil, at which time perfect clouds 

 composed of this and three or four other species of butterflies 

 literally darkened the sky. These enormous gatherings of butter- 

 flies blown off the coasts of different countries, are alluded to by 

 Darwin and the naturalists who have personally witnessed them.. 

 They are supposed to be migrating. 



