Canadian Butterflies. 353 



The species of this family are very numerous and beautiful, and 

 are found in every part of the world, and almost all our com- 

 monest butterflies belong to it. They are mostly of the middle 

 size, and few rival the gigantic proportions of some of the Pa- 

 pilionidse. It is divided into four sub-families, viz : Argynnidi, 

 Vanessidi, Nymphalidi and Satyridi, all well represented in 

 Canada. Generally, the sub-families are placed in an inverse or- 

 der to that which we adopt, but for various reasons we adhere in 

 this respect to the arrangement pursued in Humphreys and West- 

 wood's British Butterflies. 



In his work on the Butterflies of North America, M. Boisduval 

 places the Lyccenidoe between the Pajnlionidce and the Heliconi- 

 idoe, on the ground that their pupse agree with the first family in 

 being supported by a girth round the middle. As, however, there 

 appears to be a natural gradation from the Pajnlionidce -to the 

 Heliconiidce and N'ymphalidce, v/e have followed the arrano-ement 

 adopted by most Enghsh authors. 



SUB-FAMILY 1. ARaYNNIDI. 



Palpi long, ascending, closer together at the base than at the 

 tips, second joint the largest, the third small and variable in shape ; 

 antennae long, terminated by a suddenly formed, rounded, com- 

 pressed, somewhat spoon-shaped club ; head broad ; anterior legs 

 rudimental in both sexes ; discoidal cell of the posterior wings 

 open. The caterpillars very spinose. It is divided into several 

 genera, of which three, viz : Agraulis, Argynnis and Melitcea in- 

 habit North America, but the two last only are met with in 

 Canada. They are termed Fritillaries, (derived from the Latin 

 -word Fritillus, a chess-board) in allusion to the underside of their 

 posterior wings being generally chequered with silver spots, and 

 various colours, something in the manner of a chess-board. 



GENUS 1. ARGYNNIS. 



Head large, as broad as the thorax, which is thick and strong ; 

 eyes very large aud naked ; palpi very hairy, erect, rather wide 

 apart, the terminal joint small, naked and terminating in a point ; 

 antennae rather long, terminated by a very suddenly formed, 

 broad, compressed, spoon-shaped club ; abdomen shorter than the 

 posterior wings ; wings slightly sinuated ; anterior legs rudimen- 

 tal in both sexes, but difi"ering in the following particulars ; — in 

 the males they are not only much more hairy than in the femaks, 



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