BROODS AND HIBERNATION 



l.SS 



In view of all this evidence it seems safe to conclude that 

 in the region under consideration a single brood is the rulef 

 rather than the exception. This involves the conclusion that 

 the butterflies seen upon the wing early in autumn are the 

 same ones that developed in July, and that these same but-" 

 terflies remain alive through the winter and until, in the 

 following May, they lay their eggs. Thus there is a period 

 of ten months of existence in the butterfly state, an extraordi- 

 nary length of tinie for a butterfly to live. 



To a large extent the butterflies disappear in August, and 

 the question arises as to what becomes of them. Our observa- 

 tions lead to the conclusion that they go into summer quar- 

 ters similar to those 

 which they seek out for 

 winter shelter. Appar- 

 ently they fly about for a 

 few days after coming 

 from the chrysalis and 

 then retire to cool woods,, 

 where under the side of a 

 log or beneath the loose 

 bark of a dead tree they 

 settle down and to all ap- 

 pearances go to sleep. 

 The instinct to remain 

 quiet is very strong in 

 — rig. 48. Butterfly "playing 'possum", these butterflies. In mak- 

 ing the photographs that illustrate this bulletin T found that 

 even shortly after coming from the chrysalis the butterflies 

 when disturbed would fold their wings with the antennas be- 

 tween them, and drawing the legs against the body, would lie- 

 quietly on their sides for a long time; the position thus- 

 assumed by the living butterfly is shown in Fig. 48. These 

 same butterflies would also hang downward from a limb by 

 the hour in the hibernating position as shown in Fig. 49. 



In' the cooler weather of early autumn the butterflies come 

 from their summer retreats and flv about in the sunshine. 



