THE NYMPHS 



outer two-fifths deep orange. The veins on the orange por- 

 tion are more or less shaded with brown, and this part of the 

 wing is crossed by two series of brown spots. In the female 

 the upper surface of the wings is blue or green-black ; the 

 outer third of the fore wings is crossed by three rows of blue 

 or whitish spots; the outer third of the hind wings is dark 

 metallic blue or green interrupted on the veins by the ground 

 color, and with marginal and sabmarginal bands, and a series 

 of spots near the base of this third, all of the ground color. 

 The male expands three and three-fourths inches ; the female 

 a little over four inches. 



Caterpillar. — Black and velvety. The barbed spines 

 are fleshy and orange-colored at their base, and arranged in 

 six longitudinal rows. The head is brownish. 



Food-plant. — Violets. 



This is one of the largest and most beautiful 

 species of fritillaries ; and when one sees both 

 sexes the resemblance between them is so slight 

 that one wonders how they have sufficient acumen 

 to select each other. It is true their wings are of 

 the same " cut," and the silver crescents mark the 

 outer edge of the under side of the hind wings o( 

 both, and both are attired in textures of velvet. 

 But beyond these slight resemblances they are so 

 different in color and markings that no one would 

 guess they belonged to the same species, unless he 

 had knowledge of their habits. Even the colors 

 of the under side of the wings are different. The 



in 



