HOW TO KNOW THE BUTTERFLIES 



light buff spots near the middle of the hind wing on the lower 

 side, and a similar band near the base. Expanse one and 

 three-fourths inches. 



Caterpillar. — Length nearly an inch ; body velvety 

 black, with an orange stripe along the side and with many 

 black spines arranged in lengthwise rows. 



Food-plants. — Sunflower, Actinomeris, and other Compositce. 



At first glance the silver crescent seems to be 

 a dark-brown butterfly with a band of orange 

 across both wings ; but a closer inspection reveals 

 the band to be made up of various ornamental 

 spots, lines, and patches ; and the lower sides of 

 the wings with their many devious and diverse 

 markings of brown and silver reduce to de- 

 spair one who would write of them a graphic 

 description. 



The caterpillars are social at first, but when 

 disturbed coil up and promptly drop to the ground, 

 climbing back again at their leisure when the 

 scare is over. When about half-grown the cater- 

 pillars leave the food-plant and hide under sticks 

 and stones or in convenient crevices, and there 

 remain until the next spring, when they finish 

 their growth. There is only one brood in the 

 North ; in the South there are two broods, but 

 occasionally some caterpillars of the first brood 

 stop eating in midsummer and hibernate with 



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