THE NYMPHS 



nearly sunset, hanging in apparent bliss to the 

 red purple blossoms of the thistle, fitfully lifting 

 itself to thrust its tongue down in another place, 

 opening wide its orange-yellow and black wings, 

 then shutting them to show the delicate rose 

 color of the under side of the front wings and 

 the two eye-spots of the hind wings. In watch- 

 ing it on its favorite flower one wonders if that 

 rose color on the under side of the front wings 

 is not protective, it harmonizes so well with the 

 pink of the blossom. 



Much might be expected of a butterfly which 

 receives its early nourishment from the immor- 

 telle. Most interesting is the habit of the cater- 

 pillar when just from the egg. Mr. Scudder tells 

 us it constructs a mat of the silken hair of the 

 leaf of the everlasting woven together with its 

 silk, and beneath this it hides and feeds. Later 

 it fastens two of the leaves together and feeds 

 therein, and later in the season delights in eating 

 the blossoms, which it encloses in a web. It 

 hibernates as a chrysalis sometimes, but oftener 

 as a butterfly, not leaving its winter quarters 

 before the middle of May. 



The species occurs in Ontario and nearly the 

 whole of the United States. 



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