THE GOSSAMER-WINGED BUTTERFLIES 



running lengthwise of the body. Sometimes it is purple brown 

 instead of grass green in color. 



Food-plants. — Oak, hickory, and butternut. 



This is our commonest Thecla, and may be 

 found almost anywhere in the United States east 

 of the Rocky Mountains except in southern 

 Florida. It is frisky and erratic in its flight ; it 

 abjures civilization,, and frequents various forest 

 openings, being especially fond of scrub-oak clear- 

 ings. From the West comes the report that in 

 the spring it shows a liking for the odoriferous 

 skunk-cabbage, a plant which seems to have more 

 friends among; insects than amono- folks. Though 

 dull in color, the banded hair-streak has long, 

 graceful white-tipped tails on the hind wings, and 

 has a most elegant pattern of brown and white 

 fringe just at the inner base of the longest tail. 

 On the grayish lower surface of the wings are 

 black spots margined with white; a blue patch 

 flanked with orange on the inner angle of the 

 hind wing makes us realize that the Theclas 

 are artistic even though modest in their garb. 

 The male of this Thecla shows especially well 

 the oval patch of pale brown scales on the 

 upper surface of each front wing which is com- 

 posed of scent scales, and which form his greatest 



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