284 LEPIDOPTERA. 



resembles it a good deal in form and general color, but 

 is readily distinguished from it, and from all the other 

 American butterflies, by the broad white arched band on the 

 wings, which, beginning just beyond the middle of the front 

 edge of the fore wings, curves backwards, crossing both 

 wings, and ends on the inner edge of the hind wings. The 

 male differs from the female in having a row of orange-col- 

 ored spots on the upper side of the hind wings next to the 

 border, as well as on the under side. The caterpillar and 

 chrysalis of this species are unknown to me. 



The caterpillars of many of the four-footed butterflies are 

 spiny, or have their backs armed with numerous projecting 

 points ; these, in some, are short and soft, and beset all 

 around with very small stiff hairs, in others they are long, 

 hard, and sharp prickles, which generally are furnished with 

 little stiff branches. The butterflies have the knobs of the 

 antennae short and broad ; the feelers are rather long, and 

 placed close together, at the base at least ; the inner margin 

 of the hind wings is folded downwards, and grooved for the 

 reception of the body ; the central mesh of these wings is 

 not closed behind ; and the nails of the four hind feet are 

 divided so as to appear double. This group may be called 

 Vanessians (Vanessad^e), and contains the genera Argyn- 

 nis, Melitcea, Cynthia, and Vanessa. 



In Argynnis the wings are never angulated or toothed, 

 and the hind ones are generally ornamented with silvery or 

 pearly spots beneath ; the feelers spread apart at their points ; 

 the caterpillars have a round head, and are furnished with 

 branched spines on all their segments, two of those on the 

 first segment being usually longer than the rest, and directed 

 forwards ; chrysalids somewhat angular, arched, rather thick 

 at both ends, with the head squared or very slightly notched, 

 without a prominent nose-like projection on the thorax, and 

 on the back are two rows of projecting points, which are 

 usually golden-colored. Most of tlie caterpillars in this 

 genus are observed to live on various kinds of violets, and 



