Lepidoptera 19 1 



the collection, measuring 47 mm., the two latter being 50 mm. and 52 mm. re- 

 spectively. The general colour in all three specimens is similar, but on the primaries 

 of the Yukon female the whole central area is flushed with dark red, thus ap- 

 proaching E.fasciata. The specimens in colour are closest to bister^, none of them 

 being the same shade as figured by Edwards'". A comparison of the genitalia 

 of the male from the Yukon with that of a male from Colorado indicates that 

 the clasper, in both specimens is similar and close to that of E. fasciata which 

 has been figured by Chapman^ 



Erebia sofia Stkr. 

 Erebia sofia Stkr.: Bull. Brook. Eni. Soc, III, 35, 1880. 



In the Canadian National collection are five specimens of this interesting 

 butterfly which were taken as follows: White river district, international bound- 

 ary, lat. 61° 65', long. 141°, July 16, 1913, 2 males, 1 female (D. D. Cairnes) ; 

 Bonanza creek, Chisana district, Alaska, August 3, 1913, 1 male (D. D. Cairnes); 

 Harrington creek, Yukon Territory, lat. 65° 05', long. 141°, July 30, 1912, 1 

 female (D. D. Cairnes). 



In specimens of sofia examined from Colorado, which are in the Ottawa 

 collection, the six reddish-brown spots comprising the submarginal band on the 

 upper side of the primaries are of similar size and very conspicuous, whereas 

 in the specimens collected by the late Dr. Cairnes, the spots are more or less 

 indefinite and only the upper three approach in size similar spots in Colorado 

 specimens. The lower three spots of the submarginal band are present on the 

 primaries of the above-mentioned specimens, but are much smaller, being about 

 half the size of the upper spots. 



In the variety alaskensis* " the specimens are all characterized by the 

 reduction of the number of light spots, both on the upper and lower sides of 

 the wings." The author of this variety further states in his description: " In 

 almost all of the specimens before me there are three spots on the primaries 

 above and below and but two spots on the lower side of the se.condaries. Only 

 one specimen approximates the typical form in the number of spots on the 

 lower size of the wings." 



The specimens in the Canadian National collection do not agree with this 

 description. There is nothing in the above description regarding the difference 

 in the size of the spots on the upper surface of the primaries, and in all of the 

 northern examples befpre me there are a greater number of white spots on the 

 underside of the secondaries, two specimens (1 male and 1 female) having four 

 spots and three specimens (1 male and two females) having five spots. The 

 single exception from which sofia was described had four white spots on the 

 underside of the secondaries. The underside of both wings of one of our speci- 

 mens is very similar to fig. 51e of sofia in vol. V of Seitz's Macrolepidoptera 

 of the World. Strecker in his description of sofia states that it is on the upper 

 side an almost exact counterpart of E. kefersteinii, but as has already been 

 pointed out by Elwes* he probably meant haberhaueri which was sent out by 

 mistake under the former name. Our specimens of sofia certainly resemble 

 somewhat haberhaueri as figured by Seitz. A male from the White river district, 

 Yukon Territory, is shown on PI. IV, fig. 11. The underside of the female from 

 Harrington creek is shown on PI. Ill, fig. 5. 



1 Ridgway's Color Standards and Nomenclature, 1912. 



2 Butt, of N.A., III, pi. 1, Erebia. 



' Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., 1893, pi. XVI. 



'■ Ent. News, XI, 387, 1900. 



5 trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. 1889, j). 333. 



65994— 2i 



