Genus Melitsea 



becomes black just before hatching. The eggs are laid by the 

 female in large clusters on the under side of the leaf of the food- 

 plant. 



Caterpillar. — The life-history in all the stages will be found 

 minutely described by Edwards in "The Butterflies of North 

 America," vol. ii, and by Scudder in "The Butterflies of New 

 England," vol. i. The mature larva is black, banded with 

 orange-red, and beset with short, bristly, black spines. Before 

 and during hibernation, which takes place after the third moult, 

 the caterpillars are gregarious, and construct for themselves a 

 web in which they pass the winter. After the rigors of winter 

 are past, and the food-plant, which is commonly Cbelone glabra, 

 begins to send up fresh shoots, they recover animation, scatter, 

 and fall to feeding again, and after the fifth moult reach maturity. 



Chrysalis. — The chrysalis is pendant, formed generally at a 

 considerable distance from the spot where the caterpillar feeds, 

 for the larvaj wander off widely just before pupation. It is pearly- 

 gray, blotched with dark brown in stripes and spots, with some 

 orange markings. 



This very beautiful butterfly is quite local, found in colonies in 

 swampy places where the food-plant grows, but in these spots 

 sometimes appearing in swarms. It occurs in the northern por- 

 tions of the United States and in Canada, extending as far north 

 as the Lake of the Woods, and as far south as West Virginia. It 

 does not occur west of the Rocky Mountains. 



(2) Melitaea chalcedon, Doubleday and Hewitson, Plate 

 XVI, Fig. 2, $ (Chalcedon). 



Butterfly. — The male and female are much alike. The wings 

 are black, spotted with red and ochreous-yellow. On the under 

 side they are brick-red, with the spots of the upper side repeated, 

 and in addition at the base a number of large and distinct yellow 

 spots. Expanse, 8, 1.75-2.00 inches; 9, 2.50 inches. 



Early Stages. — For a knowledge of these the reader may con- 

 sult Edwards, "The Butterflies of North America," vol. i, and 

 "Papilio," vol. iv, p. 63; Wright, "Papilio," vol. iii, p. 123, and 

 other authorities. The egg is pale yellowish when first laid, 

 pitted at the base, and ribbed vertically above. The caterpillar is 

 black, with the bristling processes on the segments longer than 

 in the preceding species. The chrysalis is pale gray, blotched 

 with brown. The food-plants are Mimiclus and Castileja. 



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