FISHERIES, GAME AND FORESTS. 369 



yellow border of the upper surface is represented by a brown specked gray with a 

 little dull yellow. The color of the under surface of the wings is somewhat variable 

 but it is remarkable for its protective value. The butterfly with its closed wings fre- 

 quently appears much like a scale of loosened moss or a bit of brownish or black 

 vegetable matter. The yellowish eight or nine ribbed eggs which soon turn reddish 

 and finally black just before hatching are deposited in a band or a nearly complete 

 one around a twig, as shown at figure 7 on plate 2, one egg much enlarged being rep- 

 resented at figure 8. This shows not only the larger ribs but the transverse markings 

 between them. The dot beside the egg represents its natural size. The recently 

 hatched caterpillars are brown, black and hairy and as they increase in size the other 

 characteristics shown at figure 9 on plate 2 become more apparent. The full grown 

 caterpillar is about two inches long, black and armed with numerous short branched 

 spines. Along the back there is a row of somewhat diamond-shaped red spots and 

 closer examination shows the caterpillar to be marked with transverse rows of minute 

 white spots. The abdominal prolegs are reddish. The chrysalis is a peculiar, angu- 

 lar looking structure which is variable in color and in nature it usually harmonizes 

 pretty closely with surrounding objects. It it represented at figure 10 on plate 2. 



Life history. Strange though it may seem, this apparently delicate butterfly suc- 

 cessfully withstands the rigors of our northern winters with no better shelter than 

 that afforded by a crevice among stones, a sheltering board, a cavity in a tree or a 

 similar place. It is one of the first butterflies to come forth in the spring, frequently 

 appearing before the snow has entirely disappeared and occasionally it may be seen 

 during unusually warm weather in midwinter. The over-wintered individuals are 

 said to pair about the middle of April but eggs are not laid till the first half of May. 

 The deposition of the eggs has been observed a number of times. They are placed 

 in somewhat alternating rows, the female requiring about 40 minutes to deposit 300 

 eggs, and as many as 450 have been recorded for one cluster. The eggs require 12 

 to 15 days for hatching in the spring and in midsummer but nine. The caterpillars 

 are gregarious and when young range themselves side by side with great regularity. 

 They are more frequently found near the top of a tree and as they increase in size, 

 defoliated branches usually give the first indication of their presence. The cater- 

 pillars are often found on a near-by partly stripped limb which frequently bends 

 under their weight. Their habit of feeding close together makes their injuries more 

 apparent than would otherwise be the case. The caterpillars of the first brood attain 

 their growth in New York state the latter part of June or early July and butterflies 

 from them may be seen ovipositing during July. The deposition of eggs was 



observed at Albany July 17 and nearly grown larvae were taken the latter part of 

 24 



