POLYGONIA. By Dr. A. Szrrz. 455 
cold regions they often hibernate as imagines. They are distinguished by having strong angles or teeth at the distal margins, 
between which the wings are often deeply emarginate. The palpi are long and strong, but not inflated, the antennae long, 
strong and straight, with the clubs spindle-, not spoon-shaped, the head and body in the species which hibernate as butter- 
flies, at least in the autumn brood with thick, furry hair. The colours are nearly always very bright, with fiery red or variega- 
ted bands or margins. They are all good fliers, rivalling birds in the rapidity of their movements. They are protected by 
no internal fluids, but the butterfly when at rest is mostly concealed by the bark- or leaf-like under surface. Many species 
are fond of flowers,while numerous others do not touch them, but frequent the flowing sap of wounded trees, syrup, fruits, 
rotten substances, etc. The larvae are all spined, the spines harder, longer and more pointed than in the preceding group; also 
the pupae mostly have stronger and more pointed angles than those of Argynnis and Melitaea, often with silver or gold tips. 
In America the species extend from Alaska to Patagonia and ascend in the mountains to very considerable elevations. 
9. Genus: Polygonia Hon. 
Here belong about 50 forms distributed over the northern hemisphere, which are all verysimilar. They 
were formerly referred to the genus Vanessa and are even now better known under Krirey’s generic name 
Grapta. They are easily distinguished from the true Vanessa by their larvae, which are not gregarious but 
solitary and bear spines on the frontal hemispheres, which are commonly designated “‘eyes.”” From Pyrameis, 
to which they likewise approximate, they differ in that the larvae live free, not in spun-up leaves. The eggs 
are also differently shaped from those of Vanessa and Pyrameis and are mostly not laid in clusters but piled 
up one upon another into chains. Attempts to separate Polygonia anatomically from Vanessa in the imago have 
not thus far been successful and even the anatomical investigation of the palpal scaling, the genitalia of the 
6; ete., have failed. Superficially, however, the genus is easily distinguished by the more deeply excised mar- 
gins of the wings, the almost absolutely unicolorous upper surface (brown, with dark spots) and by the very 
great similarity of the butterflies where the larvae often differ greatly. The latter live principally on Urticaceae 
and are very strikingly coloured. The butterflies are met with at almost every season of the year, even on 
warm winter days, and they fly both in the gardens of the towns and also at the edges of woods and on the open 
fields. Almost all the species of the genus are at least locally common. 
P. interrogationis /. (= fabricii Hdw.) (93 a). The largest form of the genus and the one with the 
strongest sexual dimorphism. The forewing has below the apex a long tooth, pointing downwards, and the 
hindwing in the distal margin a tail, as long as that of a Papilio machaon. At the end of the cell of the 
hindwing beneath there is a bright metallic ¢ or g, sometimes interrupted. — umbrosa Linin. (93a) is 
interroga- 
tionis. 
umbrosa. 
the summer form, with a shorter tail, the teeth below the apex of the forewing also shorter, but especially - 
distinguished by the almost entirely black-brown upper surface of the hindwing, which is only relieved with red- 
brown in the basal and costal part, and by the somewhat more confused markings of the under surface. — Egg 
green, either laid singly or in chains of 4—8. Larva dirty white or light flesh-coloured, isabelline yellow or whi- 
tish grey, also even blackish with brownish or yellow red, thick, almost knob-like spines; on nettles, elms, hops, 
etc. Pupa wood-coloured grey-brown with very long dorsal tubercle and small silvery points on the back of 
the abdomen. The butterfly lives from the autumn until May and again, as wmbrosa, in June and July. There 
is not, however, such a constant distinction between the two generations as in Araschnia prorsa and levana; 
often eggs laid at the same time produce kalf one and half the other form, much as in the European c-albwm 
(on the other hand in the East Asiatic c-aurewm-pryert a constant alternation takes place in the species, the 
hibernated specimens always belonging to the form pryeri). Common almost everywhere in the United States, 
only wanting in the western states; throughout the year, even in the earliest spring on sugar-maple. 
Pp. comma Harr. (= harrisii Edw.) (93 a). Mostly smaller than the preceding, the under surface much 
more variegated, usually traversed by a rosy white, light violet or fleshy reddish irregular median band, which in 
the disc of the forewing sends out light stripes along the veins. On the upper surface the hindwing may be red- 
brown with dark spots or (in the summer form) entirely suffused with dark black-brown; the latter is the form 
dryas Edw. (93 b), which stands in the same relation to comma as wmbrosa to interrogationis. — Larva very va- 
riable, black with white spines, grey, tinged with greenish, or entirely snow-white, with similar or variegated 
spines. Like the preceding, all the year round on elms, hops, nettles, etc. Pupa with somewhat shorter 
dorsal protuberance but very strong points on the back of the abdomen. Like the preceding widely distributed 
over the east of the United States from Canada to Texas, but wanting in the west. Common. 
P, satyrus Hdw. (93b). This species differs from the preceding in the lighter yellow-brown urper 
surface, on which the dark marginal markings are reduced, particularly on the hindwing. Under surface more 
unicolorous, more yellow than dark brown, shaded with dark brown across the middle of the wings and at the 
distal margin between the teeth. — marsyas Edw. (93 b, c) is the lighter form, in which the hindwing has mostly 
only traces of dark shading towards the distal margin. — Larva black with yellowish or reddish spines; from 
the 3rd segment onwards runs along the dorsum a broad, greenish or greyish white saddle-stripe. Like the pre- 
ceding on nettles, etc. From Ontario westwards, over the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific coast, but more 
sparingly and more local. 
comma, 
dryas. 
salyrus. 
marsydas, 
