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GENUS I. BUTTERFLIES. 



SEC. III. SP. XXIV. ORANGE ARGUS. 



PL 21. 



Megsera. Linnœus. 

 Wall. Harris. 



This butterfly makes its appearance on the wing the middle of May. In a 

 ihort time after the female lays her eggs, and fixes them to the blades of grafs, 

 not all in one place, but here and there. The caterpillars eat the various 

 grafles that grow in dry paftures, or on banks, and the fide of hedges. 

 About the middle of July they are at their full growth, as at fig. i. They 

 then fix themfelves by the tail, and in a day or two the chryfalis appears, as 

 reprefented at fig. 2. In about three weeks after the butterfly is bred. The 

 caterpillars produced from the eggs of thefe iflue forth in fix or eight days, and 

 feed until the weather is too cold for them. They then feek out a warm 

 retreat, and lie dormant through the winter, till the fun's warmth in the fpring 

 revives vegetation, and reftores vigour to the animal creation. Thefe cater- 

 pillars change to chryfalides the end of April, and from them we have the fum- 

 mer flock of this fly. The male is reprefented flying at fig. 3 : the female differs 

 both in fize and markings, fee fig. 4; and, for the under fide, fig. 5. This 

 butterfly is very common in lanes, road fides, and barren places in woods. It 

 frequendy fettles on the trunks of trees and dry places, and then may be eafily 

 taken. 



