384 
Psyche 
[December 
Methods and Materials 
All specimens were collected in Arizona between 17 July and 16 
September 1978. The dainty sulphur, N. iole, was collected at Clint’s 
Well, the sleepy orange, E. nicippe, near Rye, and the dog face, C. 
cesonia, near Tortilla Flat. In addition, N. iole was reared through 
several generations in a greenhouse on the Arizona State University 
campus, Tempe, Arizona, on their natural foodplant, the tickseed 
( Coreopsis cardaminefolia Torrey and Gray or C. atkinsonia Doug- 
las). To assess the effect of age on sex brand color or condition in N. 
iole and E. nicippe, individual males were assigned to one of three 
age classes on the basis of wing condition and scale loss: 1) fresh — 
no noticeable scale loss or wing tattering, 2) slightly worn — visible 
scale loss and some tattering, especially along wing margins, and 3) 
worn — substantial scale loss and/or wings with deep nicks and 
tears. The categories used to describe sex brand color variation are 
presented in the results. Sex brand condition in N. iole was also a 
function of scale number and morphology. Scales in the sex brand 
were scored for whether or not they were present and, if so, whether 
they were flat, withered, or between these two extremes (half 
withered). Lab-reared males were examined on the day they eclosed; 
wild males were examined either alive or within 6 hours after they 
had died. 
Changes in sex brand color with time since death were docu- 
mented for N. iole. The wings of 16 freezer-killed males were stored 
in glassine envelopes at room temperature and the coloration of 
their sex brands scored at weekly intervals until all attained the final 
pale yellow color. 
Wings of all three species were mounted on aluminium pegs with 
Dag R , coated with gold in a D. C. sputterer for 3 minutes, and 
examined with an AMR-1000A scanning electron microscope at 20 
KeV accelerating voltage. In some cases severe charging of the 
specimens necessitated longer coating times or low accelerating 
voltages (5 KeV). All sex brands viewed with the SEM were from 
either freshly-killed males, live males, or males killed and stored at 
— 5°C. To minimize the effects of desiccation at high vacuum some 
N. iole wings were dehydrated in ethanol, and passed through 
Freon-1 13 before critical point drying using Freon-13 as the transi- 
tion fluid. 
Scale densities were estimated for the sex brand and discal areas 
of the wings from scanning electron micrographs of wings whose 
