432 
ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW-YORK 
CURRANT. LEAVES. 
lower end as at its upper; its lower part is commonly shorter but is sometimes 
of the same length with the upper portion; the angle is sometimes but little 
obtuse, the mark then closely resembling the letter L; the concavity sometimes 
faces the hind margin near the outer angle of the wing, and sometimes opens 
towards the outer margin forward of this angle, this last variety being 
described as a distinct species under the name of C-argenteum by Mr. Kirby 
An irregular wavy interrupted streak of brilliant green-blue scales extends 
across the hind wings forward of their hind border and is continued half way 
across the fore wings. This streak is irregularly margined with black and fades 
to faint green, and in some individuals can scareely be discerned, especially upon 
the hind wings. The body is black with a brilliant green-blue reflection to the 
thorax and is clothed with tawny yellow hairs. The antennae are black and 
alternated along their sides with white, and wholly white beneath, the knob 
being black and its tip straw yellow. 
Though this butterfly has been met with from the latitude of 
Lake Winnipeg to the southern West India islands, and from the 
Atlantic to the Pacific coast, it does not anywhere appear to be 
numerous, and will probably seldom if ever occur in our gardens 
in such profusion as to do any appreciable injury. Indeed most 
persons will desire to cherish and protect these pretty “ winged 
flowers,” and domesticate them as much as possible in the yards 
around their dwellings, rather than to destroy and expel them. 
Although their larvae covered with prickles have a repulsive^ 
aspect, they all disappear from the currant bushes before we have 
occasion to go near them to gather their fruit. Should these worms 
however become so numerous in any instance as to be detrimental, 
picking off each leaf on which they are stationed and crushing it 
beneath the foot will probably be found the only effectual mode 
of destroying them. 
143 . Write-C butterfly, Vanessa ( Grapta) C-album, Linn. 
Eating the leaves the fore part of August., a prickly worm very 
similar to the preceding, but of a brownish red color in front and 
white or pale yellow posteriorly, its pupa state continuing about 
sixteen days and the butterfly appearing in September, its wings 
scalloped, the hind pair tawny yellow shaded to dusky brown on 
their hind margin and with a black spot on their centre as well 
as two others towards their base, and on their under sides with a 
central sivery curved mark like a letter C. Width about 2.00. | 
Like the Vunessa Antiopa , Atalanta and several other butterflies, 
this species is common to both sides of the Atlantic. Dr. Harris 
