GRAPTA ITT. 
only remain Faunus and Rusticus, Silvius and Hylas, whose position can still be questioned. The larva; and 
chrysalids of the first two of these are of the same general pattern with C Album, but how close the resemblance 
between the three I cannot yet say. I hope before this volume closes to see the living larva of Faunus , as I 
know it only by description and drawing, and C Album only by the very insufficient figures and descriptions in 
books — insufficient for any comparison. Mr. Scudder wrote me at the time of his finding larva of Faunus, 
that while there was a close resemblance to C Album, which species he had learned to know well in Europe,' 
there were important differences, and judging by the larva he believed Faunus to be a distinct species ; and as’ 
to Rusticus, between the description drawn of the larva of Faunus by Mr. Caulfield, which is quite minute in 
its details, and the description of the other by Mr. Mead, there are considerable differences, both in color 
and markings, though the general pattern is the same. But the resemblance between the larvie of any sub¬ 
group of butterflies is likely to be close, as becomes species but one remove from a common ancestor.' The 
larvae of Prague and Zephyrus are very much alike, constructed on same plan; so of Comma and Satyrus. 
It is beyond dispute that the identity of some of the many forms which have passed under the name C 
Album has been assumed from an inspection of the dried butterflies only. An example from Siberia or 
Japan like our Satyrus is brought in, and it is set down forthwith as C Album. Another like Comma or Zepby- 
rus or Faunus, from China or Thibet appears, and behold ! another variety of C Album. I have never 
read that a C Album female in Europe, of any one of the types in which it is supposed to manifest itself, has 
discovered in its progeny this miscellaneous assemblage of forms. I doubt indeed if much knowledge has 
ever or anywhere been obtained of C Album by breeding it from the female. For a century collectors have 
amused themselves in rearing caterpillars found on the food-plant, or from eggs gathered here and there 
on various plants; but who knew what type of butterfly laid those eggs? It is not ten years’since the 
fortunate discovery was made in this country that the female might be induced to lay her e*cr S readily in 
confinement, so that breeding could be conducted with certainty ; and in these years I do not hesitate to say, 
more has been learned of the life-history of American butterflies than is to-day known of European, though not 
a district of Europe, but has had a long succession of active lepidopterists and diligent students of°dried 
butterflies. Professor Zeller writes me: “ It is certain that we Europeans have been far from executing your 
method, which seems the only correct one in order to obtain certainty and truth.” We had no sooner be<mn 
to employ this method than the complicated relationship of Papilio Ajax became clear, then that of Grapta 
ntenogationis; and from that day to this one species after another has revealed its true historv, until there 
are few instances in the fauna east of the Rocky Mountains in which there is a doubt as to the position of 
any butterfly. A large number of species are found to be polymorphic, seasonal or otherwise, and some of 
these forms branch again in one or both sexes. Without breeding from the female, not one of these cases 
(>i polymorphism could possibly have been proved, however much they might have been suspected. The 
knowledge thus obtained is available for other countries, especially where species of like genera are concerned. 
And it is fair to assume, in the absence of positive proof to the contrary, that the species of Grapta, for ex¬ 
ample, will behave in the Old World as they do in the New. I can say as the result of my own lar<r e ex¬ 
perience in breeding butterflies, and that of others, that no Grapta on this continent is known to behave in the 
way that C Album is supposed to do. Every one of them named as a species, whose history is known, breeds 
tiue to its type, or types if it is dimorphic, and of those whose history is not known, there have not appeared 
marked varieties. No collector has reported such, and there is no evidence that they exist. Comma has never 
been known to produce a Satyrus, though it belongs to the same sub-group, and though it has produced a 
dimorphic form Dryas, considerably unlike itself; and each of these remains distinct, though they may ap¬ 
pear in the same brood. So Satyrus has never produced Comma or Dryas or Faunus, though it lias devel¬ 
oped a second form Marsyas. Faunus ranges over the northern half of the continent, at least to the east 
of the Rocky Mountains, but an example from Newfoundland is not distinguishable from that taken in the 
Catskills of New Y ork. The one I sent Mr. Stainton was from the Catskills, and he pronounced it to be the 
same as the Museum example from Hudson’s Bay. From localities therefore separated by thousands of miles, 
across lakes, rivers, plains, and great mountain chains, comes the single type known as Faunus, though in part 
of this territory Comma abounds, and in part (Ontario) Satyrus is known to live. No one has ever reported a 
hybrid between any two of our species of Grapta. Possibly butterflies resembling every one of the American 
species in this genus may be found in one part or other of Asia or Europe; but I not only doubt, but do not be¬ 
lieve that these are simply varieties of any one species. Knowing what I do of our own Graptas, it is to me 
