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L K r 1 D 0 I> T ERA. 
resembles it a good deal in form and general color, but 
is readily distinguished from it, and from all the other 
American butterflies, by the broad white arched band on the 
wings, which, beginning just beyond the middle of the front 
edge of the fore wings, curves backwards, crossing both 
wings, and ends on the inner edge of the hind wings. The 
male differs from the female in having a row of orange-col- 
ored spots on the upper side of the hind wings next to the 
border, as well as on the under side. The caterpillar and 
chrysalis of this species are unknown to me. 
The caterpillars of many of the four-footed butterflies are 
spiny, or have their backs armed with numerous projecting 
points ; these, in some, are short and soft, and beset all 
around with very small stiff hairs, in others they are long, 
hard, and sharp prickles, which generally are furnished with 
little stiff branches. The butterflies have the knobs of the 
antennae short and broad ; the feelers are rather long, and 
placed close together, at the base at least ; the inner margin 
of the hind wings is folded downwards, and grooved for the 
reception of the body ; the central mesh of these wings is 
not closed behind ; and the nails of the four hind feet are 
divided so as to appear double. This group may be called 
Vanessians (Vanessadje), and contains the genera Argyn- 
nis, Melitcea, Cynthia , and Vanessa. 
In Argynnis the wings are never angulated or toothed, 
and the hind ones are generally ornamented with silvery or 
pearly spots beneath; the feelers spread apart at their points; 
the caterpillars have a round head,, and are furnished with 
branched spines on all their segments, two of those on the 
first segment being usually longer than the rest, and directed 
forwards ; chrysalids somewhat angular, arched, rather thick 
at both ends, with the head squared or very slightly notched, 
without a prominent nose-like projection on the thorax, and 
on the back are two row's of projecting points, which are 
usually golden-colored. Most of the caterpillars in tins 
genus are observed to live on various kinds of violets, and 
