LYCiENIDiE. 
195 
fringe extends along the outer margin. The lower wings are 
slightly darker brown than the upper pair, sometimes having a deli¬ 
cate violet tinge on the upper portion. Near the base of the wing 
are several white dots and two orange red spots. An area about the 
lower angle of the wing is black, and the tails and the fringe along 
the outer margin are also black. A row of metallic violet or purple 
blue spots extends along the lower margin of the wing, just inside of 
the black fringe and above the base of the tails. Two rows of shin¬ 
ing green spots, the lower row ending in a long spot of bluish purple 
next the inner margin, extend nearly across the wing in its lower 
portion and separate the brown from the black area. The head, 
thorax and legs are black with numerous fine white dots, and the 
abdomen is orange red tipped with black. 
This handsome butterfly is an inhabitant of the southern states 
and Mexico. It is occasionally taken as far north as southern Ohio 
and Illinois, and westward in California. It is not a rare insect in 
Florida early in March, my brother having seen and taken speci¬ 
mens near Jacksonville in that month. It is a strong and rapid flyer, 
frequentty alighting, but rather shy, and difficult to take with the 
net. In Florida it is to be found in sandy districts on the edges of 
forests. It frequently circles about the trees and when frightened 
flies up and alights on twigs high up out of reach. I have several 
fine specimens from Tennessee which are at least a third larger than 
those taken by my brother in Florida. It is from these Tennessee 
specimens that the illustrations are made. 
The larva I have never seen and know nothing of its habits. It 
is said to feed on the leaves of the oak. 
Thecla smilacis. 
A rather rare Thecla , and one which differs in a striking manner 
from our other native species, is Thecla smilacis. It is a double¬ 
tailed species, the upper pair of prolongations being exceedingly fine 
