222 
MOTHS AND BUTTERFLIES. 
large dark brown spots with black centres (the lower one being the 
largest), and one very small spot on the outward third of the upper 
wing. These spots are surrounded with a ring of pale yellow. On 
the lower wings are live large dark brown spots, similar to those 
above. These are arranged as shown in the accompanying figure. 
The margins of all four wings are darker, and are fringed with white 
interrupted with tufts of brown scales at the ends of the veins. 
Two pale grayish lines follow the outer margins of the wings. The 
thorax is gray, the head and abdomen yellowish brown. The under 
side is very prettily marked; the general color is about the same as 
the upper side except that there is a slightly pinkish tinge; but 
running across both sets of wings, from near the middle of the upper 
margin of the upper wings, is a wide irregular bar of gray brown, 
with several indentations and projections on the outer edge. This 
bar is outlined on both edges with a line of brown. Outside of this 
is a light yellowish gray area. On the outer third of the upper wing 
is a row of fine blackish brown spots of various sizes. These are 
each pupilled with white and encircled with a yellow ring. Outside of 
this, and enclosing the row of spots, is a line of whitish. The lower 
wing is also supplied with a number of spots similar to those on the 
upper wing. The whitish line is also continued, the large spot near 
the upper margin, and the double spot at the lower end of the row, 
being encircled by it, while it follows as a wavy line on both sides 
of the other spots. The entire margin is darker, and a light gray 
line follows it on both wings. The bod}^ and legs are light yellow¬ 
ish ; the abdomen near the thorax is white. 
This insect inhabits the whole eastern half of the continent, but 
is very rare in New England so far as my experience goes, although 
it is a common butterfly in several of the western states. It inhabits 
wooded districts, particularly the growths of willows along rivers. 
It is apparently somewhat gregarious, as in walking along the banks 
of a stream where coarse grasses grow among the trees, one will 
frequently start it up in numbers, but only in a space covering.a few 
square rods. I have seen it very abundant in Iowa, about the mid¬ 
dle of July, along the Iowa and Skunk rivers. The insects usually 
alight on the tree trunks and among the coarse grasses, and fly but a 
short distance in a slow and uncertain manner, so that one may catch 
them in the hands even while on the wing. When not disturbed, 
they move and turn about at short intervals as if in play, or to take 
in the view from every direction. The insects vary a good deal in 
