PIERIDAE 
136 
Family PIERIDAE. 
No measuremeuts are given as^ unless stated expressly to the contrary^ the lig’ure is al\Yays that of a 
biitterlly of average size. As the male is usually more plentiful than the female^ and as the characters 
used in the published descrii^tions are usually taken from the male, that sex alone is figured, except iu 
cases where marked differences of shape or pattern occur in the female. Usually the male is whiter 
than the female, the dark borders of the wings above are narrower, and the termen of the forewing is 
straighter. 
Ovum. ]\Iuch higher than broad, usually tapering towards the summit; covered with longitudinal ribs 
and sometimes Avith cross lines: often deposited upon the foodplant singly, but sometimes a number 
close together. 
Laiiva. Cylindrical: smooth or Avith scanty short hairs: colour usually green: often gregarious iu 
habit: foodplants chiefly Capparidaceae and Loranthaceae. (Fig. L. 500). 
Pupa. Angulated, i^ointed at both ends, often Avith dorsal spikes and ridges: attached by the tail and 
a central silken girdle, to the undersurface of a leaf or bough of the foodplant. In Delias harpalyce 
attached to a silken Aveb spun by the larvae upon the leaves and tAvigs of the foodplant. (Fig. P. 500, 
P. 521). 
Imago. Of moderate or small size: Avith six perfect Avalking legs in both sexes; legs Avithout apm-s, 
claAvs bifid. PoreAving Avith A-eiu 11 free (except in Anaphaeis^ Avhere it is anastomosed Avith vein 12): 
A^ein 10 either from subcostal or from A^eiu 7: vein D absent in Delias and Elodina: A’ehi 8 absent (in all 
Australian genera) : vein 6 from vein 7. Hindwing A\dth vein lb present: preeostal spur present (except 
in Terias) ; dorsum channelled to receive abdomen. Abdomen of the male with anal valves (less prominent 
than in most species of the Dapilionidae), Eyes smooth (in all Australian species). Clubs of antennae 
long and slender, 
Pange. AYorldAvdde: reaching even to AAuthin the Arctic circle. 
In a large number of the species of this famil^^ both Avings of the male have secondary sexual charac¬ 
ters: these are placed on the forcAving beneath and on the hindAving above, Avhere the Avings overlap. The 
hindwing (in all Australian species) is eA^enly rounded, ncA’er angulated or iDroduced to a tail. The 
colouis above are almost always Avhite or yelloAV Avith black margins, and the margins are usually much 
hioader in the female. In some of the genera the dark bars or si^otsj marking the ends of the Aving cells, 
are siAecially' noticeable: these spots or bars are invariably^ larger in the female, and their size often 
foims a guide to the sex of the specimen: this can hoAA'evei* alAvays be determined by^ the presence or 
absence of the anal valves of the abdomen. 
The family contains some genera of very stout and strong build and rapid flight (Catopsilia aud 
ppiasjj and others of very slender build and Aveak flight {Terias and Elodina), Many of the species 
are extremely local in their habits, and some are sporadic, being very plentiful in some years and almost 
absent in others. ^ j x j 
It IS witluii this family that the migi-atory liabit is most noticeable, both in Australia and elsewhere. 
We lia\e observed several immense flights of tetUonia and of pythias in the neighbourhood of Sydney, 
and tlieir direction has invariably been from the iiortli to tlie south; on the other baud, flights of teuionk 
i\e lia\e noted in Gisborne have all been travelling almost due north. During these flights all the butter- 
nmUlv • sf^eadily pursuing- the one course, only occasionally visiting a flower, and rarely resting 
11 e'emiig, e.xeeptmg possibly tor a time while a heavy cloud obscured the sun. In the evening and 
migratory- buKcrllies often rest in company: scores of leutonia have many times 
tint Wpiifl n ^ hough. They always choose for a restingplaee those plants or trees 
extendimr nvA ^ ^7'c i I'leir own coloui-s. During a flight of jiijlhia^ (including lacteola) in Sydney, 
of tl^ f teji or twelve days in February l,S9o, we made a practice of risiting cliimiis 
from tliP^tn the early morning hours. Then, before the butterflies had recovered 
iflafe with timfOTclps specimens, and lift them from their resting- 
southeast of Australia Elodina and Terias occur hut rarely, and their fli<-ht is very irreo-iilar 
y iSUtt In more nStn 
numbers over tbp round small trees and floAvering shrubs, and Terias flits in 
treetops. ^ glades. Delias aga7iippe has the habit of soaring high above the 
