The Butterfly Book Part 19

_Early Stages._--Altogether unknown.

Whitney's Checker-spot ranges from California into Nevada.

(15) =Melitaea hoffmanni=, Behr, Plate XVII, Fig. 13, ?; Fig. 14, ?, _aberration_ (Hoffmann's Checker-spot).

_b.u.t.terfly_, ?.--General style of marking much as in the two preceding species, but with the basal area black, and the black markings toward the outer margin not so heavy, giving it here a more fulvous appearance.

The median bands on both wings are broader and paler than in _M. palla._ The under side is much as in the last-mentioned species, but the yellow markings are more prominent.

?.--Much like the male. Expanse, ?, 1.35 inch; ?, 1.45 inch.

_Early Stages._--Unknown.

This species, which is found in California and Nevada, is subject to extreme variation, and I have placed upon the plate one out of many beautiful and singular aberrations which I possess.

(16) =Melitaea gabbi=, Behr, Plate XVI, Fig. 15, ? (Gabb's Checker-spot).

_b.u.t.terfly._--In the style of its markings on the upper side it almost completely resembles _M. acastus_, but the dark markings are slighter, giving the wings a more fulvous appearance. On the under side the bands are narrower, defined more sharply with black, and pearly, almost silvery white, whereas in _acastus_ they are pale yellowish-white, and not so l.u.s.trous. Expanse, ?, 1.20 inch; ?, 1.50 inch.

_Early Stages._--Unknown.

The habitat of this species is southern California.

(17) =Melitaea harrisi=, Scudder, Plate XVII, Fig. 5, ?; Fig. 6, ?, _under side_; Plate V, Figs. 17-18, _chrysalis_ (Harris' Checker-spot).

_b.u.t.terfly_, ?.--Wings fulvous, black at the base and on the outer margin, with five fulvous spots in the cell of the fore wing, two below the cell; and three in the cell of the hind wing. The black border is widest at the apex of the fore wing, and below this runs inwardly on the veins. There are two white spots near the apex. At the a.n.a.l angle on the hind wing the border is somewhat divided so as to present the appearance of two indistinct lines. On the under side the wings are fulvous, marked with black bands and spots, and crossed by bands and crescents of pale yellow, as is shown in the figure on the plate.

?.--The female is much like the male. Expanse, ?, 1.50 inch; ?, 1.75 inch.

_Egg._--The eggs are lemon-yellow, in the form of a truncated cone, with fifteen or sixteen vertical ribs, which are highest about the middle.

_Caterpillar._--The matured caterpillar is reddish-fulvous, with a black stripe on the back. Each segment is marked with one black ring before and two black rings behind the sets of spiny tubercles with which the segments are adorned. There are nine rows of spines, those above the feet being quite small. The spines are black, tapering, and set with diverging black hairs. The food-plants are aster and _Diplopappus umbellatus_.

_Chrysalis._--The chrysalis is pearly-gray or white, blotched with dark brown or black.

This choice little b.u.t.terfly ranges from Nova Scotia to Wisconsin, extending as far south as northern Illinois, and northward to Ottawa.

(18) =Melitaea elada=, Hewitson, Plate XVII, Fig. 2, ? (Hewitson's Checker-spot).

_b.u.t.terfly_, ?.--The wings on the upper side are black, crossed by numerous bands of small fulvous spots, the one crossing the middle of the median area being composed of the largest spots. The fore wings on the under side are fulvous, shading outwardly into ferruginous. The spots and bands of the upper side reappear upon the under side, but are lighter, and the submarginal row of crescents is pale yellow and very distinct, the spot between the second and third median nervules being the largest, and the spot between the fourth and fifth subcostals being only a little smaller. The under side of the hind wings is deep ferruginous, crossed by bands of pearly pale-yellow spots, those of the outer margin being the largest.

?.--The female is much like the male, with the ground-color a little paler. Expanse, ?, .90 inch; ?, 1.00-1.10 inch.

_Early Stages._--Unknown.

This little species is found in western Texas, Arizona, and northern Mexico.

(19) =Melitaea dymas=, Edwards, Plate XVI, Fig. 18, ? (Dymas).

_b.u.t.terfly._--This species is closely related in size and the style of some of the markings to the foregoing species, but may be at once distinguished by the lighter ground-color, which is pale fulvous, and the totally different style of the marginal markings on the under side of the wings. The female represented in the plate is a trifle paler than the male. Expanse, ?, .85 inch; ?, 1.00 inch.

_Early Stages_--Unknown.

The habitat of this species is southwestern Texas.

(20) =Melitaea perse=, Edwards, Plate XVI, Fig. 19, ? (Perse).

_b.u.t.terfly._--This is nearly related to the two foregoing species, but the ground-color is darker fulvous than in _dymas_, the markings are slight as in that species, and the arrangement of the spots and bands on the under side is similar. The marginal crescents on the under side of the primaries are largest at the apex and rapidly diminish in size, vanis.h.i.+ng altogether about the middle of the wing. Expanse, ?, 1.00 inch; ?, 1.10 inch.

_Early Stages._--These remain to be discovered.

The only specimens so far found have come from Arizona.

(21) =Melitaea chara=, Edwards, Plate XVII, Fig. 3, ?; Fig. 4, ?, _under side_ (Chara).

_b.u.t.terfly._--No lengthy description of this pretty little species is required, as the plate, which gives both sides of the wings, shows their peculiarities with sufficient accuracy to enable an exact determination to be made. The whitish spot on the costa before the apex on the upper side, and the chalky-white markings and spots on the under side, serve at once to distinguish this form from its near allies. Expanse, ?, 1.00 inch; ?, 1.25 inch.

_Early Stages._--Unknown.

I have a large series of this species, all from Arizona, where it appears to be common.

(22) =Melitaea leanira=, Boisduval, Plate XVI, Fig. 20, ? (Leanira).

_b.u.t.terfly_, ?.--Ground-color brownish-black, fulvous on the costa, with submarginal, median, and basal rows of yellow spots. Both the primaries and secondaries have a marginal row of red spots, and the former have in addition a submarginal row of such spots. The under side of the primaries is reddish-fulvous, with the markings of the upper side reproduced. The secondaries have a marginal row of yellow crescents, then a black band inclosing yellow spots, then a median band of long yellow crescents. The remainder of the wing to its insertion is black, spotted with yellow.

?.--Much like the male. Expanse, ?, 1.50 inch; ?, 1.75 inch.

_Early Stages._--Unknown.

This pretty insect ranges from southern California and Arizona to Nevada, Montana, and British America.

(23) =Melitaea wrighti=, Edwards, Plate XVII, Fig. 9, ?; Fig. 10, ?, _under side,_ (Wright's Checker-spot).

_b.u.t.terfly._--Much like _M. leanira_, but with more fulvous upon the upper side of the wings, and the under side yellow. The black bands on the secondaries are reduced, and the dividing-lines between the spots are confined to the nervules, which are narrowly black. This is probably only a varietal form of the preceding species. I figure the types.

Expanse, ?, 1.30 inch; ?, 1.80 inch.

_Early Stages._--Unknown.

Habitat, southern California.

(24) =Melitaea alma=, Strecker, Plate XVII, Fig. 1, ? (Strecker's Checker-spot).

_b.u.t.terfly_, ?.--The upper side of the wings is bright fulvous, with the margins and veins black. There are three rows of transverse spots paler than the ground-color. The fore wings on the under side are pale fulvous, with pale-yellow spots and a submarginal and marginal row of yellow spots separated by a narrow black line. The hind wings on this side are yellow, with the veins and margins black, and a transverse double band of black on the outer margin of the median area.

?.--Much like the male, but larger, and redder on the upper side.

Expanse, ?, 1.25 inch; ?, 1.50 inch.

_Early Stages._--Unknown.