Part 23 (2/2)

The food-plant of the caterpillar is the nettle. It occurs occasionally in Ontario, and thence ranges west, being not uncommon from Colorado to California and Oregon.

(4) =Grapta hylas=, Edwards, Plate XIX, Fig. 7, ?; Fig. 8, ?, _under side_ (The Colorado Angle-wing).

_b.u.t.terfly._--The b.u.t.terfly closely resembles _G. silenus_ on the upper side, but may easily be distinguished by the uniform pale purplish-gray of the lower side of the wings. Expanse, 2.00 inches.

The early stages are unknown. The insect has thus far been found only in Colorado, but no doubt occurs in other States of the Rocky Mountain region.

(5) =Grapta faunus=, Edwards, Plate XIX, Fig. 12, ?; Fig. 13, ?, _under side_; Plate III, Fig. 32, _larva_; Plate IV, Figs. 31, 33-35, _chrysalis_ (The Faun).

_b.u.t.terfly._--This species is readily recognized by the deep indentations of the hind wings, the heavy black border, and the dark tints of the under side mottled with paler shades. Expanse, 2.00-2.15 inches.

The caterpillar feeds on willows. It is found from New England to the Carolinas, and thence westward to the Pacific.

(6) =Grapta zephyrus=, Edwards, Plate XX, Fig. 5, ?; Fig. 6, ?, _under side_ (The Zephyr).

_b.u.t.terfly._--Fulvous, marked with yellowish toward the outer margins, the dark markings upon which are not as heavy as in the other species of the genus. On the under side the wings are paler than is the case in other species, reddish-brown, marbled with darker brown lines and frecklings. Expanse, 1.75-2.00 inches.

The caterpillar, which feeds upon _Azalea occidentalis_, is described and figured by Edwards in ”The b.u.t.terflies of North America,” vol. i.

_Zephyrus_ is found throughout the region of the Rocky Mountains, from Colorado to California, and from Oregon to New Mexico.

(7) =Grapta gracilis=, Grote and Robinson, Plate XIX, Fig. 10, ?; Fig.

11, ?, _under side_ (The Graceful Angle-wing).

_b.u.t.terfly._--A small species, rather heavily marked with dark brown or blackish on the upper side. The wings on the under side are very dark, crossed about the middle by a pale-gray or white band shading off toward the outer margins. This light band serves as a means of easily identifying the species. Expanse, 1.75 inch.

The early stages are unknown.

The species has been found on the White Mountains in New Hamps.h.i.+re, in Maine, Canada, and British America, as far west as Alaska.

(8) =Grapta silenus=, Edwards, Plate XIX, Fig. 5, ?; Fig. 6, ?, _under side_ (Silenus).

_b.u.t.terfly._--Larger than _gracilis_, and the wings more deeply excised, as in _faunus_. On the under side the wings are very dark, with lighter irrorations, especially on the fore wings. Expanse, 2.00-2.30 inches.

The early stages have never been studied. This species appears to be found only in Oregon, Was.h.i.+ngton, and British Columbia.

(9) =Grapta progne=, Cramer, Plate XX, Fig. 3, ?; Fig. 4, ?, _under side_; Plate III, Fig. 31, _larva_; Plate IV, Figs. 32, 37, 38, _chrysalis_ (Progne).

_b.u.t.terfly._--A rather small species, with light-fulvous fore wings, shading into yellow toward the outer margins; the dark markings slight, but deep in color. The secondaries are heavily bordered with black on the outer margin. On the under side the wings are very dark, variegated with paler shades, somewhat as in _G. gracilis_. Expanse, 1.85-2.00 inches.

The early stages have been quite fully described by various authors, and the reader may consult ”The b.u.t.terflies of New England,” vol. i, pp.

266-268, for a full account. The caterpillar feeds on the elm, but more commonly on various species of the _Grossulaceae_, or currant tribe, wild or domesticated. It ranges from Siberia to Nova Scotia, and southward as far as Pennsylvania.

There are several other species of _Grapta_ found in our fauna, which are not delineated in this book; but they are rare species, of which little is as yet known. The types are in the collection of the writer, and if the reader finds any species which he cannot identify by means of this book the author will be pleased to help him to the full extent of his ability.

Genus VANESSA, Fabricius

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