The Butterfly Book Part 23

As soon as we pa.s.s from the boundaries of the Palaearctic Region into India there is discovered a great number of species of the genus _Papilio_. The _Euploeinae_, of various genera, swarm, and splendid creatures, magnificent in color, present themselves, replacing among the _Nymphalinae_ the small and obscurely colored forms which are found among the mountains of Europe and on the great Asiatic steppes. In the Indo-Malayan Region one of the most gorgeous of the papilionine genera is known as _Ornithoptera_. These great "bird-wing" b.u.t.terflies are most brilliant in color in the male, and in the female attain an expanse of wing reaching in some species eight and even nine inches, so that it would be impossible to represent them in their natural dimensions upon a page such as that which is before the reader. One of these giants of the b.u.t.terfly family, named _Victoria_ after her Majesty the Queen of England, is found in the Solomon Islands, and is probably the largest of all known b.u.t.terflies. One specimen, belonging to the author, has an expanse of wing exceeding nine inches. Among the strangest of recent discoveries is _Ornithoptera paradisea_, which is found in New Guinea.

The male has the hind wings produced in the form of a very delicate and slender tail; the upper surfaces of the wing are broadly marked with shining green and l.u.s.trous orange upon a velvety-black ground. The female is black with white spots, slightly marked with yellow, being obscure in color, as is for the most part characteristic of this s.e.x among b.u.t.terflies, as well as other animals.

The Ethiopian Region is rich in beautiful b.u.t.terflies of the genus _Callosune_, which are white or yellow, having the tips of the anterior wings marked with crimson or purple. There are many scores of species of these which are found on the gra.s.sy park-like lands of southeastern Africa, and they range northward through Abyssinia into Arabia, and a few species even invade the hot lands of the Indian peninsula. In the great forests of the Congo and in fact throughout tropical Africa, the genus _Acraea_, composed of beautiful insects with long, narrow wings like the genus _Heliconius_, but for the most part yellow, rich brown, and red, spotted with black, abound. And here, too, are found some of the n.o.blest species belonging to the great genus _Papilio_, among them that most singular and, until recently, rarest of the genus, _Papilio antimachus_ of Drury, one specimen of which, among a dozen or more in the author's possession, has wings which exceed in expanse even those of _Ornithoptera victoria_, though this b.u.t.terfly, which seems to mimic the genus _Acraea_, has comparatively narrow wings, and they, therefore, do not cover so large an area as is covered in the case of the genus _Ornithoptera_.

In the Neotropical Region we are confronted by swarms of b.u.t.terflies belonging to the _Ithomiinae_, the _Heliconiinae_, and the _Acraeinae_, all of which are known to be protected species, and which are mimicked by other species among the b.u.t.terflies and moths of the region which they frequent. A naturalist familiar with the characteristics of the b.u.t.terfly fauna of South America can at a glance determine whether a collection placed before him is from that country or not, merely by his knowledge of the peculiar coloration which is characteristic of the lepidoptera of the region. The most brilliant b.u.t.terflies of the neotropical fauna are the _Morphos_, glorious insects, the under side of their wings marked with eye-like spots, the upper side resplendent in varying tints of iridescent blue.

In the Nearctic Region there is a remarkable development of the genera _Argynnis_, _Melitaea_, and _Phyciodes_. There are also a great many species of the _Satyrinae_ and of the _Hesperiidae_, or "skippers." The genus _Colias_ is also well represented. The Nearctic Region extends southwardly into northern Mexico, at high elevations, and is even continued along the chain of the Andes, and there are species which are found in the vicinity of San Francisco which occur in Chili and Patagonia. In fact, when we get to the southern extremity both of Africa and of South America we find certain genera characteristic of the north temperate zone, or closely allied to them, well represented.

Genus GRAPTA, Kirby

(The Angle-Wings)

_b.u.t.terfly._--Medium-sized or small, characterized by the more or less deeply excavated inner and outer margins of the fore wings, the tail-like projection of the hind wings at the extremity of the third median nervule, the closed cell of the same wings, and the thick squamation of the palpi on the under side, while on the sides and tops of the palpi there are but few scales. They are tawny on the upper side, spotted and bordered with black; on the under side mimicking the bark of trees and dead leaves, often with a c-shaped silvery spot on the hind wings. The insects hibernate in the b.u.t.terfly form in hollow trees and other hiding-places.

[Ill.u.s.tration FIG. 95.--Neuration of the genus _Grapta_.]

_Egg._--The eggs are taller than broad, tapering upward from the base.

The summit is broad and flat. The sides are marked by a few equidistant narrow longitudinal ribs, which increase in height to the top. A few delicate cross-lines are interwoven between these ribs. They are laid in cl.u.s.ters or in short string-like series (see p. 5, Fig. 10).

_Caterpillar._--The head is somewhat quadrate in outline, the body cylindrical, adorned with rows of branching spines (see Plate III, Figs.

23, 27, 31-33, 38).

_Chrysalis._--The chrysalids have the head more or less bifid. There is a prominent thoracic tubercle, and a double row of dorsal tubercles on the abdomen. Viewed from the back they are more or less excavated on the sides of the thorax. In color they are generally some shade of wood-brown or greenish.

The caterpillars feed for the most part upon the _Urticaceae_, plants of the nettle tribe, such as the stinging-nettle, the elm, and the hop-vine, though the azalea and wild currants furnish the food of some species.

The genus is confined mainly to the north temperate zone.

(1) =Grapta interrogationis=, Fabricius, Plate I, Fig. 3, ?, _under side_; form =fabricii=, Edwards, Plate XIX, Fig. 1, ?; form umbrosa, Lintner, Plate XIX, Fig. 2, ?; Plate III, Fig. 23, _larva_, from a blown specimen; Fig. 27, _larva_, copied from a drawing by Abbot; Plate IV, Figs. 21, 22, 24-26, 40, _chrysalis_ (The Question-sign).

_b.u.t.terfly._--Easily distinguished by its large size, being the largest species of the genus in our fauna. The fore wings are decidedly falcate, or sickle-shaped, bright fulvous on the upper side, spotted and bordered with dark brown and edged with pale blue. On the under side they are mottled brown, shaded with pale purplish, and have a silvery mark shaped like a semicolon on the hind wings. The dimorphic variety _umbrosa_, Lintner, has the upper side of the hind wings almost entirely black, except at the base. Expanse, 2.50 inches.

_Early Stages._--These have been frequently described, and the reader who wishes to know all about the minute details of the life-history will do well to consult the pages of Edwards and Scudder, who have written voluminously upon the subject. The food-plants are the elm, the hop-vine, and various species of nettles.

+--------------------------------------------------------------+ | | | EXPLANATION OF PLATE XIX | | | | 1. _Grapta interrogationis_, Fabricius, | | var. _fabricii_, Edwards, ?. | | 2. _Grapta interrogations_, Fabricius, | | var. _umbrosa_, Lintner, ?. | | 3. _Grapta comma_, Harris, var. _dryas_, | | Edwards, ?. | | 4. _Grapta comma_, Harris, var. _harrisi_, | | Edwards, ?. | | 5. _Grapta silenas_, Edwards, ?. | | 6. _Grapta silenus_, Edwards, ?, | | _under side_. | | 7. _Grapta hylas_, Edwards, ?. | | 8. _Grapta hylas_, Edwards, ?, | | _under side_. | | 9. _Vanessa j-alb.u.m_, Boisduval and | | Leconte, ?. | | 10. _Grapta gracilis_, Grote and | | Robinson, ?. | | 11. _Grapta gracilis_, Grote and Robinson, | | ?, _under side_. | | 12. _Grapta faunus_, Edwards, ?. | | 13. _Grapta faunus_, Edwards, ?, | | _under side_. | | 14. _Grapta satyrus_, Edwards, var. | | _marsyas_, Edwards, ?. | | 15. _Grapta satyrus_, Edwards, var. | | _marsyas_, Edwards, ?, _under side_. | | | | [Ill.u.s.tration PLATE XIX.] | +--------------------------------------------------------------+

This is one of our commonest b.u.t.terflies. It is double-brooded in the Middle States. It hibernates in the imago form. When the first warm winds of spring begin to blow, it may be found at the sap-pans in the sugar-camps, sipping the sweets which drip from the wounded trunks of the maples. It ranges all over the United States, except the Pacific coast, and is common throughout Canada and Nova Scotia.

(2) =Grapta comma=, Harris, form =dryas=, Plate XIX, Fig. 3, ?; form =harrisi=, Edwards, Fig. 4, ?; Plate III, Fig. 38, _larva_; Plate IV, Figs. 27, 29, 30, 39, 46-48, _chrysalis_ (The Comma b.u.t.terfly).

_b.u.t.terfly._--Dimorphic, in the form _dryas_ with the hind wings heavily suffused with black, in the form _harrisi_ predominantly fulvous.

Expanse, 1.75-2.00 inches.

The caterpillars feed upon the _Urticaceae_, and are very common upon the nettle. They vary greatly in color, some being almost snow-white. This species is found throughout Canada and the adjacent provinces, and ranges south to the Carolinas and Texas and over the Northwestern States.

(3) =Grapta satyrus=, Edwards, Plate XX, Fig. 1, ?; Fig. 2, ?, _under side_; form =marsyas=, Edwards, Plate XIX, Fig. 14, ?; Fig. 15, ?, _under side_; Plate III, Fig. 33, _larva_; Plate IV, Figs. 41, 42, _chrysalis_ (The Satyr).

_b.u.t.terfly._--The species is so accurately depicted in the plates that a description is hardly necessary. The form _marsyas_ is smaller, brighter, and with the dark spots on the upper side of the hind wings reduced in size. Expanse, 1.75-2.00 inches.

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 Hampshire, 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, Washington, 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