The Butterfly Book Part 70

_b.u.t.terfly._--The male on the upper side is dark blackish-brown, with three small subapical spots, and one small spot below these, near the origin of the third median nervule. The female is exactly like the male, except that it has two spots, the larger one being placed below the small spot corresponding to the one on the fore wing of the male. The wings on the under side are dark fuscous, somewhat clouded with darker brown, the spots of the upper side reappearing on the under side.

Expanse, ?, 1.40 inch; ?, 1.50 inch.

_Early Stages._--Very little has been written upon the early stages.

The b.u.t.terfly ranges from southern Connecticut to Florida, thence westward to Texas, and along the Gulf coast in Mexico.

(2) =Lerema hianna=, Scudder, Plate XLVI, Fig. 9, ?; Fig. 10, ? (The Dusted Skipper).

_b.u.t.terfly._--The upper side is accurately represented in the plate. The wings on the lower side are as on the upper side, a trifle paler and somewhat grayer on the outer margin. Expanse, ?, 1.15 inch; ?, 1.25 inch.

_Early Stages._--Unknown.

It ranges through southern New England, westward to Wisconsin, Iowa, and Nebraska, in a comparatively narrow strip of country.

(3) =Lerema carolina=, Skinner, Plate XLVI, Fig. 36, ? (The Carolina Skipper).

_b.u.t.terfly._--On the upper side the b.u.t.terfly is as represented in the plate. The spots are repeated on the under side of the fore wing, but less distinctly defined. The costa is edged with brownish-yellow. The hind wings on the under side are yellow, spotted with small dark-brown dots. Expanse, ?, 1.00 inch. The female is unknown.

_Early Stages._--Wholly unknown.

This species has thus far been found only in North Carolina, and is still extremely rare in collections. The figure in the plate represents the type. I have seen other specimens. I place it provisionally in the genus _Lerema_, though it undoubtedly does not belong here, and probably may represent a new genus. Lacking material for dissection, I content myself with this reference.

Genus MEGATHYMUS, Riley

[Ill.u.s.tration FIG. 181.--_Megathymus yuccae_, ?.]

This genus comprises b.u.t.terflies having very stout bodies, broad wings, strongly clubbed antennae, very minute palpi. The caterpillars are wood-boring in their habits, living in the pith and underground roots of different species of _Yucca_. The life-history of the species represented in the cuts has been well described by the late Professor C.V. Riley, and the student who is curious to know more about this remarkable insect will do well to consult the "Eighth Annual Report of the State Entomologist of Missouri" (p. 169), or the "Transactions of the St. Louis Academy of Science" (vol. iii, p. 323), in which, with great learning, the author has patiently set forth what is known in reference to the insect.

[Ill.u.s.tration FIG. 182.--_Megathymus yuccae_: _a_, egg, magnified; _b_, egg from which larva has escaped; _bb_, _bbb_, unhatched eggs, natural size; _c_, newly hatched larva, magnified; _cc_, larva, natural size; _d_, head, enlarged to show the mouth-parts; _e_, maxillary palpi; _f_, antenna; _g_, l.a.b.i.al palpi; _h_, spinneret.]

The genus _Megathymus_ is referred by some writers to the _Castniidae_, a genus of day-flying moths, which seem to connect the moths with the b.u.t.terflies; but the consideration of the anatomical structure of this insect makes such a reference impossible. The genus properly represents a subfamily of the _Hesperiidae_, which might be named the _Megathyminae_.

The species represented in our cuts is _Megathymus yuccae_, Boisduval and Leconte. There are a number of other species of _Megathymus_ that are found in our Southern States, princ.i.p.ally in Texas and Arizona. They are interesting insects, the life-history of which is, however, in many cases obscure, as yet.

[Ill.u.s.tration FIG. 183.--Chrysalis of _Megathymus yuccae_.]

Conclusion

We here bring to a conclusion our survey of the b.u.t.terflies of North America. There are, in addition to the species that have been described and figured in the plates, about one hundred and twenty-five other species, princ.i.p.ally _Hesperiidae_, which have not been mentioned. The field of exploration has not by any means been exhausted, and there is no doubt that in the lapse of time a number of other species will be discovered to inhabit our faunal limits.

The writer of these pages would deem it a great privilege to aid those who are interested in the subject in naming and identifying any material which they may not be able to name and identify by the help of this book. In laying down his pen, at the end of what has been to him a pleasurable task, he again renews the hope that what he has written may tend to stimulate a deeper and more intelligent interest in the wonders of creative wisdom, and takes occasion to remind the reader that it is true, as was said by Fabricius, that nature is most to be admired in those works which are least--"_Natura maxime miranda in minimis._"

[Ill.u.s.tration]

SUPPLEMENTARY NOTE TO THE SECOND EDITION

The first edition of this book having been nearly exhausted in less than a month after publication, the author has not yet had opportunity to avail himself of the criticisms of scientific friends who are presumably looking for sins of omission and commission, of which it is sincerely hoped they will acquaint him when discovered. Thus far all criticisms have been of an approbatory character, and have only expressed pleasure.

The writer is indebted to Mr. Harrison G. Dyar, the Honorary Curator of the Department of Entomology in the United States National Museum, for reminding him of the fact, which he had carelessly overlooked, that the larva and chrysalis of _Eumaeus atala_ (see p. 237) have been fully described by Scudder, "Memoirs of the Boston Society of Natural History," vol. ii., p. 413, and by Schwartz, "Insect Life," vol. i., p.

39. The caterpillar is found abundantly upon the "c.o.o.ntie" (_Zamia integrifolia_, Willdenow), and the insect, according to Schwartz, fairly swarms in the pine-woods between the sh.o.r.es of Biscayne Bay and the Everglades.