Part 18

The caterpillar feeds on grasses. The insect ranges from Maine to the Gulf, and westward to the Rocky Mountains.

(2) Debis creola Skinner, Plate LX, ♂ (The Creole).

Easily distinguished from the foregoing by the elongated patches of dark raised scales upon the fore wings. Expanse 2.25 inches. The specimen figured is a paratype received from the author of the species.

Ranges from Florida to Mexico along the Gulf.

GENUS SATYRODES SCUDDER

(THE GRASS-NYMPH).

This genus was erected by its author to receive the single species, which we figure. As there is no likelihood of mistaking it for anything else, we forego a long generic description.

(1) Satyrodes canthus (Boisduval & Leconte), Plate LXI, ♀ (The Grass-nymph).

The butterfly always haunts meadows and hides among tufts of tall grass in moist places. It is quite common in New England and Canada, and is found in the cool regions of the Appalachian uplift as far south as North Carolina. It has a peculiar jerking flight, and is easily captured. Expanse 1.65-1.90 inch.

The caterpillar feeds on grasses, and its early stages and transformations have often been described.

GENUS NEONYMPHA WESTWOOD

(THE SPANGLED-NYMPHS).

Small butterflies, rather obscure in color. Both fore and hind wings evenly rounded; the fore wings with the costal and median veins much swollen at the base. Antennæ short without a distinctly defined club. Egg globular marked with polygonal cells. Caterpillar with a large head, bifid above, and produced as two cones thickly studded with little raised projections. Chrysalis comparatively long, pointed at the head, with a blunt tubercle on the thorax; green.

Some writers maintain that this genus is identical with the genus Euptychia Hübner, which contains over one hundred species, principally found in the American tropics. Seven species are found in our region, of which we shall delineate five.

(1) Neonympha gemma (Hübner), Plate LXII, Fig. 1, ♂, under side (The Gemmed Brown).

The upper side of the wings are mouse-colored, with a couple of twinned dark spots on the outer margin of the hind wings. On the under side the wings are reddish gray, marked with irregular rusty lines, and at the point where the dark spots appear upon the upper side there is a row of silvery spots. Expanse 1.25-1.35 inch.

Ranges from West Virginia to Mexico.

(2) Neonympha phocion (Fabricius), Plate LXII, Fig. 2, ♀ (The Georgian Satyr).

A trifle larger than the preceding species, which it closely resembles above, but from which it may at once be distinguished by the form of the markings of the lower side of the hind wings, which are depicted in our illustration. Expanse 1.25-1.45 inch.

Ranges from southern New Jersey to the Gulf as far west as Texas. Very common in Georgia.

(3) Neonympha eurytus (Fabricius), Plate LXIII, ♂ (The Little Wood-satyr).

Readily distinguished from the other species in our fauna by the two well-developed eye-spots on the fore wings, as well as on the hind wings on the upper side. Expanse 1.75 inch.

The caterpillar and chrysalis are pale brown, the latter marked with darker brown.

Ranges from New England and Ontario to Georgia and westward to Kansas and Texas.

(4) Neonympha sosybius (Fabricius), Plate LXIV, Fig. 1, ♂ (The Carolinian Satyr).

Upper side unspotted dark mouse-gray. On the under side the wings are paler, crossed by three lines, one defining the basal, the second the median area, and the third just before the outer margin. Between the last two are rows of ocelli, which are obscure, except the first on the fore wing and the second and last two on the hind wing. Expanse 1.25-1.50 inch.

Ranges from the latitude of New Jersey southward through the lower half of the Mississippi Valley to Mexico and Central America.

(5) Neonympha rubricata Edwards, Plate LXIV, Fig. 2, ♂. Type (The Red Satyr).