The butterfly to which I want to introduce you is a rare beauty! It is
called Argynnis nitocris nigrocaerulea by scientists, but the young
people of our school call it the blue-black silver spot or the Sapello
Fritillary. They wanted very much to name it after the Territory, but
unfortunately there is a butterfly of this genus that bears the name of
New Mexico Silver-spot.
Every member of the genus Argynnis is beautiful and it is a great treat
to see the glint of the silver dotted wings of these butterflies as they
hover about the gaily colored flowers in some mountain canyon or alpine
meadow. But no member of the genus will compare in beauty with the
female of the nigrocaerulea, and I should find difficulty in forgetting
the pleasure I felt in seeing two of these lovely creatures sucking the
nectar from a large bright colored Rudbeckia.
The nigrocaerulea is very much like a silver-spot that is found in the
mountains of Arizona; both belong to the species nitocris and there is
still a third form found in the mountains of Mexico. It is very likely
that these forms were the same years ago, but the mountains in this arid
region are like islands, and are separated by dry expanses upon which an
Argynnis could not live. It follows, therefore, that in the isolated
mountain regions many forms of the same species may be found, and when
the country has been more carefully explored we shall very probably find
other varieties of nitocris.
The nigrocaerulea was discovered in August, 1900, in the Sapello Canyon,
a beautiful canyon in the Rocky Mountains near Las Vegas, New Mexico.
The male is reddish-fulvous on the upper surface, with well defined
markings consisting of waved transverse lines and crescent shaped spots.
On the under side the design of the fore wings is somewhat indistinctly
repeated, and the base is colored with a most exquisite reddish pink.
The under surface of the hind wings is a rich brown with a wide yellow
border, and is profusely marked with spots of glistening silver. The
female on the upper side is bluish black, well marked near the margin by
large spots of yellow suffused with blue. The under surface is very like
that of the male, though the colors are more pronounced, the brown in
the hind wing merging into black. The Sapello Fritillary flies during
the month of August. Though the caterpillar is not known, it is supposed
to feed upon the leaves of violets, which grow very abundantly in the
Sapello Canyon. Diligent search will be made for it, and I am sure all
will be interested if at some future time I can give the history and
picture of the chrysalis of this beautiful Silver-spot.
Wilmatte Porter Cockerell.
Lo, the bright train their radiant wings unfold!
With silver fringed, and freckled o’er with gold:
On the gay bosom of some fragrant flower
They, idly fluttering, live their little hour;
Their life all pleasure, and their task all play,
All spring their age, and sunshine all their day.
—Mrs. Barbauld.