Plate XXI. fig. 3. 4.
ORDER: Lepidoptera. SECTION: Diurna. FAMILY: Nymphalidæ, _Sw_.
GENUS. MELITÆA, _Fabr._ Argynnis, _Latr. et God._ Papilio (Dan. Festiv.),
_Drury_.
MELITÆA PHAETON. Alis subrotundatis integerrimis, nigris, singularum
extimo suprà, paginâ omni subtùs fulvo flavoque maculatis. (Expans. Alar.
3 unc. 9 lin. fere.)
SYN. Papilio (Dan. Festiv.) Phaeton, _Drury_, _App. v._ 2. _Fabr. Ent.
Syst._ III. 1. _p._ 46. _No._ 140. _Cramer, pl._ 193. _f._ C. D. Argynnis
Phaetontea, _Latr. et God. Enc. Méth._ ix. _p._ 288. _Boisduv. Hist. nat.
Lep. pl._ 7. _B. f._ 3.
HABITAT: New York; taken in June and September, whence there are probably
two broods in the year.
_Upper Side._ Body and wings black. The anterior pair of the latter with
nine red spots placed near the external edges; above which are two rows
of spots, of a lemon colour, with some other small ones placed near the
upper edges. Posterior wings with eight red triangular spots, placed
close to the external edges. Above these is a row of lemon-coloured
crescents; and above that is another row of lemon-coloured round spots.
The wings are entire.
_Under Side._ Anterior wings black, with a red indented margin; within
the external edge is a row of lemon-coloured crescents. Near the costa,
about the middle of each wing, are two larger red spots, and a smaller
one at the corner, next the shoulders. The remainder of the wings is
sprinkled with lemon-coloured spots, of different shapes and sizes, in
all about twenty-six on each. Posterior wings black, having their
external edges margined with triangular red spots; above which is a row
of lemon-coloured crescents; and over these is a row of round
lemon-coloured spots. The remaining part of the wings is covered with
lemon-coloured and red spots; the former very small, and the latter
rather large, and angularly shaped.