M. Chalcedonti similis sed antennae clava discolor, fusca nec concolor antennae reliquae aurantiacae.
Alae supra ut in M. Chalcedonte sed series macularum submarginalium in anticis rubra et marginalium in posticis flava rubro tincta. Series quarta in anticis bifida, fere tota rubra, tertia in posticis omnino rubra.
Alae inferiores subtus ut in M. Chalcedonte sed fascia flava prope radicem in maculas sex dissecta maculaque flava discalis puncto ejusdem coloris extus aucta.
Melitæa Quino may at once be distinguished by the entirely different and much gayer coloration of the upper side, which much more resembles that of M. Anicia than M. Chalcedon. To the latter species it comes the nearest in the peculiar shape of the wings, so characteristically different in the two sexes. In M. Anicia this difference exists but not to the same degree. The yellow part of the underside of the hindwings is much paler than in M. Chalcedon and M. Anicia. The yellow radical band is dissolved into six distinct but nearly connected maculae. In M. Chalcedon the band is not interrupted and only the sixth macula is separated, making part of the yellow coloration of the anal side of the wing. From M. Anicia it differs besides, in the underside of the forewings being nearly all of a reddish-brown color with scarcely any indication of the markings of the upperside, closely resembling M. Chalcedon. From both species M. Quino differs in the coloration of the club of the antenna.
This species I received from Dr. Cooper, formerly of the State Geological Survey, who collected several specimens near San Diego. I have called it Quino in remembrance of the California Pioneer, Padre Quino, the first European that ever succeeded in erecting a permanent settlement in California, and at the same time contributed very considerably by his learned writings to a more exact knowledge of these then scarcely discovered regions.
4. M. Anicia, Doubleday.
This species seems to be restricted to the eastern and more elevated part of the State. Most of my specimens are from Mariposa.
5. M. nubigena, Behr, n. sp.
M. Aniciae similis sed antennarum clava nigrescens, et subtus in alis posticis fasciae pallidae intermediae bipartitae pars exterior aurantiaca, ut fascia lunularum quae sequitur eam.
This species was caught in considerable numbers by Mr. Hoffman at the headwaters of the Tuolumne River and beyond, up to elevations of 11,500 feet. It evidently stands in the same relation to M. Anicia as in Europe M. Merope does to M. Artemis. I am not certain if M. nubigena is to be considered an alpine variety of M. Anicia or an independent species, nor as far as I know is the question yet decided as to the right to distinction of M. Merope, a long-known alpine insect of Europe. Nevertheless, considering the different coloration of the antenna club, I am very much inclined to think M. nubigena more than a mere alpine variety.