Butterfly.—Small or medium-sized; on the upper side often colored brilliantly with iridescent blue or green, sometimes dark brown or reddish; on the under side marked with lines and spots variously disposed, sometimes obscure in color, very frequently most brilliantly colored.
Various subdivisions based upon the neuration of the wings have been made in the genus in recent years, and these subdivisions are entitled to be accepted by those who are engaged in a comparative study of the species belonging to this great group. Inasmuch, however, as most American writers have heretofore classified all of these insects under the genus Thecla, the author has decided not to deviate from familiar usage, and will therefore not attempt to effect a subdivision according to the views of recent writers, which he nevertheless approves as scientifically accurate.
Egg.—Considerable diversity exists in the form of the eggs of the various species included under this genus as treated in this book, but all of them may be said to be turban-shaped, more or less depressed at the upper extremity, with their surfaces beautifully adorned with minute projections arranged in geometric patterns.
[a]Fig. 129.]—Neuration of Thecla edwardsi. (After Scudder.) Typical neuration of the genus.
Caterpillar.—The caterpillars are slug-shaped, their heads minute, the body abruptly tapering at the anal extremity. They feed upon the tender leaves of the ends of branches, some of them upon the leaves of flowers of various species.
Chrysalis.—What has been said concerning the chrysalids of the family applies likewise to the chrysalids of this and the succeeding genera. They lie closely appressed to the surface upon which they are formed, and are held in place by an attachment at the anal extremity, as well as by a slight girdle of silk about the middle. In color they are generally some shade of brown.
(1) Thecla grunus, Boisduval, Plate XXIX, Fig. 12, ♂ (Boisduval's Hair-streak).
Butterfly.—The wings are brown on the upper side, lighter on the disk; in some specimens, more frequently of the female sex, bright orange-tawny. On the under side the wings are pale tawny, with transverse marginal and submarginal series of small dark spots on both wings. Two or three of the marginal spots near the anal angle are black, each crowned with a metallic-green crescent. Expanse, 1.10-1.20 inch.
Early Stages.—These have, in part, been described by Dyar, "Canadian Entomologist," vol. xxv, p. 94. The caterpillar is short, flattened, the segments arched, the body tapering backward, bluish-green, covered with little dark warty prominences bearing tufts of hairs, obscurely striped longitudinally with broken, pale lines, and having a diamond-shaped shield back of the head. The chrysalis is thick and conformed to the generic type of structure. The color is pale green, striped and dotted with pale yellow on the abdomen. The caterpillar feeds in the Yosemite Valley upon the young leaves of the live-oak (Quercus chrysolepis).