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The Gray Comma

Polygonia progne (Pol-y-go'ni-a prog'ne) PLATE XXIII, FIG. 7, 8 In its general appearance this butterfly closely resembles P. comma, but it can be readily distinguished by the form of the silvery mark, which is L-shaped and tapers toward the ends.

Two forms of this species occur, the lighter form, P. progne progne, in which the ground tint of the upper surface of all of the wings is concolorous; and the tail at the end of vein M, of the hind wings tapers gently with the tip broadly rounded. And the darker form, P. progne l-argentum, which has the hind wings obscured above with dusky tints; the submarginal series of fulvous spots nearly obliterated; the L-shaped mark of the lower side slenderer, with the longitudinal limb much shorter than the other, by which it approaches more the exact form of an L, or is wholly obliterated; and with the tail at the end of vein M, of the hind wings almost triangular. The difference in color between these two forms is not as marked as in the case of the two forms of the violet-tip. 3 The CATERPILLAR.-About one inch long when mature. body is yellowish brown marked with greenish black. Its spines are branched and mostly black. A pair of long slender spines are on the top of the head. Feeds openly, and lifts the tail and twists the head at right angles when resting. Looks like a yellow leaf.

Food-plants. Currant, gooseberry, and elm.

This is another frequenter of woodsy paths and roads, and would be difficult to distinguish from the green comma were it not for the wide angled L embroidered on the lower wing. The upper surface of the hind wing is shaded from coffee-color at center out to a darker edge, and in this the coffee-colored spots near the margin are not half circles as in the green comma, but are mere points of color. The lower side of the wings is made up of many wavy lines of ashen hue. These fine lines on the beautifully shaded background look like woof and warp in more or less diagonal pattern extending across the inner dark half of the wing as well as through the light band and the dark edges where they follow the jagged margin in a weft of beautiful points and scallops. There is nothing from nature's looms that so fills one with the sense of inadequacy of words for description as the under surface of the gray comma's wing. The butterfly knows the use of the wings too, for they are to it the invisible cloak of the fairy tale. We saw one the other day basking in the middle of a somewhat muddy wood-road. The shining red copper of its upper wings made it a most striking object.

As we approached, it suddenly disappeared and we were unable to point it out to our companions.

But when we took another step and came too close it dashed up above our heads and was lost to our sight before we could exclaim; at the first disturbance it had simply closed its wings and thus disappeared. It is frequently found in orchards where the fallen and decaying fruit gives it a tipple.

The gray comma abjures the world while the October sun is still warm and hides itself and goes to sleep to be awakened by the first balmy breezes of spring.

The caterpillar, while giving preference to the wild currant and gooseberry, sometimes takes advantage of the cultivated species. This species occurs in Canada and in the northern portion of the United States, except in the extreme West.