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The Green Comma (Polygonia faunus Pol-y-go'ni-a)

Polygonia faunus (Pol-y-go'ni-a fau'nus) PLATE XXIII, FIG. 3, 5 The silvery mark of the hind wings is usually in the form of a Cor a G, the ends being more or less expanded (Plate VI, Fig. 2), but sometimes it is reduced to the form of an L. The lower surface of the wings is more greatly variegated than in any other species of this genus; and there is a larger amount of green on this surface than in any other of the Eastern species, there being two nearly complete rows of green spots on the outer third of each wing. Expanse two inches or more.

CATERPILLAR.-Length, one and one-fifth inches. Head black and bearing a pair of spines. Body reddish, or yellowish brown with a large patch of white on the back behind the middle. The rows of branching spines are light colored. It makes no nest and hides beneath the leaf.

Food-plants.-Black birch, willow, alder, currant, and gooseberry.

The strong resemblance existing between the different commas makes the recognition of the species on the wing quite difficult. However, if the sun glints across the wings of the green comma, it reveals on the upper side markings of a rich velvety obscure olive green; while below a paler and brighter olive is wrought into the ornate pattern. While all this is easily seen when we hold a pinned specimen in the hand it is by no of Massachusetts in the East; in the middle West it is found as far south as Iowa. It is singlebrooded, although the butterflies may be found all summer; it hibernates as a butterfly.