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The Queen

Anosia berenice (A-no'si-a ber-e-ni'ce) PLATE XXXII, FIG. 2, male; PLATE XXVIII, FIG. 3, female The upper surface of the wings is reddish chocolate-brown, with the costal margin of the front wings and the outer margins of both pairs bordered with black. There are two partial rows of white dots near the costal and outer margins of the front wings; and there is a larger white spot in each of the cells R to Cu. The under surface is similar to the upper, except that the outer border contains two full rows of white spots, and the veins of the hind wings are heavily marked with black edged with gray. The male possesses a black pouch containing androconia next to vein Cu, of the hind wings, as in the preceding species. Expanse of wings two and three-quarters to three and one-half inches.

There is a well-marked variety, Anosia berenice strigosa (Plate XXXII, Fig. 2), in which on the upper surface of the hind wings the veins are narrowly edged with grayish white. CATERPILLAR.-Length, about two inches. The Smith and Abbot colored picture of this species shows it to be whitish tinged with purplish brown with a brown divided cross stripe which encloses a yellowish cross bar on each segment. Low down along each side is a greenish-yellow stripe. The second thoracic and second and eighth abdominal segments each bears a pair of long, brown whiplash filaments. Food-plant. Milkweed. "How beautiful is the occafional uniformity as well as the infinite variety of Nature! This butterfly, nearly related to the laſt (the monarch), feeds in its caterpillar ſtate on the plants of the fame genus, though a different fpecies; and the two caterpillars have a great affinity to each other, though one has but fix horns, the other but four.

The pupæ are extremely fimilar except in fize, and are suspended in the fame manner to a leaf."

Thus says Smith and Abbot in the magnificent volume published more than a century ago wherein berenice in all her royalty is delineated by hand painting. While the queen affects umber rather than the brilliant orange of the monarch, yet it is a showy insect; the black borders on the wings are dotted with white and the front wings bear a pretty pattern of white spots. The queen is immune from the attacks of birds both as a caterpillar and a butterfly. Imitation is the sincerest flattery, and the obsequious vice-reine finds the brown wings of the queen quite as admirable in Florida as does the viceroy the bright orange of the monarch farther north.

A glimmering plain in drowsy trance The dim horizon bounds, Where all the air is resonant With sleepy summer sounds- The life that sings among the flowers, The lisping of the breeze, The hot cicada's sultry cry, The murmurous dream of bees.

The butterfly-a flying flower- Wheels swift in flashing rings, And flutters round his quiet kin, With brave flame-mottled wings.