liparops) and Coral Hairstreaks (Satyrium Xerces Blue in San Francisco. W.H. Edwards titus). Those fields and woods have long since was one of the greatest of nineteenth century Hairstreak vanished and the hairstreaks with them. lepidopterists. I wrote about him in “W.H. The Satyrium was created by Edwards: The Man Behind the Hairstreak.” Memories Samuel Scudder in 1876 and for many years (American Butterflies: Volume 12 No.2) Satyrium was understood to contain only New King’s Hairstreak was named for H.L. King World . In 1961, Harry Kendon Clench of Georgia who encountered this species, recognized that many Old World species of which was described in 1952 by A.B. Klots hairstreaks also belong in this genus, although and H.K. Clench, in Savannah, Georgia. For a many books on European butterflies did not number of years, by the way, Coral Hairstreak e Fu reflect this classification until much later. was placed in the genus Harkenclensus which av n Satyrium, of course, was chosen by Scudder to was based on Clench’s name, Harry Kendon a H n reflect the woodland habitat of most species, Clench. (As a fellow Harry, I am sorry to see n as satyrs were mythological woodland beings that name sunk in the synonymy.) Poling’s a apparently beloved by early lepidopterists who Hairstreak was named for O.C. Poling, W saw satyrs and nymphs in every flitting wing who spent the early part of the 20th century

t in the forest. searching for little-known species out west

s NABA’s Checklist & English Names of and had a number of butterfly and moth taxa

u J North American Butterflies (Second Edition) named after him. I have yet to see either has 17 species in the genus Satyrium, and, King’s or Poling’s Hairstreak, mainly because

s

t by Harry Zirlin with one or two exceptions, the origins of the they both fly during a limited window in s

i specific names are easy to ascertain although, special habitats. I have seen Behr’s Hairstreak

as in many cases, why those names were commonly out west and Edward’s Hairstreak m

o chosen is often a mystery. still persists within a short drive from my

n Six Satyrium hairstreaks are named for home in Westchester County, New York, but it

o people. Coral Hairstreak, () appears to become scarcer with each passing

x was named for the Roman Emperor Titus, as season. a T I recently noted in “Hail Caesar.” (American Five hairstreaks in this genus are named Butterflies: Vol.19 Nos.2/3/4). Banded for the places or habitats in which they occur. Hairstreak () was named for California Hairstreak () the gymnosophist Calanus of India who was is common in that state although it lives in a contemporary of Alexander the Great and most states west of the Rockies and the first met with Alexander during the Greek invasion ones I saw were near Colorado Springs flying Roberts, and Question Marks dashing back I spent my first twelve years of India. (Gymnosophist is Greek for “naked in the company of Colorado Hairstreaks and forth high over the roof of our two story living in Newark, New Jersey — first in philosopher” and Calanus is said to have (Hypaurotis crysalus). Acadian Hairstreak home as if it was a hilltop. the Ironbound Section and then in the ordered Alexander to strip as well before he () is named for the old The only hairstreaks I ever saw in Newark Weequahic Section. Neither part of Newark would speak with him.) French colony that included parts of Quebec, were Gray Hairstreaks and I remember them was particularly rich in butterfly diversity Behr’s Hairstreak (), the Maritime provinces and northern Maine. favoring the blossoms of Rose-of-Sharon in in retrospect, although that did not stop Edward’s Hairstreak (), (The people who lived in Acadia were forced my friend Peter’s yard on Wainwright Street. me from tramping miles up and down the King’s Hairstreak (), and to relocate to Louisiana after the French and All of these memories span the late 1950s Lehigh Valley Railroad tracks (in neighboring Poling’s Hairstreak (), were Indian war and “Acadians” was corrupted to to 1965 when my family moved to suburban Irvington actually) and looking. I have vivid all named for lepidopterists. I have written “Cajuns.”) Acadian Hairstreaks are found in Iselin, NJ. Only then did I see species of recollections of many butterfly encounters about Behr and W.H. Edwards in this column Maine but their range is certainly not limited hairstreaks other than Gray. In Iselin, on the from those days: Zabulon Skippers flashing before, but, briefly, Herman Behr was a to old Acadia. They, too, still occur near dogbane and Common Milkweed blossoms in the late afternoon sunlight on Leslie Street German-born lepidopterist who was resident my home in Westchester County, although in the fields and wood edges across from our while my older brother Larry played stickball, in California in the late 1800s. Sierra Sulphur they are also declining. Sylvan Hairstreak house were Banded Hairstreaks (Satyrium Common Sootywings in the overgrown (Colias behrii) also bears his name and it was (Satyrium sylvinus) is simply named for the calanus), Hickory Hairstreaks (Satyrium backyard of our Hobson Street friend, Richie Behr who, in 1875, lamented the plight of Latin word for “woods” as in Pennsylvania caryaevorum), Striped Hairstreaks (Satyrium 44 American Butterflies,Spring 2013 45