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PHICE    ONE    SHILLING. 


W.    .  CO  L  E  M  AH 


WITH  |A 

ILLUSTRATIONS.  I 


GEORGE  ROUTLEDGE  &  SONS,  Limited 


Thirteenth] 


Routledge's  Railway  Library  Advertiser. 


[Issue. 


ROWLANDS'   ARTICLES 

For  the  Hair,  Complexion,  and  Teeth,  are  the  PUREST  &  BEST. 


ODONTO 


A  pure,  non-gritty  tooth 
powder;  it  whitens  the 
teeth,  prevents  decay  and 
sweetens  the  breath ;  is 
more  efficacious  than  pastes  or  washes.  2/9- 

rves  and 

^^agaagaB^,^  ides  the 

and  pre- 
it  fall- 
tine  for 
asy  and 
e  had  iu 

k  10/6, 


er 


THE  BEST  THAT  MONEY  CAN  BUY.  CONTAINS  NO  ALUM, 


Thirteenth] 


Routledge's  Railway  Library  Advertiser. 


/  4 


[Issue. 


THE     HOISTEY     OF 

WE  GATHER  THE  HONEY  OF  WISDOM  FROM  THORNS,  NOT  FROM  FLOWERS, 

NOBILITY  OF  LIFE. 

"  Who  best  can  suffer,  best  can  do."— MILTON. 
What  alone  enables  us  to  draw  a  just  moral  from 

tlia  fain  nf  Ufa  9 

he  present  and 
bles  us  to  draw 
what  sheds  the 
ives  the  firmest 
fitted  to  soften 
soul — I  would 
ENCE.' " 
LORD  LYTTON. 

jE-UPON-TYNE. 

resent  you  with 
ustly  celebrated 
iveiy  sedentary 
air  wruld  do  for 
ids,  I  have  taken 
therefrom  is  r^y 

"A  LADY. 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

PRESENTED  BY 

PROF.  CHARLES  A.  KOFOID  AND 
MRS.  PRUDENCE  W.  KOFOID 


since  he  commenced  to 
whom  your  remedy  has 
very  refreshing  and  exh 

SMALL  POX,  SC 
and  almost  e 

ten  years,  and  in  th 
gangrene,  cancer,  ai 
been  ill  myself  for  a 
FRUIT  SALT,  w] 
patients  during  convalescence. 
"April  21st,  1894. 


nd 
ad." 

NEIL,  Holy 
ields  :— 

beneficial  effects 
t  tion  in  giving 
riends.  To »uch 
iver  and  its  con- 
.  he  was  obliged 
and  to  be  mobt 
bably  alltviated 
i  cure,  although 
<,  and  also  con- 
acuity.  By  the 
enjoys  vixorous 
tor  constipation 
known  to  me  to 
[  find  it  makes  «, 
J.  C.  BNO,  Esq." 

GANGRENE, 

:  upwards  of 
elas,  measles, 
ne  I  have  not 
se  of  END'S 

f _.  . 1  it  to  all  my 

"Its  value  as  a  means  of  health  cannot  be  overestimated. 
"A  PROFESSIONAL  NUKSK." 


ENO'S  "FRUIT  SALT  "  assists  the  functions  of  the  LIVER,  BOWELS.  SKIN, 
and  KIDNEYS  by  Natural  Meaus  ;  thus  the  blood  is  freed  from  POISONOUS  or 
other  HURTFUL  MATTERS.  THERE  IS  NO  DpUBT  that,  where  it  has  been  taken 
in  the  earliest  stage  of  a  disease,  it  has  ia  innumerable  instances  prevented  a  severe  illness. 
Without  such  a  simple  precaution  the  JEOPARDY  OF  LIFE  IS  IMMENSELY 
INCREASED.  It  is  impossible  to  overstate  its  great  value. 


CAUTION.— Examine  each  Bottle,  and  see  MM  Capsule  is  marked  ENO'S 

thl 


FRUIT  SALT.' 

Sold  l>y  all  Chemists. 


Without  it,  you  have  been  imposed  on  by  a  worthless  imitation. 

Prepared   only  at  ENO'S  "FRUIT  SALT"  WORKS,  LONDON,  S.E. 
[By  J.  C.  Eno's  Patent.] 


Thirteenth]  Routledge's  Railway  Library  Advertiser.  [/sswe. 

Town 
PILLS 


FOR  ALL 


Bilious  &  Nervous  Disorders 

SUCH   AS 

SICK  HEADACHE,  CONSTIPATION, 
WEAKSTOMACH.IMPAIRED  DIGESTION. 

DISORDERED  LIVER  &  FEMALE  AILMENTS. 
Annual  Sale,  Six  Million  Boxes, 

In  Boxes,  9id-,  Is   Ijd.,  and  2s  9d.  each,  with  full  directions. 

BEECHAfSlOOTH  PASTE 

WILL   RECOMMEND   ITSELF. 

It  is  Efficacious,  Economical,  Cleanses  the  Teeth,  Perfumes 

the  Breath,  and  is  a  Reliable  and  Pleasant  Dentifrice. 

In  Collapsible  Tubes,  of  all  Druggists,  or  from  the  Proprietor, 

for  ONE  SHILLING,  postage  paid. 

Prepared  only  by  the  Proprietor — 

THOMAS  BEECHAM,  ST.  HELENS,  LANCASHIRE. 

Sold  by  all  Druggists  and  Patent  Medicine  Dealers  everywhere, 

100,000.  S.  &  B.,  Ltd.,  13/3/95. 


BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES 


XVI. 


BRITISH  BUTTERFLIES 

FIGURES  AND  DESCRIPTIONS  OF 

EVERY   NATIVE   SPECIES 

WITH   AN   ACCOUNT  OF 

BUTTERFLY  DEVELOPMENT,  STRUCTURE,  HABITS,  LOCALITIES, 
MODE  OF  CAPTURE,   AND  PRESERVATION 

BY  W.   S.   COLEMAN 

AUTHOR   OF   "OUR  WOOF/LANDS,   HEATHS,   AND   HEDGES" 

WITH  ILLUSTRATIONS  BY  THE  AUTHOR 


LONDON 

GEORGE   ROUTLEDGE  &  SONS,  LIMITED 

BROADWAY,  LUDGATE  HILL 

MANCHESTER   AND    NEW   YORK 

1895 


6  n (. 


PREFACE. 


A  DESIRE  to  extend  the  knowledge  af,  aud  by  so 
doing  to  extend  the  love  for,  those  sunny  creatures 
called  Butterflies,  has  prompted  the  author  to  undertake 
this  little  work,  which,  though  making  no  pretence  to 
A  technically  scientific  character,  will,  it  is  hoped,  be 
found  sufficiently  complete  and  accurate  to  supply  all 
information  needful  to  the  young  entomologist  as  to  the 
names,  appearance,  habits,  localities,  &c.  of  all  our 
British  Butterflies,  together  with  a  general  history  of 
butterfly  life — the  mode  of  capture,  preservation,  and 
arrangement  in  cabinets — the  apparatus  required,  &c. 
At  the  same  time  it  is  so  inexpensive  as  to  be  acces- 
sible to  every  schoolboy. 

The  subject  is  one  which  has  formed  the  delight  and 
study  of  the  author  from  early  boyhood,  and  butterfly- 
hunting  still  preserves  its  fascinations,  redoubling  the 
pleasure  of  the  country  rambl,:  in  summer. 


M368583 


vi  PREFACE. 

Should  this  volume  be  the  means  of  inciting  some 
to  seek  this  source  of  healthful  enjoyment,  and  to  join 
in  the  peaceful  study  which  may  be  so  easily  pursued 
by  all  dwellers  in  the  country,  it  will  have  succeeded 
in  its  purpose. 

The  whole  of  the  illustrative  portraits  of  the  butter- 
flies have  been  drawn  from  nature  by  the  author,  and 
with  one  exception  from  specimens  in  his  own  collec- 
tion. At  least  one  figure  of  each  species  (of  the  natural 
size)  is  given ;  but  in  very  many  instances,  where  the 
oexes  differ  considerably  from  each  other,  both  arc 
figured,  and  the  under  sides  are  also  freauently  added. 

The  greater  number  of  the  caterpillars  ana'  chrysalides, 
however,  being  rarely  met  with,  the  figures  on  the  first 
plate  are  nearly  all  borrowed  from  the  splendid  and 
accurate  works  of  Continental  authors — chiefly  from 
Hiibner  and  Duponchel. 

"With  great  pleasure,  the  author  here  acknowledges 
uis  obligations,  for  many  biographical  facts  relating  to 
butterflies,  to  those  highly  useful  periodicals,  the  Zoolo- 
gist and  the  Entomologist's  Weekly  Intelligencer,  the 
former  devoted  to  general  natural  history,  the  latter 
iwpecialAy  to  entomology,  and  whose  pages  register  a 


PREFACE.  Vii 

mass  of  interesting  and  original  communications  from 
correspondents  who,  living  in  wide-spread  localities, 
and  possessing  varied  opportunities  of  observation,  have 
gradually  brought  together,  under  able  editorship,  a 
store  of  facts  that  could  never  have  come  within  the 
personal  experience  of  any  one  man,  however  indus- 
trious and  observant. 

The  capture  during  the  past  year  of  a  new  and 
interesting  butterfly  for  the  first  time  in  this  country, 
is  recorded  in  this  volume,  in  which  the  insect  is 
ulso  figured  and  described 


BAYSWATER,  April,  1830. 


BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 


CHAPTEE    I. 

INTRODUCTION. 

WHAT  IS  A  BUTTERFLY— BUTTERFLIES  AND  MOTES — BUTTERFL* 
LIFE  —  THE  EGO  STAGE  —  SCULPTURED  CRADLES  —  BUTTERFL1 
BOTANY — THE  CATERPILLAR  STAGE — FEEDING  UP — COAT  CHANG- 
ING— FORMS  OF  CATERPILLARS— THE  CHRYSALIS— MEANING  OI 
PUPA,  CHRYSALIS,  AND  AURELIA — FORMS  OF  CHRYSALIDES  — 
DIFFICULTIES  OF  TRANSFORMATION — INFLUENCE  OF  TEMPERA- 
TURE. 

OCCASIONALLY  a  missive  arrives  from  some  benevolent 
friend,  announcing  the  capture  of  a  "splendid  butterfly," 
which,  imprisoned  under  a  tumbler,  awaits  one's  accept- 
ince  as  an  addition  to  the  cabinet.  However,  on  going 
to  claim  the  proffered  prize,  the  expected  "butterfly" 
turns  out  to  be  some  bright-coloured  moth  (a  Tiger  moth, 
being  the  favourite  victim  of  the  misnomer),  and  one's 
entomological  propriety  suffers  a  shock  j  net  so  much 
feeling  the  loss  of  the  specimen,  as  concern  for  the 
benighted  state  of  an  otherwise  intelligent  friend's 
mind  with  regard  to  insect  nomenclature. 

B 


2  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

It  is  clearly  therefore  not  so  superfluous  as  it  might 
at  first  otherwise  seem,  to  commence  the  subject  by 
defining  even  such  a  familiar  'object  as  a  butterfly,  and 
more  especially  distinguishing  it  with  certainty  from  a 
moth,  the  only  other  creature  with  which  it  can  well  bo 
confounded. 

The  usual  notion  of  a  butterfly  is  of  a  gay  fluttering 
thing,  whose  broad  painted  wings  are  covered  with  a 
mealy  stuff  that  comes  off  with  handling.  This  is  aU 
very  well  for  a  general  idea,  but  the  characters  that 
form  it  are  common  to  some  other  insects  besides  but- 
terflies. Moths  and  hawk-moths  have  mealy  wings/ 
and  are  often  gaily  coloured  too  \  whilst,  011  the  ethei 
hand,  some  butterflies  are  as  dusky  and  plain  as  pos- 
sible. Thus  the  crimson-winged  Tiger,  and  Cinnabar 
moths  get  the  name  of  butterflies,  and  the  Meadow 
brown  butterfly  is  as  sure  to  be  called  a  moth.  So,  as 
neither  colouring  nor  mealy  wings  furnish  us  with  the 
required  definition,  we  must  find  some  concise  combina- 
tion of  characters  that  will  answer  the  purpose.  But* 
terflies,  then,  are  insects  with  mealy  wings,  and  whose 
horns  (called  "antenna?")  have  a  clubbed  or  thickened 
tip,  giving  them  more  or  less  resemblance  to  a  drum-stick. 
So  the  difference  in  the  shape  of  the  antennae  is  the 
chief  outward  mark  of  distinction  between  butterflies 
and  moths,  the  latter  having  antennae  of  various -shapes, 
threadlike  or  featherlike,  but  never  clubbed  at  the  tip. 

Having  thus  settled  how  a  butterfly  is  to  be  recog- 
nized at  sight,  let  urs  see  what  butterfly  life  is ;  how 


BUTTERFLY    CRADLES,  d 

the  creature  lives,  and  lias  lived,  in  the  stages  preceding 
its  present  airy  form. 

In  like  manner  with  other  insects,  all  butterflies  com- 
mence their  existence  enclosed  in  minute  eggs;  and  these 
eggs,  as  if  shadowing  forth  the  beauty  yet  undeveloped 
whose  germ  they  contain,  are  themselves  such  curi- 
ously beautiful  objects,  that  they  must  not  be  passed 
over  without  admiring  notice.  It  seems,  indeed,  as  il 
nature  determined  that  the  ornamental  character  of  the 
butterfly  should  commence  with  its  earliest  stage ; 
form,  and  not  colour,  being  employed  in  its  decoration, 
sculptHre  being  here  made  the  forerunner  of  painting. 

Some  of  these  forms  are  roughly  shown  on  Plate  II. 
(figs.  1 — 7),  but  highly  magnified;  for  as  these  eggs 
are  really  very  tiny  structures,  such  as  would  fall  easily 
through  a  pin-hole,  the  aid  of  a  microscope  is  of  course 
necessary  to  render  visiV.e  the  delicate  sculpture  that 
adorns  their  surface.  The  egg  (fig.  1,  Plate  II.)  of  the 
common  Garden  white  butterfly  (Pieris  Brassiece)  ia 
among  the  most  graceful  and  interesting  of  these  forms, 
and  also  the  most  easily  obtained.  It  reminds  us  of 
some  antique  vessel,  ribbed  and  fluted  with  consummate 
elegance  and  regularity. 

Others — such  as  those  of  the  Large  Heath  butterfly 
(fig.  3),  and  the  Queen  of  Spain  Fritillary  (fig.  2),  simu- 
late curious  wicker-work  baskets.  The  Peacock  butter- 
fly has  an  egg  like  a  polygonal  jar  (fig.  4),  while  that  of 
its  near  ally,  the  largo  Tortoise-shell  (fig.  5),  is  simply 
pear -shaped,  with  the  surface  unsculpturod  and  smooth 
83 


4  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

^fig.  5).  Ihe  eggs  of  the  Meadow  Brown  (fig.  6),  and 
the  "Wood  Argus  (fig.  7),  are  globular — the  former  with 
lines  on  its  surface  like  the  meridian  lines  on  a  geogra* 
phical  globe,  and  a  pretty  scalloping  at  the  top  thai 
gives  a  flower-like  appearance  to  that  portion;  the 
latter  has  the  whole  surface  honey-combed  with  a  net- 
work of  hexagonal  cells.  Such  are  a  few  of  the  devices 
that  ornament  the  earliest  cradle  of  the  butterfly  :  but 
probably  those  of  every  species  would  well  repay  their 
examination  to  any  one  who  possesses  a  microscope. 

Prompted  by  a  most  remarkable  instinct,  and  one 
that  could  not  have  originated  in  any  experience  of 
personal  advantage,  the  female  butterfly,  when  seeking 
a  depository  for  her  eggs,  selects  with  unerring  cer- 
tainty the  very  plant  which,  of  all  others,  is  best  fitted 
for  the  support  of  her  offspring,  who,  when  hatched, 
find  themselves  surrounded  with  an  abundant  store  of 
their  proper  food. 

Many  a  young  botanist  would  be  puzzled  at  first 
sight  to  tell  a  sloe-bush  from  a  buckthorn-bush.  Not 
so,  however,  with  our  Brimstone  butterfly :  passing  by 
all  the  juicy  hedge-plants,  which  look  quite  as  suitable, 
one  would  think,  she,  with  botanical  acumen,  fixes  upon 
the  buckthorn ;  either  the  common  one,  or,  if  that  is 
not  at  hand,  upon  another  species  of  rhamnus — the 
oerry-bearing  alder — which,  though  a  very  different 
Booking  plant,  is  of  the  same  genus,  and  shares  the 
same  properties/  She  evidently  works  out  the  natural 
system  of  botany,  and  might  have  been  a  pupil  of 


THE    MOTHER    BUTTERFLY.  O 

Jnssieu,  had  she  not  been  tutored  by  a  far  highei 
AUTHORITY. 

This  display  of  instinct  would  seem  far  less  wonderful 
did  the  mother  butterfly  herself  feed  on  the  plant  she 
commits  nor  eggs  to.  In  that  case,  her  choice  might 
have  appeared  as  the  result  of  personal  experience  of 
some  peculiar  benefit  or  pleasure  derived  from  the  plant, 
and  then  this  sentiment  might  have  become  hereditary; 
just  as,  for  example,  the  acquired  taste  for  game  is 
hereditary  with  sporting  dogs.  "Whereas  the  fact  is, 
that  a  butterfly  only  occasionally,  and  as  a  matter  of 
accident  rather  than  rule,  derives  her  own  nectareous 
food  from  the  flowers  of  the  plant,  whose  leaves  nourish 
her  caterpillar  progeny.  So  that  this,  as  well  as  num- 
berless other  phenomena  of  instinct,  remains  a  mystery 
to  be  admired,  but  not  explained  by  any  ordinary  rule 
of  cause  and  effect. 

Having  thus  efficiently  provided,  as  far  as  board  and 
todging  are  concerned,  for  the  welfare  of  the  future 
brood,  the  mother  seems  to  consider  them  settled  for 
life,  takes  no  further  care  of  them,  nor  even  awaits  the 
opening  of  the  sculptured  caskets  that  contain  their 
tiny  life-germs ;  but,  trusting  them  to  the  sun's  warmth 
for  their  hatching,  and  then  to  their  own  hungry  little 
instincts  to  teach  them  good  use  of  the  food  placed 
within  their  reach,  she  sees  them  no  more. 

But  though  abandoning  her  offspring  to  fate  in  this 
manner,  it  must  not  be  imagined  that  the  butterfly 
mother  takes  her  pattern  of  maternity  from  certain 


6  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

human  mothers,  and  in  a  round  of  "butterfly's  balls,11 
and  such  like  dissipations,  forgets  the  sacred  claims  oi 
the  nursery.  No,  she  has  far  other  and  better  excuses 
for  absenting  herself  from  her  family ;  one  of  which  is, 
that  she  usually  dies  before  the  latter  are  hatched ;  anal 
if  that  is  not  enough,  that  the  young  can  get  on  quite 
as  well  without  her ;  for  probably  she  could  not  teach 
them  much  about  caterpillar  economics,  unless,  indeed, 
she  remembered  her  own  infantile  habits  of  lang  syne, 
so  totally  different  from  those  of  her  perfected  butterfly 
life. 

The  space  of  time  passed  in  the  egg  state  varies- 
much  according  to  the  temperature — from  a  few  days 
when  laid  in  genial  summer  weather,  to  several  months 
in  the  case  of  those  laid  in  the  autumn,  and  which 
remain  quiescent  during  the  winter,  to  hatch  out  in 
the  spring. 

The  eggs  of  butterflies,  in  common  with  those  of 
insects  in  general,  are  capable  of  resisting  not  only 
vicissitudes,  but  extremes  of  temperature  that  would 
be  surely  destructive  of  life  in  most  other  forms.  The 
severest  cold  of  an  English  winter  will  not  kill  the 
tender  butterfly  eggs,  whose  small  internal  spark  of 
vitality  is  enough  to  keep  them  from  freezing  under  a 
much  greater  degree  of.  cold  than  they  are  ever  sub- 
jected to  in  a  state  of  nature.  For  example,  they  havo 
been  placed  in  an  artificial  freezing  mixture,  whicii 
brought  down  the  thermometer  to  22°  below  zero — a 
chill — and  yet  they  survived  with  apparent 


THE    CATERPILLAR.  / 

impunity,  and  afterwards  lived  to  hatch  duly.  Then  aa 
to  their  heat-resisting  powers,  some  tropical  insects 
habitually  lay  their  eggs  in  sandy,  sun-scorched  places, 
where  the  hand  cannot  endure  to  remain  a  few  mo- 
ments; the  heat  rising  daily  to  somewhere  about  190° 
of  the  thermometer — and  we  know  what  a  roasting  one 
gets  at  90°  or  so.  Yet  they  thrive  through  all  this. 

For  a  short  time  previous  to  hatching,  the  form 
and  colour  of  the  caterpillar  is  faintly  discoverable 
through  the  semi-transparent  egg-shelL  The  juvenile 
CATERPILLAR,  or  LARVA,  gnaws  his  way  through  the 
shell  into  the  world,  and  makes  his  appearance  in 
the  shape  of  a  slender  worm,  exceedingly  minute  of 
course,  and  bearing  few  of  the  distinctive  marks  of 
his  species,  either  as  to  shape  or  colouring.  On  find- 
ing himself  at  liberty,  in  the  midst  of  plentiful  good 
cheer,  he  at  once  falls  vigorously  to  work  at  the  great 
business  of  his  life — eating;  often  making  his  first 
meal — oddly  enough — off  the  egg-shell,  lately  his  cradle. 
This  singular  relish,  or  digestive  pill,  swallowed,  he 
addresses  himself  to  the  food  that  is  to  form  the  staple 
fare  during  the  whole  of  Ms  caterpillar  existence — viz. 
the  leaves  of  his  food-plant,  which  at  the  same  time  ia 
bis  home-plant  too. 

At  this  stage  his  growth  is  marvellously  rapid,  and  few 
^Features  can  equal  him  in  the  capacity  for  doubling  hii 
weight — not  even  the  starved  lodging-house  "slavey," 
when  she  gets  to  heu  new  place,  with  carte  blanche 
allowance  and  the  key  of  the  pantry;  for,  in  the  couraa 


8  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

of  twenty-four  hours,  he  will  have  consumed  more  than 
twice 'his  own  weight  of  food :  and  with  such  persevering 
avidity  does  he  ply  his  pleasant  task,  that,  as  it  is  stated, 
a  caterpillar  in  the  course  of  one  month  has  increased 
nearly  ten  thousand  times  his  original  weight  on  leaving 
the  egg ;  and,  to  furnish  this  increase  of  substance,  hap 
consumed  the  prodigious  quantity  of  forty  thousand 
times  his  weight  of  food — truly,  a  ruinous  rate  of  living, 
only  that  green  leaves  are  so  cheap. 

But  the  life  of  a  caterpillar,  after  all,  is  not  merely 
the  smooth  continual  feast  he  would  doubtless  prefer  it 
to  be ;  it  is  interrupted,  several  times  in  its  course,  by 
the  necessity  nature  has  imposed  upon  him  of  now  and 
then  changing  his  coat — to  him  a  very  troublesome,  il 
not  a  painful  affair. 

For  some  time  previous  to  this  phenomenon,  even 
eating  is  nearly  or  quite  suspended, — the  caterpillar 
becomes  sluggish  and  shy,  creeping  away  into  some 
more  secluded  spot,  and  there  remaining  till  his  time  ol 
trouble  is  over.  Various  twitchings  and  contortions  oi 
the  body  now  testify  to  the  mal-aise  of  the  creature  in 
his  old  coat,  which,  though  formed  of  a  material  capa  bio 
of  a  moderate  amount  of  stretching,  soon  becomes  out- 
grown, and  most  uncomfortably  tight-fitting,  with  sucl? 
a  quick-growing  person  inside  it :  so  off  it  must  come , 
but  it  being  unprovided  with  buttons,  there's  the  rub. 
However,  with  a  great  deal  of  fidgeting  and  shoulder- 
shrugging,  he  manages  to  tear  his  coat  down  the  back, 
and  lastly,  by  patient  efforts,  shuffles  off  the  old  rag ; 


CHANGING    COATS. 

when,  lo  !  underneath  is  a  lustrous  new  garment,  seine 
what  similar,  but  not  exactly  a  copy  of  the  last,  for  ou? 
oeau  has  his  peculiar  dress  for  each  epoch  of  his  life, — 
the  most  splendid  being  often  reserved  for  the  last. 

This  change  of  dress  ("moulting"  it  is  sometimes 
called)  is  repeated  thrice  at  least  in  the  creature's  life, 
but  more  generally  five  or  six  times.  Not  only  doea 
the  outer  husk  come  off  at  these  times,  but,  wonderful 
to  relate  !  the  lining  membrane  of  all  the  digestive  pas- 
sages, and  of  the  larger  breathing  tubes,  is  cast  off  and 
renewed  also. 

After  each  moult,  the  caterpillar  makes  up  for  his 
loss  of  time  by  eating  more  voraciously  even  than 
before,  in  many  instances  breaking  his  fast  by  making 
a  meal  of  his  "  old  clo' " — an  odd  taste,  first  evinced,  as 
we  have  seen,  in  earliest  infancy,  when  he  swallowed 
his  cradle. 

On  Plate  I.  are  shown  the  chief  varieties  of  form 
taken  by  the  caterpillars  of  our  British  butterflies, 
and  a  glance  at  these  will  give,  better  than  verbal 
descriptions,  a  general  idea  of  their  characteristics. 

Their  most  usual  shape  is  elongated  and  almost 
cylindrical,  or  slightly  tapering  at  one  or  both  ends. 
Of  these,  some  are  smooth,  or  only  studded  with  short 
down  or  hairs;  such  are  the  caterpillars  of  the  Swallow- 
tail butterfly  (fig.  1),  of  the  Brimstone  (fig.  2),  Clouded 
Yellows,  and  Garden,  and  other  white  butterflies, 
Others,  of  the  same  general  form,  are  beset  with  long 
branched  spines,  making  perfect  chevaux-de-frise;  euch 


10  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

are  those.  of  the  Peacock,  Eed  Admiral,  Painted  Ladj 
and  the  Silvery  Fritillaries. 

The  caterpillars  of  another  large  section  have  thi 
body  considerably  thicker  in  the  middle  (rolHng-pb 
shaped),  and  the  tail  part  two-forked,  or  bifurcate. 
This  form  belongs  to  the  numerous  family  that  includes 
the  Meadow-brown  (fig.  3),  the  Ringlets,  and  many 
others. 

The  bizarre  personage,  at  fig.  4,  turns  to  the  graceful 
White  Admiral  butterfly. 

The  Purple  "Emperor  begins  his  royal  career  in  the 
curious  form  shown  at  fig.  5— a  shape  unique  among 
British  butterflies,  as  beseems  that  of  their  sovereign  ; 
and  he  carries  a  coronet  on  his  brow  already. 

All  those  beautiful  little  butterflies  called  the  Hair 
streaks  (fig.  9),  the  Blues  (fig.  10),  and  the  Coppers, 
have  very  short  and  fat  caterpillars,  that  remind  one 
forcibly  of  wood-lice — a  shape  shared  also  by  that  small 
butterfly  with  a  big  name,  the  Duke  of  Burgundy 
Fritillary  (fig.  8),  an  insect  very  distinct  from  the  Fritil- 
laries  above  mentioned  with  thorny  caterpillars. 

The  legs  of  a  caterpillar  are  usually  sixteen  in  num- 
ber, and  composed  of  two  distinct  kinds,  viz.  of  six  true 
legs,  answering  to  those  of  the  perfect  insect,  and  placed 
in  the  foremost  segments  of  the  body;  and  of  ten 
dthers,  called  "prolegs;"  temporary  legs,  used  princi- 
pally for  strengthening  the  creature's  hold  upon  leaf  01 
branch. 

Like  the  rest  of  its  body,  the  caterpillar's  head  widel/ 


METHOD    OF    EATING.  11 

differs  in  structure  from  that  of  the  perfect  insect,  being 
furnished  with  a  pair  of  jaws,  horny  and  strong,  befit- 
ting the  heavy  work  they  have  to  get  through,  and 
shaped  like  pincers,  opening  and  shutting  from  side  to 
side,  instead  of  working  up  and  down  after  the  manner 
of  the  jaws  in  vertebrate  animals.  This  arrangement 
offers  great  convenience  to  the  creature,  feeding,  as  it  is 
wont  to  do,  on  the  thin  edge  of  a  leaf.  It  is  a  curious 
sight  to  watch  a  caterpillar  thus  engaged.  Adhering 
by  his  close-clinging  prolegs,  and  guiding  the  edge  of 
the  leaf  between  his  forelegs,  he  stretches  oat  his  head 
as  far  as  he  can  reach,  and  corimences  a  series  of  rapid 
bites,  at  each  nibble  bringmg  the  head  nearer  the  legs, 
till  they  almost  meet;  then  stretching  out  again  the 
same  regular  set  of  mouthfuls  is  abstracted,  and  so  on, 
repeating  the  process  till  a  large  semi-circular  indenta- 
tion is  formed,  reaching  perhaps  to  the  midrib  of  the 
leaf;  then  shifting  his  position  to  a  new  vantage  ground, 
the  marauder  recommences  operations,  another  sweep  is 
taken  out,  then  another,  and  soon  the  leaf  is  left  a  mere 
skeleton. 

But  a  change,  far  more  important  than  meie  skin- 
shifting,  follows  close  upon  the  animal's  caterpillar- 
maturity,  complete  as  soon  as  it  ceases  to  grow. 

The  form  and  habits  of  a  worm  are  to  be  exchanged 
for  thn  glories  and  pleasures  of  winged  life ;  but  this 
can  only  be  done  at  the  price  of  passing  through  an 
Intermediate  state ;  one  neither  of  eating,  nor  of  flying, 
but  motionless,  helpless  and  death-like. 


12  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

This  is  called  the  CHRYSALIS  or  PUPA  state. 

Pupa  is  a  Latin  word,  signifying  a  creature  swathedj 
OT  tied  up ;  and  is  applied  to  this  stage  of  all  insects, 
because  all,  or  some,  of  their  parts  are  then  bound  up, 
as  if  swathed. 

The  term  Chrysalis  is  applicable  to  butterflies  only, 
and,  strictly,  only  to  a  few  of  these — Chrysalis1  being 
derived  from  the  Greek  xpvro'c  (chrysos),  gold — in 
allusion  to  the  splendid  gilding  of  the  surface  in  certain 
species,  such  as  the  Vanessas,  FritillaB^a,  and  somo 
others. 

In  the  older  works  on  entomology  we  frequently  meet 
with  the  term  Aurelia  applied  to  this  state,  and  having 
the  same  meaning  as  chrysalis,  but  derived  from  the 
Latin  word  Aurum,  gold. 

Here  the  reader  is  again  referred  to  Plate  I.  for  a 
series  of  the  principal  forms  assumed  by  the  chrysalides 
of  our  native  butterflies,  and  as  these  for  the  most  part 
represent  the  next  stage  of  the  caterpillars  previously 
figured,  an  opportunity  is  afforded  of  tracing  the  insect's 
form  through  its  three  great  changes;  the  whole  of  the 
butterflies  in  their  perfect  state  being  givan  in  their 
proper  places  in  the  body  of  the  work. 

The  complicated  and  curious  processes  by  which 
various  caterpillars  assume  the  chrysalis  form,  and 
suspend  themselves  securely  ia  their  proper  attitudes, 
have  been  most  accurately  and  laboriously  chronicled 


THE   CHRYSALIS.  13 

by  the  French  naturalist,  Re'anmur ;  but  his  memoirs 
on  the  subject,  which  have  been  frequently  quoted  into 
the  larger  entomological  works,  are  too  long  for  inser- 
tion here  in  full,  and  any  considerable  abbreviation 
would  fail  to  convey  a  clear  idea  of  the  process,  on 
account  of  the  intricacy  of  the  operations  described. 
So  I  can  only  here  allude  to  the  difficult  problems  that 
the  creature  has  to  solve,  referring  the  reader  to  tho 
above-mentioned  works  for  a  detailed  description  of  tho 
manner  of  doing  so  ;  or,  better  still,  I  would  recommend 
the  country  resident  to  witness  all  this  with  his  own 
eyes.  By  keeping  a  number  of  the  caterpillars  of  our 
common  butterflies,  feeding  them  up,  and  attentively 
watching  them  when  full-grown,  he  will  now  and  then 
letect  one  in  the  transformation  act,  and  have  an  oppor- 
tunity of  wondering  at  the  curious  manoeuvres  of  the 
animal,  as  it  triumphs  over  seeming  impossibilities. 

By  reference  to  the  figures  of  chrysalides  on  Plate  T. 
it  will  be  seen  that  there  are  two  distinct  modes  of  sus- 
pension employed  among  them ;  one,  by  the  tail  only, 
the  head  hanging  down  freely  in  the  air  : — in  the  other, 
the  tail  is  attached  to  the  supporting  object ;  but  the 
head,  instead  of  swinging  loosely,  is  kept  in  an  upright 
position  by  being  looped  round  the  waist  with  a  silken 
girdle. 

To  appreciate  the  difficulty  of  gaining  either  of  the 
above  positions,  wo  must  bear  in  mind  that,  before 
doing  so,  tho  caterpillar  has  to  throw  off  it  own  skin, 
carrying  with  it  the  whole  of  its  legs,  and  the  jaws  to  j 


14  BKITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

—leaving  itself  a  more  limbless,  and  apparently  help- 
less  mass — its  only  prehensile  organs  being  a  fev 
minute,  almost  imperceptible  hooks  on  the  end  of  the 
tail ;  and  the  required  position  of  attachment  and 
security  is  accomplished  by  a  series  of  movements  so 
dexterous  and  sleight-of-hand  like,  as  to  cause  infinite 
astonishment  to  the  looker-on,  and,  as  Rdaumur  justly 
observes,  "  It  is  impossible  not  to  wonder,  that  an 
insect,  which  executes  them  but  once  in  its  life,  should 
execute  them  so  well.  We  must  necessarily  conclude 
that  it  has  been  instructed  by  a  GREAT  MASTER;  for  He 
who  has  rendered  it  necessary  for  the  insect  to  undergo 
this  change,  has  likewise  given  it  all  the  requisite  means 
for  accomplishing  it  in  safety." 

If  we  examine  a  chrysalis  we  are  able  to  maks  out, 
through  the  thin  envelope,  all  the  external  organs  of 
the  body  stowed  away  in  the  most  orderly  and  compact 
manner.  The  antennae  are  very  conspicuous,  folded 
down  alongside  of  the  legs ;  and  precisely  in  the  centre 
will  be  seen  the  tongue,  unrolled  and  foiming  a  straight 
line  between  the  legs.  The  unexpanded  wings  are 
visible  on  each  side — very  small,  but  with  all  their 
veinings  distinctly  seen;  and  the  breathing  holes, 
called  spiracles,  are  placed  in  a  row  on  each  side  of  the 
body. 

The  duration  of  the  chrysalis  stage,  like  that  of  the 
egg,  is  extremely  variable,  and  dependent  on  difference 
of  temperature.  As  an  instance  of  this,  one  of  our 
flommon  butterflies  has  been  known  to  pass  only  seven 


EFFECTS   OF   TEMPERATURE.  15 

»r  eight  days  in  .the  chrysalis  state  ;  this  would  Le  in 
the  heat  of  summer.  Then,  in  the  spring,  the  change 
occupies  a  fortnight;  but  when  the  caterpillar  enters 
the  chrysalis  state  in  the  autumn,  the  butterfly  does 
not  make  its  appearance  till  the  following  spring. 
Furthermore,  it  has  been  proved  by  experiment,  that  if 
the  condition  of  perpetual  winter  be  kept  up  by  keep- 
ing the  chrysalis  in  an  icehous?,  its  development  may 
be  retarded  for  two  or  three  years  beyond  its  proper 
time ;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  if  in  the  middle  of 
winter  the  chrysalis  be  removed  to  a  hothouse,  the  en- 
closed butterfly,  mistaking  the  vivifying  warmth  for 
returning  summer,  niaies  its  deb^A  in  ten  days  o*  « 


16  BEITISH   BUTTERFLIES. 


CHAPTER  II. 


"COMING  OUT"  —  ICHNEUMONS  —  THK  BUTTERFLY  PERFECTED-. 
ITS  WINGS  —  LBPIDOPTERA —  MEANING  OF  THE  WORD  —  MICBO 
SCOPIC  VIEW — NEW  BEAUTIES— MAGNIFIED  "  DUST  " — THE  HBAM 
AND  ITS  ORGANS— THE  TONGUE — THE  EYES — THE  ANTENNJB  — 
THEIR  USES — INSECT  CLAIRVOYANCE — AN  UNKNOWN  SENSED 
FORMS  OF  ANTENNJB— THE  LEGS. 


WE  now  arrive  at  the  last  stage,  the  consummation  ci 
all  this  strange  series  of  transformations  ;  for  veritable 
transformations  they  are  to  all  intents  and  purposes , 
though  some  learned  naturalists  have  discovered — or 
imagined  so — that  the  butterfly,  in  all  its  parts,  really 
lies  hid  under  the  caterpillar's  skin,  and  can  be  distin- 
guished under  microscopical  dissection;  and  that,  there- 
fore, the  so-called  transformations  are  merely  the  throw- 
ing off  of  the  various  envelopes  or  husks,  as  they  become 
in  turn  superfluous,  as  a  mountebank  strips  off  garment 
after  garment,  till  lastly  the  sparkling  harlequin  is 
iisoovered  to  view;  or,  in  more  exact  language,  they 
consider  these  changes  in  the  light  rather  of  successive 
developments  and  emancipations  of  the  various  organ* 
than  as  their  actual  transformations.  Still,  it  seems 
to  me,  the  difference  is  chiefly  one  of  terms.  The 
teal  wondrous  fact  remains  undiminished  and  unex- 


"COMING  OUT" — THE  BUTTERFLY.  1? 

plained  ;  that  a  creeping  wormlike  creature,  in  process 
of  time,  is  changed  into  a  glorious  winged  being,  differ- 
ing from  the  former  in  form,  habits,  food,  and  every 
essential  particular,  as  widely  as  any  two  creatures  can 
well  differ,  as  widely  as  a  serpent  from  a  bird,  for 
instance. 

As  the  imprisoned  butterfly  approaches  maturity,  a 
change  is  observable  in  the  exterior  of  the  chrysalis, 
the  skin  becomes  dry  and  brittle,  usually  darkens  in 
colour,  and  if  the  enclosed  butterfly  be  a  strongly 
marked  one,  the  pattern  of  its  wings  shows  through, 
often  quite  distinctly. 

When  the  fulness  of  time  arrives,  the  creature 
breaks  through  its  thin  casings,  which  divide  in  several 
places,  and  the  freed  insect  crawls  up  into  some 
convenient  spot  to  dry  itself,  and  allow  tbe  wings  to 
expand. 

All  the  organs  are  at  first  moist  and  tender,  but  on 
exposure  to  the  air  soon  acquire  strength  and  firmness. 

At  the  moment  of  emergence,  the  wings  are  very 
miniature  affairs,  sometimes  hardly  one-twentieth  of 
their  full  size  when  expanded ;  but  so  rapid  is  their 
increase  in  volume,  that  they  may  actually  be  seen  to 
grow,  as  the  fluids  from  the  body  are  pumped  into  the 
nervures  that  support  the  wing-membrane,  and  keep 
it  extended. 

In  the  more  strongly  marked,  or  richly  coloured 
species,  it  is  a  wonderfully  beautiful  sight  to  watch  thia 
expansion  of  the  wings,  and  to  see  the  Tarious  features 


18  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

of  their  painted  devices  growing  under  the  ( ye  and  de- 
Teloping  gradually  into  their  true  proportions. 

Generally  within  an  hour  the  development  is  com 
plete,  and  the  wings,  having  gained  their  full  expanse 
and  consistency  by  drying  in  the  sun,  are  ready  foi 
flight,  and  the  glad  creature  wings  his  way  to  the  fields 
of  air,  and  enters  on  that  life  of  sunshine  and  hilarity 
which  is  associated  with  the  very  name  of  "  Butterfly" 

But  not  every  chrysalis  arrives  at  this  happy  consum- 
mation of  its  existence.  Supposing  that  you  have 
reared  and  watched  a  caterpillar  to  apparently  healthy 
maturity,  that  it  has  duly  become  a  chrysalis,  and  you 
i<re  awaiting  its  appearance  in  butterfly  splendour — 
peeping  into  your  box  some  morning  to  see  if  the  bright 
Expected  one  is  "  out/7  be  not  surprised  if  in  its  stead 
7011  find  the  box  tenanted  by  a  swarm  of  little  black 
flies — an  impish-looking  crew.  Whence  came  all 
these  ?  Why  they  and  the  empty  chrysalis  shell  are 
all  that  remains  of  your  cherished  prize ;  so  look  no 
more  for  the  fair  sunny  butterfly,  devoured  ere  born  by 
that  ill-favoured  troop  of  darklings  who  have  just 
now  issued  from  the  lifeless  shell. 

The  truth  is,  that  long  since,  perhaps  in  early  larva- 
hood,  the  creature's  fate  was  sealed  ;  a  deadly  enemy  to 
his  race  is  ever  on  the  alert,  winging  about  in  the  shape 
of  a  small  black  fly,  in  search  of  an  exposed  and  da 
fenceless  caterpillar.  Having  selected  her  victim,  she 
pierces  his  body  with  a  sharp  cutting  instrument  she  is 
armed  with,  and  in  the  wound  deposits  an  egg ;  the 


THE  BUTTERFLY  PERFECTED.          10 

eaterpillar  winces. a  little  at  this  treatment,  but  seems 
to  attach  little  importance  to  it.  Meanwhile  his  enemy 
repeats  her  thrusts  till  some  thirty  or  forty  eggs,  gernia 
if  the  destroyers,  are  safely  lodged  in  his  body,  and  his 
doom  is  certain  beyond  hope.  The  eggs  quickly  hatch 
into  grubs,  who  begin  to  gnaw  away  at  the  unhappy 
creature's  flesh,  thus  reducing  him  gradually,  but  by  a 
profound  instinct  keeping  clear  of  all  the  vital  organs, 
as  if  knowing  full  well  that  the  creature  must  keep  on 
feeding  and  digesting  too,  or  their  own  supply  would 
speedily  fail ;  as  usurers,  while  draining  a  client,  keep 
up  his  credit  with  the  world  as  long  as  they  can. 

Weaker  grows  the  caterpillar  as  the  gnawing  worms 
within  grow  stronger  and  nearer  maturity.  Sometimes 
ne  dies  a  caterpillar,  sometimes  he  has  strength  left  to 
take  the  chrysalis  shape,  but  out  of  this  he  never  cornea 
a  butterfly — the  consuming  grubs  now  finish  vitals  and 
all,  turn  to  pupa3  in  his  empty  skin,  and  come  out  soon, 
black  flies  like  their  parent. 

But,  supposing  that  it  has  escaped  this  great  danger, 
wrc  now  see  the  creature  in  its  completest  form,  as  the 

IMAGO,    OB   PERFECT   BUTTERFLY. 

Tli3  first  term,  Imago,  is  a  Latin  one,  merely  signify, 
ing  an  image,  or  distinct  unveiled  form ;  as  distin- 
guished from  the  previous  larva,  or  masked  state,  and 
the  pupa,  or  swathed  and  enveloped  state.  The  word 
imago  then,  in  wirks  on  entomology,  always  means  th« 
Ot 


20  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

perfect  and  last  stage  of  insect  life,  and  La  applied  to  aU 
insects  with  wings — for  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  thai 
no  insect  is  ever  winged  till  it  reaches  the  last  stago  of 
its  existence. 

If  the  progressive  development  of  these  lovely 
Jjeings  is  so  marvellous,  no  less  so  is  their  structure 
when  perfected,  and  of  this  some  general  description 
must  now  be  attempted. 

In  contemplating  a  butterfly,  one  feels  that  the  mind 
is  first  engaged  by  that  ample  spread,  and  exquisite 
painting  of  the  wings  that  form  the  creature's  glory; 
let  therefore  these  remarkable  organs  have  our  first 
attention. 

Wherein  do  these  wings  chiefly  differ  from  all  other 
insect  wings  ?  Certainly  in  being  covered  thickly  with 
a  variously  coloured  powdery  material,  easily  removed 
by  handling.  This  apparent  dust  is  composed,  in 
reality,  of  a  vast  number  of  regularly  and  beautifully 
formed  scales — feathers  they  are  sometimes  called,  but 
they  are  more  comparable  to  fish  scales  than  to  any 
?ther  kind  of  natural  covering.  The  general  term 
Lepidoptera,  applied  to  all  butterflies  and  moths,  is 
derived  from  these  scaly-wings  ;  Lepis 1  being  the  Greek 
for  a  scale,  and  ptera  meaning  wings  in  the  same  lan- 
guage. 

The  use  of  a  tolerably  powerful  pocket  lens  will  af- 
ford some  insight  into  the  exquisite  mode  of  painting 

3  Making  tcphtcs  if»  genitive. 


BUTTERFLY   WINGS.  21 

imployed  in  these  matchless  pieces  of  decoration ;  but 
the  possessor  of  a  regular  microscope  may,  by  applying 
it  to  some  of  our  commonest  butterflies,  open  for  himself 
a  world  of  beauty,  and  feast  his  eyes  on  a  combination 
of  refined  sculpture  with  splendour  of  colouring  ;  now 
melting  in  softest  harmony,  then  relieved  by  boldest 
contrast — a  spectacle,  the  first  sight  of  which  seldom 
fails  to  call  forth  expressions  of  wonderment  and  warm 
delight ;  and,  truly,  little  to  be  envied  is  the  mind  un- 
touched by  such  utter  beauty  as  here  displayed. 

As  an  example  of  the  method  by  which  this  ad- 
mirable effect  is  produced,  let  us  take  a  small  portion,  of 
the  wing  of  the  Peacock,  a  very  beautiful,  though 
abundant  species,  and  one  admirably  adapted  for 
microscopic  examination,  and  to  illustrate  the  subject, 
from  the  great  variety  of  rich  tints  brought  together  in 
a  small  space,  the  part  selected  being  the  eye-like  spot 
at  the  outer  corner  of  each  upper  wing.  Even  to  tin 
naked  eye  this  appears  as  a  very  splendidly  coloured 
object,  yet  but  little  of  its  exquisite  mechanism  can  be 
discovered  by  the  unassisted  organ.  Something  more 
is  brought  out  by  a  moderately  strong  lens  :  we  then 
see  the  colours  disposed  in  rows,  reminding  us  of  the 
surface  of  Brussels  carpet,  or  of  certain  kinds  of 
tapestry  work. 

Now  let  us  place  the  wing  on  the  stage  of  a  good 
microscope,  with  the  root  of  the  wing  pointing  towards 
the  lyht  (that  is  the  best  position  for  it) ;  we  shall  then 
first  percei  re  that  the  whole  surface  is  covered,  or,  so  to 


22  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

speak,  tiled  over  with  distinct,  sharply  cut  scales,  arrange^ 
as  in  fig.  16,  Plate  II.,  with  the  outer  or  free  edges  o! 
one  row  overlapping  the  roots  of  the  next.  These  root? 
being  all  planted  towards  the  base  of  the  wing,  if  we 
place  that  end  next  the  light  (as  above  directed),  the 
free  edges  of  the  scales  throw  a  strong  shadow  on  the 
next  row,  which  brings  out  the  imbricated  effect  most 
strikingly. 

Beginning  our  observations  at  the  outer  edge  of  the 
wing,  we  first  notice  a  delicate  fringe  of  scales  or  plumes, 
more  elongated  and  pointed  than  the  surface  scales,  and 
of  a  quiet  brown  colour.  This  tint  is  continued  inwards 
or  a  short  space,  gradually  lightening,  when  (as  we 
shift  the  field  of  view  towards  the  centre  of  the  wing) 
the  colour  of  the  scales  suddenly  changes  to  an  intense 
black  ;  then  a  little  further,  and  the  black  ground  is  all 
spangled  with  glittering  sapphires,  then  strewed  deep 
with  amethyst  round  a  heap  of  whitest  pearls.  Golden 
topaz — (jewels  only  will  furnish  apt  terms  of  comparison 
for  these  insect  gems) — golden  topaz  ends  the  bright 
many-coloured  crescent,  and  in  the  centre  is  enclosed  a 
spot  of  profoundest  black,  gradating  into  a  rich  un- 
nameable  red,  whose  velvet  depth  and  softness  contrast 
deliriously  with  the  adjacent  flashing  lustre ;  then  conies 
another  field  of  velvet  black,  then  more  gold,  and  so  on 
till  the  gorgeous  picture  is  complete. 

Subject  a  piece  of  finest  human  painting  to  the  scru- 
tiny of  a  strong  magnifying  glass,  and  where  is  the 
beauty  thereof?  Fai  from  being  magnified,  it  will 


BUTTERFLY    PAINTING.  23 

irholly  vanislied  :  its  cleverest  touches  turned  to  coarse^ 
Impulsive  daubs  and  stains. 

Now,  bring  the  microscope's  most  searching  powers 
/o  bear  upon  the  painting  of  an  insect's  wing,  and  W3 
find  only  pictures  within  pictures  as  the  powers  in- 
crease ;  the  very  pigments  used  turn  out  to  be  jewels, 
not  rough  uncut  stones,  but  cut  and  graven  gems,  bedded 
in  softest  velvet. 

Ii  by  gentle  rubbing  with  the  finger-tip  the  scales 
be  removed  from  both  sides  of  the  wing  (for  each  side 
is  scale-covered,  though  generally  with  a  very  different 
pattern),  there  remains  a  transparent  membrane  like 
that  of  a  bee's  or  fly's  wing,  tight  stretched  between 
stiff  branching  veins,  but  bearing  no  vestige  of  its  late 
*ay  painting,  thus  showing  that  the  whole  of  the  colour 
ing  resides  in  the  scales,  the  places  Occupied  by  the 
roots  of  the  latter  being  marked  by  rows  of  dots. 

Hitherto  we  have  been  looking  at  these  scales  as  the 
component  parts  of  a  picture,  like  the  tesserae  of  mosaic 
work;  but  they  are  no  less  interesting  as  individual 
objects,  when  viewed  microscopically.  To  do  this,  deli- 
cately rub  off  a  little  of  the  dust  or  scales  with  th<? 
Singer;  then  take  a  slip  of  glass,  and  pressing  the 
finger  with  the  adhering  dust  upon  it,  the  latter  will 
lorno  off  and  remain  on  the  glass,  which  is  then  to  be 
placed  under  tne  microscope.  These  scales  may  )>., 
treated  either  as  opaque  or  transparent  objects,  and  in 
both  conditions  display  exceeding  beauty,  some  of  these 
single  atoms  showing,  by  aid  of  the  microscope,  ai 


24  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

much  complexity  of  structure  as  the  whole  wing  doei 
to  th  3  unassisted  vision. 

A  few  of  the  highly  varied  forms  they  present  are 
shown  on  Plate  II.  Figs.  23  to  38  are  selected  from 
among  the  commoner  forms,  as  seen  hy  a  comparatively 
low  power.  The  small  stalk-like  appendage  is  tho 
part  by  which  the  scale  is  affixed  to  tho  wing  :  it  may 
be  called  the  root.  Figs.  17,  18,  19,  20,  21,  show  some 
very  remarkable  forms,  which  are,  so  far  as  has  been 
ascertained,  peculiar  to  butterflies  of  the  male  sex, 
though  the  use  or  reason  of  this  masculine  badge,  only 
visible  to  highly  magnifying  optics,  is  neither  known 
nor  probably  to  be  known  at  present ;  but  singularly 
beautiful  and  curious  they  are  to  look  at.  The  little 
balls  at  the  end  of  threads  are  the  root  portion,  and  fit 
into  cup-like  sockets,  placed  here  and  there  among  the 
ordinary  scales.  The  surface  of  these  scales  is  beauti- 
fully ribbed  and  cross-ribbed,  and  at  the  upper  end  is 
a  plume-like  tuft  of  delicpve  filaments.  The  curious 
scale  aptly  called,  from  its  shape,  the  Battledore  scale, 
and  shown  at  fig.  22,  also  belongs  to  the  male  of 
various  butterflies,  especially  those  pretty  little  on<ia 
known  as  the  "  Blues."  Its  surface  is  most  curiously 
ornamented  with  rows  of  bead-like  prominences. 

Probably  one  would  imagine  that  in  such  wee  specks 
as  are  these  scales,  one  single  layer  of  substance  would 
suffice  for  their  whole  thickness  (if  we  can  talk  of  thick- 
ness,  with  objects  almost  immeasurable  in  their  thin' 
ness).  But  such  is  net  the  case,  for  when  scales  have 


THE    HONEY-SUCKER.  &f 

been  injured  by  rubbing  we  now  and  then  find  a  p&rt 
with  the  sculptured  surfaces  torn  off  on  each  side, 
showing  a  plain  central  layer,  so  that  at  least  three 
layers — two  ornamented  and  one  plain — go  to  form  a 
filmy  body,  only  a  small  fraction  of  the  thickness  of 
paper. 

But  there  are  other  portions  of  a  butterfly  to  claim 
our  interest  besides  its  wondrous  wings. 

On  the  creature's  head  are  grouped  together  some 
most  beautiful  and  important  organs.  The  most  pecu- 
liar of  these  is  the  long  spiral  ''  sucker,"  which  extracts 
the  honied  food  from  the  blossoms  to  which  its  wings  so 
gracefully  waft  it.  This  organ  is  shown,  slightly  magnified, 
at  fig.  8,  Plate  II,  and  a  most  delicate  piece  of  animai 
mechanism  it  is.  Any  human  workman  would,  to  a 
certainty,  be  not  only  puzzled,  but  thoroughly  beaten, 
in  an  attempt  to  construct  a  tube  little  thicker  than  a 
horse-hair,  yet  composed  throughout  its  length  of  two 
distinct  pieces,  capable  of  being  separated  at  pleasure, 
and  then  joined  again  so  as  to  form  an  air-tight  tuba 
This  redoubtable  problem,  however,  is  solved  in  the 
construction  of  this  curious  little  instrument  that  every 
butterfly  carries, 

The  junction  of  the  two  grooved  surfaces  that  form 
the  tube  is  effected  by  the  same  contrivance  that  re- 
unites the  web  of  a  feather  when  it  has  been  pulled 
apart.  We  all  know  how  completely  it  is  made  whole 
again,  and  on  examining  by  what  means  this  result  ia 
Drought  about,  we  find  that  it  is  by  the  interlacing  of  a 


26  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

number  of  smad  fibres  or  hairs,  just  as,  on  a  larger  scale, 
a  pair  of  brushes  adhere  when  pressed  face  to  face  ;  and 
BO  in  the  butterfly's  sucker,  the  two  edges  that  join  to 
form  the  tube  are  closely  set  with  minute  bristles  that, 
when  brought  together,  interlock  so  closely  as  to  make 
an.  air-tight  surface. 

Fig.  9,  Plate  II.,  is  a  transverse  section  taken  near 
the  base  of  the  sucker,  the  small  opening  at  the  top 
being  the  food  passage,  those  at  the  side  the  air-tubes 
that  supply  air  for  respiration  and  perhaps  assist  in 
suction. 

The  tube  is  probably  made  with  separable  parts  in 
order  that  if  its  interior  should  become  at  any  time 
clogged  by  grosser  particles  drawn  up  with  the  flower 
nectar,  it  may  be  opened  and  cleansed  by  the  insect; 
otherwise,  the  tube  once  rendered  impassable,  the 
insect  would  speedily  starve,  as  this  narrow  channel 
is  the  only  inlet  for  the  creature's  nourishment — its 
only  mouth,  in  fact,  for  no  butterfly  possesses  jaws  to 
bite  with,  or  can  take  any  but  the  liquid  food  pumped 
up  by  suction  through  this  pipe. 

At  the  end  of  the  proboscis — or,  as  it  is  called  scien 
tifically,  the  Haustellum1 — there  are  visible  in  some 
butterflies  a  number  of  small  projections,  of  the  form 
shown  at  fig.  10,  Plate  II.,  which  is  a  highly  magnified 
figure  of  the  end  of  the  Eed  Admiral's  proboscis.  These 
appendages  are  generally  supposed  to  be  organs  of  taste, 

1  A  word  derived  from  the  Latin,  and  meaning  literally  a 
w  suciter." 


LENSES    OF    EYE.  27 

Mid  to  aid  in  the  discrimination  of  food  when  the  pipo 
fa  unrolled  and  thrust  down  deep  into  the  nectary  of  tt 
flower. 

The  compound  eye  of  a  butterfly,  wonderful  as  ite 
•tructure  is,  does  not  greatly  differ  from  that  of  many 
other  insects,  being  like  them  composed  of  an  immense 
number  of  little  lenses  set  together  to  form  a  hemisphere 
large  in  comparison  with  the  insect's  head.  A  portion 
of  one  of  these  eyes  forms  a  pretty  and  interesting 
object  for  the  microscope,  presenting  a  honey-comb  ap- 
pearance, the  hexagonal  lines  that  mark  the  division  of 
the  lenses  being  most  beautifully  geometrical  and  regu- 
lar in  their  arrangement.  More  than  seventeen  hundred 
of  these  lens0^  have  been  counted  in  a  single  eye,  and 
each  of  these  is  considered  to  possess  the  qualities  of 
a  complete  and  independent  eye.  If  this  be  true,  the 
butterfly  may  be  said  to  be  endowed  with  at  least 
thirty-four  thousand  eyes  ! 

There  exist  also,  as  in  other  insects,  two  simple  eyes, 
placed  on  the  top  of  the  head,  but  so  buried  in  down 
and  scales  as  to  be  neither  visible,  nor  useful  for  vision 
as  far  as  we  can  perceive ;  probably  the  creature  finds 
that  his  allowance  of  thirty-four  thousand  windows  to 
his  soul  lets  in  as  much  light  as  he  requires. 

Every  one  looking  at  a  butterfly  must  have  remarked 
its  long  horns,  called  antennas,1  which  project  from 
ibove  ths  eyes,  like  jointed  threads,  thickening — 

Antenna  in  the  singular  ntimViw 


23  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

species  gradually,  in  others  suddenly- -into  a  club  01 
knob  at  tho  extremity ;  a  peculiarity  which,  it  will  bt 
remembered,  was  pointed  out  at  the  commencement,  tff» 
a  prominent  mark  of  distinction  between  butterflies  and 
moths. 

Very  graceful  appendages  are  these  waving  antenna, 
and  evidently  of  high  importance  to  their  owner  ;  but 
still,  their  exact  office  or  function  is  unknown,  notwith- 
standing that  many  guesses  and  experiments  have  been 
made  with  a  view  of  settling  that  question. 

Investigators  have  perhaps  erred,  by  assuming  at  the 
outset  that  these  antennce  must  be  organs  of  some  sense 
that  we  ourselves  possess ;  whereas,  I  think  that  there 
is  much  evidence  to  show  that  insects  are  gifted  with  a 
certain  subtle  sense,  for  which  we  have  no  name,  and 
of  which  we  can  have  as  little  real  idea,  as  we  could 
have  had  of  the  faculty  of  sight,  had  all  the  world  been 
born  blind. 

For  example;  if  you  breed  from  the  chrysalis  a 
female  Kentish  Glory  Moth,  and  then  immediately 
take  her — in  a  closed  box,  mind — out  into  her  native 
woods,  within  a  short  space  of  time  an  actual  crowd  of 
male  "  Glories "  come  and  fasten  upon,  or  hover  over, 
foe  prison-house  of  the  coveted  maiden.  Without  this 
magic  attraction,  you  might  walk  in  these  same  woods 
for  a  whole  day  and  not  see  a  single  specimen,  the 
Kentish  Glory  being  generally  reputed  a  very  rare 
moth;  while  as  many  as  some  120  males  have  been 
thus  decoyed  to  their  capture  in  a  few  hours,  by  the 


FUNCTIONS   OF   ANTENNJ3.  29 

f harms  of  a  couple  of  lady  "  Glories,"  shut  up  in  a 
box. 

Now,  which  of  our  five  senses,  I  would  ask— even  if 
developed  into  extraordinary  acuteness  in  the  insect — 
would  account  for  such  an  exhibition  of  clairvoyance  as 
this? 

May  not,  then,  this  undiscovered  sense,  whatever 
may  be  its  nature,  reside  in  the  antennae  ?  for  it  is  a 
remarkable  fact,  that  the  very  moths,  such  as  the 
Eggers,  the  Emperor,  the  Kentish  Glory,  &c.,  which 
iisplay  the  above-mentioned  phenomenon  most  signally, 
nave  the  antennae  in  the  males  amplified  with  numerous 
spreading  branches,  so  as  to  present  an  unusually  large 
sensitive  surface.  This  seems  to  point  to  some  con- 
nexion between  those  organs  and  the  faculty  of  dis- 
"cvering  the  presence,  and  even  the  condition,  of  one 
ci  their  own  race,  with  more,  perhaps,  than  a  mile  of 
distance,  and  the  sides  of  a  wooden  box,  intervening 
between  themselves  and  their  object. 

Whilst  writing  this,  the  current  number  of  the 
"Entomologist's  Weekly  Intelligencer"  has  arrived, 
and  I  there  read  that  Dr.  Clemmens,  an  American 
naturalist,  has  been  lately  experimenting  on  the  an- 
tennae of  some  large  American  moths,  for  the  purpose 
of  gaining  some  information  as  to  their  function.  The 
article,  though  very  interesting,  is  too  long  for  quotation 
here ;  but  it  appears  that  with  the  moths  in  question, 
-  deprivation  of  the  whole,  or  even  part  of  the  antennae, 
interferes  with,  or  entirely  annihilates  the  powei 


80 


BEITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 


of  flight,  so  that  the  creature  when  thus  shorn,  but 
not  otherwise  injured,  if  thrown  into  the  air  seems  to 
have  no  idea  of  using  his  wings  properly,  but  with  a 
purposeless  flutter  tumbles  headlong  to  the  earth.  Still 
this  merely  goes  to  prove  that  the  antennae  are  the  in- 
struments of  some  important  sense,  one  of  whose  usea 
is  to  guide  the  creature's  flight ;  but  as  many  wingless 
insects  have  large  antennae,  this  evidently  is  not  their 
only  function. 

The  antennae  are  also  often  styled  the  "feelers ;"  but 
with  our  present  incomplete  knowledge  of  their  nature, 
the  former  term  is  preferable,  as  it  does  not  attempt  to 
define  their  use  as  the  word  "feelers"  does. 

Considerable  variety  of  form  exists  in  the  clubbed 
tip  of  the  antennaB  in  various  butterflies,  as  will  be  seen 
by  reference  to  Plate  II.,  where  three  of  the  most  dis- 
tinct forms  are  shown  considerably  magnified.  Fig.  1 2 
is  the  upper  part  of  the  antenna  of  the  High-brown 
7ritillary  (Argynnis  Adippe),  the  end  suddenly  swelling 
into  a  distinct  knob.  Fig.  13  is  that  of  the  Swallow- 
tail Butterfly  (Papilio  Machaon),  the  enlargement  here 
being  more  gradual;  and  fig.  14  is  that  of  the  Largo 
Skipper  Butterfly  (Pamphila  Sylvanus),  distinguished 
by  the  curved  point  that  surmounts  the  club.  These 
differences  in  the  forms  of  the  antennae  are  found  to  be 
excellent  aids  in  tho  classification  of  butterflies,  and  I 
jihall  therefore  have  occasion  to  refer  to  them  mow 
Minutely  in  describing  the  insects  in  detail, 
Tho  stems  of  th<?»e  organs  are  found  to  be  tubula^ 


LEGS. 

and  at  the  point  of  junction  with  the  head  the  base  is 
spread  out  (as  shown  at  fig.  15),  forming  what  engineers 
call  a  "  flange,"  to  afford  sufficient  support  for  the  long 
column  above. 

The  legs  are  the  last  portions  of  the  butterfly  frame-, 
work  that  require  especial  notice,  on  account  of  a 
peculiar  variation  they  are  subject  to  in  different  family 
groups. 

It  may  be  laid  down  as  an  axiom,  that  all  true  in- 
sects have  six  legs,  in  one  shape  or  another ;  and  butter  • 
flics,  being  insects,  are  obedient  to  the  same  universaJ 
rule,  and  duly  grow  their  half-dozen  legs ;  but  in  certain 
tribes  the  front  pair,  for  no  apparent  reason,  are  so  short 
and  imperfect  as  to  be  totally  useless  for  walking  pur* 
poses,  though  they  may  possibly  be  used  as  hands  for 
polishing  up  the  proboscis,  &c.  So  the  butterfly  in 
this  case  appears,  to  a  hasty  observer,  to  have  only  four 
legs. 

This  peculiarity  is  a  constant  feature  in  several  natural 
groups  of  butterflies,  and  therefore,  in  conjunction  with 
other  marks,  such  as  the  veining  of  the  wings  and  the 
shape  of  the  antenna,  its  presence  or  absence  is  a  most 
useful  mark  of  distinction,  in  classifying  or  searching 
oufc  the  name  and  systematic  place  of  a  butterfly. 


82  SEITISH  BUTTERFLIES. 


CHAPTER  IIL 


WHAT  BUTTERFLIES  NEVER  DO — GROUNDLESS  TERROR— A 

— USES  OP  BUTTERFLIES — MORAL  OP  BUTTERFLY  LIFE — PSYCH* 
— THE  BUTTERFLY  AN  EMBLEM  OF  THE  SOUL— THE  ARTIST  AKD 
THE  BUTTERFLY. 


AMONQ  tlio  negative  attributes  of  butterflies,  I  may  state 
positively,  that  no  butterfly  whatever  can  either  sting  or  bite 
in  the  least  degree;  and  from  their  total  harmlessness  to- 
wards the  person  of  man,  conjoined  with  their  outward 
attractiveness,  they  merit  and  enjoy  an  exemption  from 
those  feelings  of  dread  and  disgust  that  attach  to  many, 
or,  I  may  say,  to  almost  all  other  tribes  of  insects;  even  to 
their  equally  harmless  near  relatives  the  larger  moths. 
At  least,  it  has  never  been  my  misfortune  to  meet  with 
a  person  weak-minded  enough  to  be  afraid  of  a  butter- 
fly, though  I  have  seen  some  exhibit  symptoms  of  th- 
greatest  terror  at  the  proximity  of  a  large  Hawk-moth, 
and  some  of  the  thick-bodied  common  moths — "  Match- 
owlets,1'  the  country  folk  call  them. 

Once,  also,  I  listened  to  the  grave  recital — by  a 
classical  scholar  too — of  a  murderous  onslaught  made 
by  a  Privet  Hawk-moth  on  the  neck  of  a  lady,  and  how 
it  "  bit  a  piece  clean  out"  Of  course  I  attempted  to 
prove,  by  what  seemed  to  me  very  fair  logic,  that  the 


WHAT    BUTTERFLIES   ARE    GOOD    FOR.  33 

moth,  having  neither  teeth  nor  even  any  mouth  capable 
of  opening,  but  only  a  weak  hollow  tongue  to  suck 
honey  through,  was  utterly  incapable  of  biting  or  in- 
flicting any  wound  whatever.  But,  as  is  usual  in  such 
cases,  niy  entomological  theory  went  for  nothing  in  face 
of  the  gentleman's  knock-down  battery  of  facts — ocular 
facts;  he  had  seen  the  moth,  and  he  had  seen  the  wound: 
surely,  there  was  proof  enough  for  me,  or  any  one  else. 
So,t  I  suppose,  he  steadfastly  believes  to  this  day,  that 
the  moth  was  a  truculent,  bloodthirsty  monster;  whilst 
T  still  presume  to  believe,  that  if  any  wound  was  caused 
at  the  moment  in  question,  it  was  by  the  nails  of  the 
lady  attacked,  or  her  friends,  in  clutching  frantically  at 
the  terrific  intruder;  who,  poor  fellow,  might  have  been 
pardoned  for  mistaking  the  fair  neck  for  one  of  his 
favourite  flowers  (a  lily,  perhaps),  while  the  utmost 
harm  he  contemplated  was  to  pilfer  a  sip  of  nectar  from 
the  lips  he  doubtless  took  for  rosebuds. 

"Utilitarians  may,  perhaps,  inquire  the  uses  of  butter- 
flies— what  they  do,  make,  or  can  bo  sold  for ;  and  I 
must  confess  that  my  little  favourites  neither  make 
anything  to  wear,  like  the  silkworm,  nor  anything  to 
eat,  like  the  honey-bee,  nor  are  their  bodies  saleable  by 
the  ton,  like  the  cochineal  insects,  and  that,  commer- 
cially speaking,  they  are  just  worth  nothing  at  all, 
excepting  the  few  paltry  pence  or  shillings  that  the 
dealer  gets  for  their  little  dried  bodies  occasionally ;  so 
they  are  of  no  more  use  than  poetry,  painting,  and 
mufiic— than  flowers,  rainbows,  and  all  such  unbusincsa 
P 


34  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

like  things.  In  fact,  I  have  nothing  to  ej^y  in  tiu 
butterfly's  favour,  except  that  it  is  a  joy  to  the  deep- 
minded  and  to  the  simple-hearted,  to  the  sage,  and,  stil 
better,  to  the  child — that  it  gives  an  earnest  of  a  bettei 
world,  not  vaguely  and  generally,  as  does  every  "  thing 
of  beauty,"  but  with  clearest  aim  and  purpose,  through 
one  of  the  most  strikingly  perfect  and  beautiful  analo- 
gies that  we  can  find  throughout  that  vast  Creation, 
where — 

"  All  anim  als  are  living  hieroglyphs." 1 

The  butterfly,  then,  in  its  own  progressive  stages  of 
caterpillar,  chrysalis,  and  perfect  insect,  is  an  emblem 
of  the  human  soul's  progress  through  earthly  life  and 
death,  to  heavenly  life. 

jEvcn  the  ancient  Greeks,  with  their  imperfect  lights, 
Tecognised  this  truth,  when  they  gave  the  same  name, 
Psyche  (^^77),  to  the  soul,  or  spirit  of  life,  aud  to  the 
butterfly,  and  sculptured  over  the  effigy  of  one  dead  the 
figure  of  a  butterfly,  floating  away,  as  it  were,  in  his 
breath ;  while  poets  of  all  nations  have  since  followed 
up  the  simile. 

And  this  analogy  is  not  only  a  mere  general  resem- 
blance, but  holds  good  through  its  minute  details  to  a 
marvellous  extent;  to  trace  which  fully  would  require 
volumes,  while  in  this  place  the  slightest  sketch  only 
tan  be  given. 

there  is  the  grovelling  caterpillar  state,  em* 


TSYCHE. 


35 


blematical  of  our  present  imperfection,  but  yet  the  stats 
of  preparation  and  increase  towards  perfection,  and  that, 
too,  which  largely  influences  the  future  existence. 

Many  troubles  and  changes  are  the  lot  of  the  cater- 
pillar. Repeated  skin-shif tings  and  ceaseless  industry 
in  his  vocation  are  necessary,  that  within  his  set  time 
he  may  attain  full  growth  and  vigour. 

Then  comes  a  mighty  change :  the  caterpillar  is  to 
exchange  his  worm-like  form  and  nature  for  an  exist- 
ence unspeakably  higher  and  better.  But,  as  we  have 
seen,  to  arrive  at  this  glory  there  is  only  one  condition, 
which  is,  that  the  creature  must  pass  through  another, 
and,  as  it  might  seem,  a  gloomy  state — one  anything 
but  cheerful  to  contemplate ;  for  it  must  cease  to  eat,  to 
move,  and — to  the  eye — to  live.  Yet,  is  it  really  dead 
now,  or  do  we,  who  have  watched  the  creature  thus  far, 
despair  and  call  it  lost  1  Do  we  not  rather  rejoice  that 
it  rests  from  its  labours,  and  that  the  period  of  its 
glorification  is  at  hand  *? 

In  the  silent  chrysalis  state  then  our  Psyche  sleeps 
away  awhile,  unaffected  by  the  vicissitudes  around  it; 
and,  at  last,  when  its  appointed  day  arrives,  bursts  from 
its  cerements,  and  rises  in  the  air  a  winged  and  joyous 
being,  to  meet  the  sun  which  warmed  it  into  new 
Life.  JSTow  it  is  "a  butterfly, — bright  emblem  of  pleasure 
Unalloyed. 

This  happy  consummation,  however,  is  only  for  the 
chrysalis  which  has  not  within  it  the  devouring  worm, 
the  fruit  of  the  ichneumon's  egg,  harboured  during  lha 


§6  BRITISH  BUI-TEKFLIES. 

caterpillar  state— and  emblem,  in  the  human  soul,  of 
Borne  deadly  sin  yielded  to  during  life,  and  which  after- 
wards becomes  the  gnawing  "worm  that  dieth  not." 
For  in  this  case,  instead  of  the  bright  butterfly,  there 
issues  forth  from  the  chrysalis-shell  only  a  swarm  of 
jlack,  ill-favoured  flies,  like  a  troop  of  evil  spirits  coming 
rrtmi  their  feast  on  a  fallen  soul. 

If  a  caterpillar  were  gifted  with  a  foreknowledge  of 
his  butterfly  future,  so  far  transcending  his  inglorious 
present,  we  could  imagine  that  he  would  be  only  im- 
patient to  get  through  his  caterpillar  duties,  and  rejoice 
to  enter  the  chrysalis  state  as  soon  as  he  was  fitted  for 
it.  How  short-sighted  then  would  a  caterpillar  appear 
who  should  endeavour,  while  in  that  shape,  to  emulate 
the  splendour  of  the  butterfly  by  some  wretched  tern-' 
oorary  substitute,  adding  a  few  more,  or  brighter  stripes 
than  nature  had  given  it ;  or,  again,  if  one  whose  great 
change  was  drawing  near,  should  attempt  to  conceal  its 
visible  approach  by  painting  over  the  fading  hues  of 
health,  and  plastering  up  the  wrinkles  of  its  outward 
covering,  so  soon  to  be  thrown  off  altogether ;  instead  of 
striving  for  inward  strength  and  beauty,  which  would 
never  decline,  but  be  infinitely  expanded  in  the  but- 
terfly — and  regarding  the  earthly  beauty's  wane  as  the 
dawn  of  the  celestial. 

"With  these  and  similar  reflections  before  us  (which 
might  be  multiplied  ad  injinitum),  we  shall  no  longer 
look  upon  the  caterpillar  as  a  mere  unsightly  and 
troublesome  reptile,  the  chrysalis  as  an  unintelligibJa 


THE  ARTIST  AND  THE  BUTTERFLY.       37 

euriosity,  and  the  butterfly  as  a  pretty  painted  thing 
and  nothing  more;  but  regard  them  as  together  forming 
one  of  those  beautiful  and  striking  illustrations  with 
which  the  book  of  Nature  has  been  so  profusely  en- 
riched by  its  GREAT  AUTHOR  ;  not  to  be  taken  as  sub- 
stitutes for  His  revealed  Word,  but  as  harmonious 
adjuncts,  bringing  its  great  truths  more  home  to  our 
understandings,  just  as  the  engravings  in  a  book  are 
not  designed  as  substitutes  for  the  text,  but  to  elucidate 
and  strengthen  the  ideas  in  the  reader's  mind. 

While  the  poet  draws  from  the  butterfly  many  & 
pleasant  similitude,  and  the  moralist  many  a  solemn 
teaching,  the  artist  (who  should  be  poet  and  moralist 
too)  dwells  upon  these  heings  with  fondest  delight,  find- 
ing in  them  images  of  joy  and  life  when  seen  at  large 
in  the  landscape,  and  rich  stores  of  colour-lessons  wher 
studied  at  home  in  the  cabinet. 

The  owners  of  many  a  name  great  in  the  arts  have 
been  enthusiastic  collectors  of  butterflies.  Our  distin- 
guished countryman,  Thomas  Stothard,  was  one  of  their 
devotees,  and  the  following  anecdote,  extracted  from  his 
published  life,  snows  how  he  was  led  to  make  them 
Ms  special  study  : — 

"  He  was  beginning  to  paint  the  figure  of  a  reclining 
sylph,  when  a  difficulty  arose  in  his  own  mind  how 
best  to  represent  such  a  being  of  fancy.  A  friend  who 
was  present  said,  *  Give  the  sylph  a  butterfly's  wing, 
ind  then  you  have  it.'  '  That  I  will,'  exclaimed 
Stothard;  'and  to  be  correct  I  will  paint  the  wing 


88  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

from  the  butterfly  itself.'  Ho  sallied  forth,  extended 
his  walk  to  the  fields,  some  miles  distant,  and  caught 
one  of  those  beautiful  insects;  it  was  of  the  specica 
called  the  Peacock.  Our  artist  brought  it  carefully 
home,  and  commenced  sketching  it,  but  not  in  the 
painting  room ;  and  leaving  it  on  the  table,  a  servant 
Bwept  the  pretty  little  creature  away,  before  its  portrait 
\vas  finished.  On  learning  his  loss,  away  went  Stothard 
once  more  to  the  fields  to  seek  another  butterfly.  But 
at  this  time  one  of  the  tortoise-shell  tribe  crossed  his 
path,  and  was  secured.  He  was  astonished  at  the  com- 
bination of  colour  that  presented  itself  to  him  in  this 
small  but  exquisite  work  of  the  Creator,  and  from  that 
moment  determined  to  enter  on  a  new  and  difficult 
field — the  study  of  the  insect  department  of  Natural 
History.  He  became  a  hunter  of  butterflies.  The 
more  he  caught,  the  greater  beauty  did  he  trace  in  their 
infinite  variety,  and  he  would  often  say  that  no  one 
knew  what  he  owed  to  these  insects — they  had  taught 
him  the  finest  combinations  in  that  difficult  branch  of 
art — colouring." 

The  above  doubtless  has  its  parallel  in  the  experience 
of  many  artistic  minds,  whose  very  nature  it  is  to  ap- 
preciate to  the  full  the  perfections  set  forth  in  a  butterfly, 
admiring — 

"  The  velvet  iiap  which  on  his  wings  doth  lie, 
The  silken  down  with  which  his  back  is  dight, 
His  broad  outstretched  horns,  his  airy  thigh, 
His  glorious  colours  and  his  glistening  eye." 

SPENPOJE 


HOW   TO    CATCH   A    BUTTERFLY.  39 


CHAPTER 


ICTTERFLIEg  IN  THE  CABINET — HOW  TO  CATCH  THEM — APPARATUS 
—  GOING  OUT — WEATHER  —  LOCALITIES — LOCAL  BUTTERFLIES 
— INCOGNITOS — FIELD  WORK — FAVOURITE  STATIONS— B1V/ARB 
OF  THE  BRAMBLE. 


THE  mention  of  butterflies  "  in  the  cabinet  "  leads  at 
once  to  the  question,  how  to  get  them  there  j  or,  in 
other  words,  How  TO  CATCH  A  BUTTERFLY. 

This  is  a  question  often  less  difficult  to  answer  in 
words  than  in  action,  for  many  of  our  butterflies  are 
gifted  not  only  with  strong  prejudices  against  the  inside 
of  a  net,  but  with  very  strong  powers  of  escaping  from 
that  unpleasant  situation.  Still,  by  aid  of  proper  ap- 
paratus, a  sure  eye  and  hand,  and  often,  of  a  good  pair 
of  legs,  there  is  .no  butterfly,  however  fleet  and  wary, 
Jiat  we  may  not  feel  ourselves  a  tolerable  match  for. 

Firstly,  then,  as  to  the  out-door  apparatus  required. 

This  is  simple  enough,  a  net  and  pocket-boxes,  with  a 
few  pins,  being  the  only  essentials.1 


(1)  As  beginners  in  entomology  arc,  I  know,  often  glad  to  be  informed 
of  some  reiable  dealer  from  whom  to  procure  the  apparatus  required  for 
the  pursuit,  I  have  pleasure  in  here  giving  the  name  of  Mr.  T.  Cooke, 
of  30,  Museum  Street  (six  doors  from  the  British  Museum),  where  all  the 
apparatus  mentioned  in  this  work,  and  numerous  other  natural  history 
article?,  are  to  be  found,  good  and  cheap,  I  believe.  For  the  guidance  of 
youn«'  arnatcrrs,  I  will  mention  the  prces  of  a  few  of  the  more  necessari 


40 


BRITISH   BUTTERFLIES. 


Variously  constructed  nets  are  used,  according  tc 
&ncy,  but  the  choice  may  lie  between  two  chief  forms  • 
the  Clap-net  and  the  Ring-net. 


The  former  certainly  gives  more  power  in  a  fail 
unase,  but  the  latter  has  the  advantage  of  being  th« 

article?  I  have  myself  purchased  or  examined  at  the  ahove  establishment. 
Cane  ,ing-nets,  with  stick,  and  ready  for  use,  2*. ;  ring-net,  with  three- 
joint?  jd  metal  ring  and  screw-socket,  4s.  6d. ;  pocket  collecting-boxes,  corked. 
3d  Mis.  each;  store-boxes,  10  in.  by  8  in.,  corked  top  and  bottom,  2*.  6d.; 
dr,ing  houses,  for  securely  keeping  setting-boards  when  in  use,  and  con- 
taining eleven  corked  setting-boards  and  drawer  for  pins,  &c.,  10*.  &d. ; 
Flxt-et  cork  for  lining  cabinets,  7  in.  by  3£  in.,  1*.  Qtl.  doz.  sheets  ;  entomologi- 
cal pins,  three  sizes,  mixed,  Is.  oz.,  &c..  Sic. 


NETS.  41 

lighter,  mare  portable,  and  less  conspicuous  of  the  twa 
Both  of  these  instruments  are  shown  in  the  accompany 
ing  figures. 

The  clap-net  (fig.  1)  usually  has  the  sticks  that  com. 
pose  the  framework  made  each  in  three  separate  pieces, 
joined  by  ferrules — a  couple,  of  light  fishing-rods  "will 
do  excellently,  a  piece  of  bent  cane  being  substituted 
tor  the  top  joint.  The  manner  in  which  the  gauze  is 
extended  between,  and  fitted  on,  these  rods  will  he 
sufficiently  obvious  on  looking  at  the  cut,  which  repre- 
sents the  net  half  open.  In  taking  an  insect,  one 
handle  is  held  in  each  hand,  the  net  opened  wide,  and 
thrown  over,  or  made  to  intercept  the  insect,  when,  by 
suddenly  closing  the  handles  together,  a  closed  bag  is 
made,  and  the  little  prisoner  is  secured. 

The  ring-net  (fig.  2),  which  is  the  implement 
most  generally  in  vogue,  may  be  constructed  in  several 
ways.  The  cheapest,  and  at  the  same 
time  a  highly  serviceable  one,  is  made 
by  getting  from  a  tinman  a  tin  "  socket " 
of  this  form,  the  larger  end  fitting  on 
to  the  end  of  a  straight  stick,  and  the 
two  smaller  tubes  receiving  the  ends 
of  a  hoop  of  cane,  which  carries  the 
net,  it  being  passed  through  a  loose 
hem  round  the  top  of  the  latter.  The  cane,  taken  out 
of  tho  socket,  can  be  rolled  up  closely  with  the  net 
and  carried  in  the  pocket  to  the  scene  of  action,  while 
the  hindle  may  be  a  strong  common  walking-stick,  a 


42  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

most  useful  auxiliary  in  getting  across  country,  and 
thus  this  net  becomes  really  no  incumbrance  to  the 
tourist,  who  may  have  other  matters  in  hand  beside* 
butterfly  hunting — perhaps  sketching  and  botanizing—, 
when  the  larger  clap-net  becomes  quite  embarrassing. 

Another  form  of  this  net  has  the  ring  made  of  metal, 
and  jointed  in  several  places,  so  as  to  fold  within  a  small 
pocketable  compass,  and  arranged  to  screw  into  a  brass 
socket  on  the  top  of  the  stick.  This  is  a  very  com- 
mendable net — not  so  easily  home-made  as  the  last, 
certainly,  but  it  can  be  readily  procured  complete  from 
the  London  dealers  (or  "naturalists,"  as  they  styla 
themselves). 

A  net  that  has  been  a  good  deal  used  of  late  opens 
and  shuts  on  the  umbrella  principle,  and  with  the  same 
celerity,  forming  a  ring-net  when  open — when  shut 
going  into  a  case  like  that  of  an  umbrella. 

Some  entomologists,  nervously  sensitive  to  public 
opinion,  are,  however,  somewhat  shy  of  sporting  these 
umbrella  nets,  for  should  rain  perchance  come  down 
while  he  is  on  the  road,  the  villagers  may  be  astonished 
at  the  insane  spectacle  of  a  man  scuttling  along  through 
the  torrent  and  getting  drenched  through,  while  he  car- 
ries a  good-looking  umbrella  carefully  under  his  arm  for 
fear  it  should  get  wet ;  and  if,  on  the  other  hand,  the 
Weather  be  fine,  the  carrying  such  a  protective  would 
seem  an  equally  eccentric  whim.  But  only  the  very  thin- 
skinned  would  be  driven  from  the  use  of  a  good  weapon 
by  such  a  harmless  contingency  as  I  have  here  supposed. 


EQUIPMENTS.  48 

Other  necessaiy  equipments  for  the  fly-catcher  are 
Iwo  or  three  light  wooden  boxes,  as  large  as  can  conve- 
niently he  carried  in  the  pockets,  and  having  either  the 
bottom,  or,  if  deep  enough,  hoth  hottom  and  top  lined 
with  a  layer  of  cork,  about  one-eighth  of  an  inch  in 
thickness. 

A  pin-cushion,  well  furnished  with  entomological 
pins,  should  also  be  carried,  and  will  be  found  to  bo 
most  accessible  when  suspended  by  a  loop  and  button 
(or  otherwise)  inside  the  breast  of  the  coat. 

The  pins  here  mentioned,  which  are  an  important 
item  among  butterfly-collecting  requisites,  are  of  a 
peculiar  manufacture — very  small-headed,  long  and 
thin,  but  strong.  Any  good  London  dealer  will  supply 
them  on  application,  or  send  them  by  post  into  the 
country. 

Armed  with  the  above  simple  paraphernalia,  viz. 
net  to  catch,  boxes  and  pins  to  contain  and  detain,  the 
insect  hunter  may  sally  forth  on  any  fine  summer's  day, 
with  a  pretty  sure  prospect  of  sport,  and  the  chance,  at 
least,  of  a  prize.  Much  depends,  however,  on  the 
choice  of  a  day,  and  the  nature  of  the  locality  that  is 
to  form  the  hunting  ground. 

As  to  weather,  it  must  be  remembered  that  winged 
insects  have  a  great  objection  to  face  a  north,  or  north- 
east wind,  during  the  prevalence  of  which  you  will 
probably  find  hardly  one  stirring,  however  prolific  tno 
locality  may  at  other  times  be. 

Butterflies,  as  a  rule,  do  not  appear  to  be  at  all  ii^ 


44  BRITISH   BUTTERFLIES. 

fluenced  by  an  eye  for  the  picturesque  and  romantic 
in  the  choice  of  their  favourite  haunts.  Often  have  I 
been  disappointed  in  this  way,  finding  a  delicious  spot, 
basking  in  sunshine,  and  bedight  with  all  manner  ol 
flcwers  such  as  a  butterfly  loves,  yet  with  scarcely  a 
stray  butterfly  to  enliven  it;  while,  on  the  other  hand, 
a  piece  of  the  most  unpromising  flat  waste  land  will 
be  all  alive  with  insect  beauty.  Those,  for  example, 
who  would  see  those  splendid  creatures,  the  Swallow- 
tail butterfly  and  the  large  Copper  (if  this  exists  with 
as  at  all  now),  must  go  to  the  dreary  fen  districts  that 
form  their  almost  exclusive  haunts. 

It  is,  in  fact,  very  hard  to  say  what  influences  bring 
a  swarm  of  butterflies  together,  to  populate  one  parti- 
cular spot,  to  the  utter  neglect  of  others  close  at  hand, 
and,  to  all  appearance,  just  as  eligible. 

Some  species  are  most  remarkable  for  their  excessive 
localness  (as  it  is  called),  or,  limiting  their  range  to  an  ex- 
ceedingly small  circumscribed  space ;  so  much  so,  that 
some  rare  species  have  been  known  to  haunt  just  one 
corner  of  one  particular  field,  year  after  year,  while  not  a 
single  specimen  could  be  found  in  all  the  neighbouring 
fields,  though  precisely  similar,  to  all  appearance.  Thia 
phenomenon  is  quite  inexplicable  with  regard  to  insects 
endowed  so  pre-eminently  with  locomotive  powers  a8 
butterflies  are. 

The  local  nature  of  his  game  should,  however,  induce 
&he  collector  to  leave  no  nook  or  corner  unexplored 
when  he  is  "working"  a  district;  as  the  passing  ovci 


HINTS   TO    COLLECTORS.  45 

(01  rather,  neglecting  to  pass  over)  a  single  field  may 
lose  Imn  the  very  species  it  would  joy  him  most  to 
Bnd 

I  would  also  advise  the  beginner — and,  indeed,  all 
but  the  very  experienced  hands — to  catch,  not  necessa- 
rily for  slaughter,  but  for  inspection,  every  attainable 
individual  whose  species  he  cannot  positively  declare  to 
when  on  the  wing,  lest  he  pass  by  some  rarities  un- 
awares. Thus  the  valued  Queen  of  Spain,  and  the 
much -disputed  JDia  Fritillaries,  the  Melitceas,  the  Brown 
Hair-streak,  and  (on  the  mountains)  the  rare  Erebias, 
perhaps  some  new  to  this  country, — any  of  these  might 
be  mistaken  by  a  novice  for  some  of  the  commoner  brown 
species.  Among  the  "  Whites,"  too,  the  Black- veined 
White,  that  great  prize,  the  Bath  White,  and  the 
white  varieties  of  the  Clouded  Yellow  and  Clouded 
Sulphur,  might  share  the  same  fate,  or  fortune  rather, 
of  being  reckoned  as  "  Cabbage  Whites." 

Then,  with  the  "Blues."  Who  is  there  that  couW 
at  once  distinguish  with  certainty  the  very  rare  Maza- 
rine Blue  (P.  Acis)  from  the  common  Blues  when  on 
the  wing  ?  Perhaps  it  would  turn  out  to  be  less  rare 
than  supposed,  if  all  the  Blues  in  a  fresh  locality  were 
netted  as  they  came  near,  and  set  at  liberty  after  passing 
muster. 

Why,  only  last  season  a  very  curious  Blue,1  never. 
before  observed  in  this  country,  was  captured  near 

'  PolyomnifttUB  Bceticus. 


46  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

Brighton  by  a  collector,  who,  at  the  moment,  thought 
it  was  only  a  Common  Blue,  so  precisely  similar  did  it 
Look  when  flying. 

As  to  the  manipulation  of  the  net,  it  will  be  better 
to  leave  the  young  collector  to  find  that  out  for  himself, 
which,  if  he  aas  the  use  of  his  hand?,  he  will  quickly 
do  when  he  gets  into  the  field.  He  will  soon  perceive 
that  with  most  of  the  swifter  butterflies,  it  is  of  no  use 
to  make  a  rush  at  them.  A  surprise  answers  better 
than  a  charge ;  for  they  easily  take  alarm  at  open 
violence,  and  then  go  off  straight  ahead  at  a  pace  that 
renders  pursuit,  over  bad  ground  especially,  most 
trying,  if  not  hopeless  work.  So  the  "  suaviter  in  modo" 
principle  is  best  here  as  elsewhere  : — gently  follow  up 
and  watch  your  butterfly  till  he  pauses  over  or  settles 
upon  a  flower,  or  whatever  it  may  be;  then,  with 
caution,  you  can  generally  come  within  striking  dis- 
tance without  giving  alarm,  and  one  vigorous,  weM 
aimed  stroke  usually  settles  the  matter  j  if,  after  that, 
he  is  outside  of  your  net  instead  of  in,  you  will  find  it  a 
difficult  matter  to  get  another  chance,  at  least,  with  mos»* 
of  the  larger  and  strong-flying  kinds.  But  there  is  much 
diversity  of  disposition  among  these  creatures,  and  some 
are  unscared  by  repeated  attacks.  These  points  of  cha. 
racter  the  collector  will  soon  learn  when  he  has  been 
among  these  lively  little  people  for  a  season. 

The  different  species  have  also  their  own  favourite 
positions,  on  which  they  delight  to  perch. 

Thus  ibo  Clou-led  Yellow  loves  the  low  flowers  ot 


FAVOURITE    PERCHES.  4tf 

the  rai\way-bank  and  the  down ;  often  seen  toying  \vith 
a  breeze-rocked  flower  as  yellow-coated  as  himself,  as 
though  he  had  mistaken  it,  in  its  fluttering,  for  one  of 
his  mates. 

Then  the  Peacock  and  Eed  Admiral  are  attached  to 
several  plants  of  the  composite  order,  such  as  the 
thistles,  teazle,  and  above  all  (as  far  as  I  have  observed), 
to  that  fine,  stalwart  plant  that  frequently  abounds  in 
thickets,  &c.,  and  known  as  Hemp  Agrimony  (Eupato- 
rium  cannabinum).  I  seldom,  at  the  proper  season, 
visit  a  clump  of  this  growing  in  a  sunny  opening, 
without  finding,  besides  a  store  of  other  insects,  one 
or  both  of  these  grand  butterflies  enthroned  on  the 
ample  purplish  flower-heads,  and  fanning  their  gorgeous 
wings,  after  the  custom  of  their  genus,  then  launching 
into  the  air,  and,  after  a  few  circling  evolutions  in  that 
element,  returning  to  the  self-same  flower-reads,  their 
chosen  seats. 

Both  of  these  flies  arp  easily  captured  when  in  this 
position,  as  they  allow  a  near  approach,  and  can  be 
without  hindrance  swept  off  by  a  rapid  side-stroke  of 
the  net. 

The  glorious  Purple  Emperor  is  celebrated  for  his 
predilection  for  a  throne  on  the  oak,  though  some  other 
lofty  trees,  such  as  the  ash,  are  occasionally  honoured 
by  the  imperial  presence;  but  his  habits  and  locale  will 
be  referred  to  more  particularly  hereafter. 

That  lovely  butterfly,  the  Silver- washed  Fritillary, 
has  a  'pcnthant  for  settling  on  the  bramble,  which  jua 


48  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

tifies  the  preference  by  proving  itself  the  insect's  besi 
friend ;  but  withal  a  most  provoking  opponent  to  his 
would-be  captor,  who  may  get  him  safely  within  tha 
net's  mouth  at  the  first  stroke,  when,  ten  to  one,  the 
trusty  bramble-hooks  clutch  into  the  gauze,  and  effec- 
tually prevent  the  quick  turn  of  the  net  that  should 
close  it,  while  the  prisoner,  seeing  his  chance,  darts  out 
with  a  sharp  rustle  that  one's  irritated  feelings  easily 
interpret  into  a  derisive  laugh. 

But  experience  will  in  time  teach  the  fly-catcher  tin 
required  adroitneaB  to  avoid  this  humiliating  defeat 


HOW   TO    KILL    A.   BUTTERFLY.  49 


CHAPTER  V. 


HOW  TO  KILL  A  BUTTERFLY — AN  APOLOGY — A  TEST  FOR  LUMA01 
— CHARGE  OF  CRUELTY  AGAINST  ENTOMOLOGISTS — THEIR  JUSTI- 
FICATION ATTEMPTED  PAINLESS  DEATH  CHLOROFORM  — 

SETTING  BUTTERFLIES — CABINETS   AND   STORE   BOXES — CLASSIFI- 
CATION— LATIN   NAMES — SAVING   TIME   AND    MONEY. 


HAVING  complied  with  the  old  adage,  "First  catch 
your  hare,"  the  next  point  naturally  is — how  to  cook  it. 
So,  having  caught  our  butterfly,  what  are  we  to  do  with 
him  ? — a  question  that  generally  resolves  itself  firstly 
into 

HOW   TO    KILL   A  BUTTERFLY. 

This  truculent  sentence  may,  I  fear,  look  like  a  blot 
on  the  page  to  some  tender-hearted  reader,  and,  in 
truth,  this  killing  business  is  the  one  shadow  on  the 
otherwise  sunshiny  picture,  which  we  would  all  gladly 
leave  out,  were  it  possible  to  preserve  a  butterfly's 
beauty  alive ;  but  this  cannot  be  done,  arid  yet  we  have 
made  up  our  minds  to  possess  that  beauty — to  collect 
butterflies,  in  short ;  there  is  but  one  way  for  it,  and 
«o  a  butterfly's  pleasure  must  bt  shortened  for  a  few 
a 


50  BRITISH   BUTTERFLIES. 

days,  to  add  to  our  pleasure  and  instruction,  perhaps  foi 
years  after. 

In  the  time  of  the  great  Ray,  in  such  mean  repute 
was  the  science  of  entomology  held,  mainly,  I  believe, 
on  account  of  the  small  size  of  its  objects,  that  an  action 
at  law  was  brought  to  set  aside  the  will  of  an  estimable 
woman,  Lady  Glanville,  on  the  ground  of  insanity,  the 
only  symptom,  of  which  that  they  could  bring  forward 
in  evidence  was  her  fondness  for  collecting  insects  ! 

But  this  was  some  two  centuries  ago,  and  matters 
have  greatly  mended  for  the  entomologist  since  then. 
Now  he  may  collect  butterflies,  or  other  flies,  as  he  pleases, 
without  bringing  down  a  commission  "de  lunatico" 
on  his  head,  but  still  the  goodness  of  his  heart  is  some- 
times called  in  question,  and  he  has  to  encounter  the 
equally  obnoxious  charge  of  cruelty  to  the  objects  of  his 
admiration — that,  too,  from  intelligent  and  worthy 
friends,  whose  good  opinion  he  would  most  unwillingly 
forfeit. 

He,  therefore,  is  naturally  most  anxious  that  those 
friends  should  be  led  to  share  his  own  conviction,  that 
the  pursuit  of  entomology — the  needful  butterfly  killing 
and  all  included — may  be  not  only  not  cruel,  but  actually 
beneficent  in  theory  and  practice. 

So  I  will  briefly  try  to  act  as  apologist  for  the 
"  brotherhood  of  the  net,"  myself  included. 

In  the  first  place,  I  will  state  roundly  my  sincere  belief 
that  insects  cannot  feel  pain.  This  is  no  special  plead- 
ing, 01  "  making  the  wish  the  father  to  the  thought," 


OUR   EIGHT    OVER    INSECT    LIFE.  51 

but  a  conviction  founded  on  an  ample  mass  of  evidencq 
on  my  own  observations  and  experiments,  and  strength- 
ened by  analogical  reasoning.  I  wish  I  had  space  to 
<tay  this  evidence  in  full  before  the  reader;  but  this 
being  here  impracticable,  I  will  not  damage  the  argu- 
ment by  taking  a  few  links  out  of  a  chain  of  facts  which 
depend  on  their  close  connexion  with  each  other  for 
their  strength  and  value. 

There  is,  however,  one  fact  which  may  be  taken  by 
itself,  and  goes  a  long  way  in  our  favour,  that  I  must 
mention  here. 

Insects,  when  mutilated  in  a  way  that  would  cause 
excessive  pain  and  speedy  death  to  vertebrate  animals, 
afterwards  perform  all  the  functions  of  life — eating, 
drinking,  &c.  with  the  same  evident  gusto  and  power 
of  enjoyment  as  before.  Plenty  of  striking  instances  of 
this  are  on  record,  and,  as  an  example,  I  have  seen  a 
wasp  that  had  been  snipped  in  two,  afterwards  regale 
himself  with  avidity  upon  some  red  syrup,  which,  as  he 
imbibed,  gathered  into  a  large  ruby  bead  just  behind 
the  wings  (where  the  stomach  should  have  been) ;  but 
really  the  creature's  pleasure  seemed  to  be  only  aug- 
mented by  the  change  in  his  anatomy,  because  he  could 
drink  ten  tunes  his  ordinary  fill  of  oweets,  without,  of 
course,  getting  any  the  fuller.  I  could  almost  fancy  a 
scientific  epicure  envying  the  insect  his  ever  fresh  ap- 
petite and  gastronomic  capabilities. 

After  all  that  can  be  said  on  this  subject,  there  wili 
itill  probably  be  misgivings  in  the  mind  of  many,  both 
&  2 


52  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

as  to  the;  question  of  insect  feelings  and  also  as  to  oui 
right  to  shorten  their  existence,  even  by  a  painless 
death. 

As  to  the  first  point,  we  have  now  the  means  of 
giving  any  insect  an  utterly  painless  quietus,  be  it  capable 
of  feeling  pain  or  no. 

In  regard  to  the  second,  I  think  few  will  deny  that 
man  enjoys  a  vested  right  to  make  use  of  any  of  the 
inferior  animals,  even  to  the  taking  of  their  life,  it' 
the  so  doing  ministers  to  his  own  well-being  or  plea- 
sure, and  practically  every  one  assumes  this  right  in  one 
way  or  another.  Game  animals  are  shot  down  (and 
they  assuredly  do  feel  pain),  not  as  necessaries  of  life, 
but  confessedly  as  luxuries.  Fish  are  hooked,  crabs, 
lobsters,  shrimps  perish  by  thousands,  victims  to  oui 
fancies.  Unscrupulously  we  destroy  every  insect  whose 
presence  displeases  us,  harmless  as  they  may  be  to  oui 
own  persons.  The  aphides  on  our  flowers,  the  motha 
ui  our  furs,  the  "  beetles  "  in  our  kitchens — all  die  by 
thousands  at  our  pleasure.  Then,  if  all  this  be  right, 
are  we  not  also  justified  in  appropriating  a  little  butterfly 
life  to  ourselves,  and  does  not  the  mental  feast  that  their 
after-death  beauty  affords  us  at  least  furnish  an  equal 
excuse  for  their  sacrifice  with  any  that  can  be  urged  in 
favour  of  any  animal  slaughter,  just  to  tickle  the  palate 
or  minister  to  our  grosser  appetites  ?  To  this  query 
there  can  be,  I  think,  but  one  fair  answer,  so  wo  may 
return  with  a  better  face  to  the  question,  "  llow  to  kill 
»  butterfly." 


PAINLESS   DEATH.  53 

I  have  alluded  above  to  a  painless  mode  of  doing  so, 
doubtless  applicable  to  all  insects.  I  know  it  answers 
admirably  with  the  large  moths,  so  tenacious  of  lifo 
under  other  circumstances.  This  potent  agent  is  chloro- 
form, whose  pain-quelling  properties  are  so  well  known 
as  regards  the  human  constitution. 

There  is  a  little  apparatus1  constructed  for  carrying 
this  fluid  safely  to  the  field,  and  letting  out  a  drop  at  a 
time  into  the  box  with  the  captured  insect,  taking  care 
that  the  drop  does  not  go  on  to  the  insect.  Or  a  wide- 
mouthed  bottle  may  be  used,  having  at  the  bottom  a 
pad  of  blotting-paper,  or  some  absorbent  substance,  OA 
which  a  few  drops  of  chloroform  may  now  and  then 
be  dropped.  The  insect  being  slipped  into  this,  and 
the  stopper  or  hand  being  placed  over  the  bottle's 
mouth,  insensibility  (in  the  insect)  follows  immedi- 
ately, and  in  a  few  minutes,  at  most,  it  is  completely 
lifeless. 

But  the  usual'  and  quickest  mode  of  despatch  is  by 
a  quick  nip  between  the  finger  and  thumb  applied  just 
under  tlis  wings,  causing,  for  the  most  part,  instantaneoitt 
death :  and  this  can  be  done  through  the  net,  when  the 


1  A  very  ingenious  and  neat  contrivance — the  invention  of 
my  friend  Dr.  Allchin,  of  Bayswater.  It  may  be  obtained  of 
Messrs.  Cooke  &  Son,  Naturalists,  30,  Museum  Street,  London, 
W.C.  It  is  of  bras*,  with  screw  caps,  the  inner  one  having  a 
small  hole  through  which  the  chloroform  can  be  used,  drop  by 
drop.  The  price  is  4s.  Also,  the  new  Cyanide  Killing-bottles, 
1«.  Qd.  :  2s.  rea-ly  for  use. 


•54  BRITISH    BUTTEI1FLIES. 

Inclosed  butterfly  shuts  his  wings,  as  he  usually  does 
when  the  net  wraps  round  him. 

•  Now  take  one  of  your  thin  pins,  and  pass  it  through 
flie  thorax  of  the  butterfly,  while  open  or  shut,  and  put 
it  into  the  corked  lining  of  your  pocket-box.  So  secured, 
the  butterfly  will  travel  uninjured  till  you  reach  home ; 
but  a  heap  of  dead  butterflies  in  a  box  together  will,  in 
the  course  of  a  long  walk,  so  jostle  together,  as  to 
entirely  destroy  each  other's  beauty,  rubbing  off  all 
their  painted  scales,  when,  of  course,  they  are  as  butter- 
flies no  longer. 

"When  you  get  home,  take  out  all  the  pins,  excepting 
<mch  as  may  be  stuck  perpendicularly  through  the 
middle  of  the  thorax,  and  as  soon  as  possible  proceed  tc 
"  set "  your  captures. 

Preparatory  to  this,  some  articles  called  setting-boards 
must  be  provided.  A  section  of  one  of  these  is  shown 
V  the  accompanying  cut ;  but  in  reality  they  are  made 


much  longer,  so  as  to  accommodate  a  column  of  half-* 
ioeex.  a  itterflies  or  more ;  the  breadth  may  vary,  ao 


"  SETTING-OUT.  55 

cording  to  the  width  of  the  butterflies  that  are  to  be 
set  thereon. 

The  bottom  is  usually  a  thin  slip  of  deal,  on  which 
ire  glued  two  strips  of  cork,  bevelled  off  towards  the 
edges,  with  a  slightly  curved  face.  Sometimes,  how 
sver,  the  whole  board  is  made  of  soft  pine,  with  *»  groove 
planed  down  the  middle,  and  with  care  will  answer 
pretty  well ;  but  the  corked  board  is  far  preferable. 

The  mode  of  "setting"  the  insect  with  card  "braces" 
transfixed  with  pins,  which  retain  the  wings  in  their 
proper  position,  will  be  also  readily  seen  by  reference  to 
the  figure. 

A  great  point  in  "  setting  "  is  to  takt  ;are  that  all  the 
wings  are  symmetrically  arranged,  c*  diverging  from 
the  body  at  equal  angles  on  each  side.  Let  the  antennae, 
also  be  carefully  preserved,  as  on  their  integrity  much 
of  the  specimen's  value  depends. 

It  will  be  needless  to  say  that  any  handling  of  the 
wings  is  to  be  avoided,  as  a  touch  will  sometimes 
destroy  their  bloom. 

The  setting-board,  when  filled,  should  be  put  away 
into  a  secure,  dust-proof,  and  dry  place ;  and  in  a  few 
days,  more  or  less,  according  to  the  dryness  or  otherwise 
of  tho  atmosphere,  the  butterflies  will  have  dried  and 
Bet  in  their  positions,  and  are  then  ready  for  transference 
to  the  store-box  or  cabinet. 

The  choice  of  this  receptacle  is  a  serious  question  for 
the  beginner,  who  is  often  in  want  of  a  guide  to  the 
ju  iicioua  expenditure  of  his  money,  if  money  he  mean* 


56  BRITISH   BUTTERFLIES. 

to  spend  in  this  pursuit.  To  preserve  insects,  it  is  nd 
absolutely  necessary  to  have  either  a  cabinet  or  the 
regularly-made  store-boxes;  for,  with  a  little  contriv- 
ance, any  close-shutting,  shallow  box  may  be  extern' 
porized  into  a  store-box.  The  bottom  may  either  be 
lined  with  sheet-cork  (such  as  is  used  by  shoemakers) — 
which,  however,  is  a  rather  dear  commodity — or  com- 
mon wine-corks  may  be  sliced  up,  and  cut  into  little 
square  patches  that  may  be  attached  in  straight  rows  to 
the  bottom  of  the  box  with  strong  gum  or  other  cement. 
The  first  specimens,  the  nucleus  of  the  future  great  col- 
lection, can  be  kept  here  well  enough,  till  a  real  cabinet 
can  be  compassed. 

A  cabinet,  however,  need  not  be  bought  all  at  once ; 
it  may  be  arranged  to  grow  with  the  collection — and,  it 
may  be,  with  the  collector  too — by  having  one  or  two 
drawers  made  at  a  time  j  till,  in  course  of  time,  a  suf- 
ficient number  is  obtained,  when  the  whole  may  bo 
fitted  into  a  case  at  a  small  additional  expense,  and 
then  there  is  a  first-rate  cabinet  complete ;  for,  to  make 
this  plan  really  advantageous,  the  drawers  should  be 
well  made  and  of  good  material.  Of  course,  all  the 
drawers  mnst  be  made  to  the  same  "  gauge,"  to  insure 
perfect  fitting  when  the  cabinet  is  made  up. 

These  drawers  may  be  made  by  any  clever  joiner,  but 
as  their  construction  is  peculiar,  and  not  easily  described, 
it  is  necessary,  either  that  the  maker  should  be  accus- 
tomed to  this  speciality,  or  that  he  be  furnished  with 
ft  pattern,  either  by  buying  a  single  drawer  at  a  dealer's, 


SYSTEMATIC    ARRANGEMENT.  57 ' 

ivliere  that  can  be  done,  by  borrowing  one  out  of  a 
friend's  cabinet,  or  by  making  therefrom  a  good  work- 
ing drawing  (in  section.  &c.). 

The  glasses  which  cover  in  the  drawers  should  always 
Kave  separate  frames  for  the  more  perfect  exclusion  of 
dust  and  mites. 

Well  seasoned  mahogany  or  deal  may  be  the  material 
for  the  drawers,  but  on  no  account  let  them  be  of  cedar, 
a  material  often  used  by  ignorant  or  unprincipled  makers, 
to  the  great  detriment  of  the  collection,  and  mortifica* 
tion  of  the  collector,  as  resinous  matter  after  a  short 
time  exudes  from  the  pores  of  this  wood,  dropping 
down  on  to  the  glasses  below  in  a  gummy  shower,  and 
the  effluvium  seems  to  condense  upon  the  contained 
•usects,  whose  wings  are  gradually  discoloured  and  dis- 
figured by  greasy  looking  blotches.  The  drawers  are 
lined  at  bottom  with  cork,  covered  with  pure  white 
paper,  which  should  be  attached  with  thin  paste. 

The  butterflies  are  then  to  be  arranged  in  the  drawers 
in  perpendicular  columns,  and  in  accordance  with  some 
system  of  classification.  If  there  be  room  it  is  well  to 
have  a  considerable  number  of  specimens  of  each  species, 
especially  when  it  is  one  liable  to  much  variation.  At 
'east  one  of  each  sex  should  always  be  given,  and  also 
jne  of  each  sex  showing  the  under  surface.  "When  the 
chrysalis  can  be  procured,  that  also  should  be  pinned 
down  with  its  fellow-butterfly,  and  a  good  coloured 
drawing  of  each  caterpillar  would  be  a  valuable  addition 
V>  the  series.  Between  the  columns,  lines  should  bt 


58  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

ruled  varying  in  distance  according  to  the  breadth  of 
the  butterflies,  and  small  labels  should  be  pinned  down 
at  the  foot  of  each  species  giving  its  specific  name  ;  the 
tame  of  the  genus  being  placed  at  the  head  of  the  first 
species  of  the  genus.  The  names  of  the  families  and 
sub-families  under  which  the  genera  are  classed  are  also 
generally  given  in  their  respective  places. 

I  have  in  this  little  work  followed  the  system  of 
classification  used  in  the  public  collection  of  British 
butterflies  at  the  British  Museum,  which  seemed  to  me 
more  intelligible  and  natural  when  applied  to  our  very 
limited  number  of  butterflies,  than  did  the  system  of 
Doubleday  adopted  in  the  great  world- wide  collectior 
which  exists  in  the  private  entomological  room  of  the 
British  Museum. 

The  following  table  gives  the  first-mentioned  arrange- 
ment of  all  the  British  species  under  their  respective 
genera,  sub-families,  and  families.  The  most  authentic 
of  the  reputed  species  are  also  here  inserted  in  theii 
proper  places. 

Fam.  PAPILIONIDJS.  Sub-fam.  PIERIDI— Continued 

Sub-fam.  PAPILIONIDL  EUCHLOE  Cardamines. 

PAPILIO  Machaon.  LEUCOPHASIA  Sinapis. 

—  Podalirius. 

Sub-fam.  PIERIDI.  Fam.  NYMPHALID^E.  • 

GONEPTERYX  RhamnL  Sub-fam.    SATYRIDI. 

Co  HAS  Edusa.  ARQE  Galathea. 

—       Hyale.  LASIOMMATA  Egeria. 

APORIA  Crataegi.  Megaera* 

PIERIS  Brassies,  HIPPAHCIIIA  Semele. 

—  Rapae.  —          Janira. 

—  Napi.  Tithonus. 

-     Daplidfce.  —          Hypcrantnu* 


CLASSIFICATION. 


59 


Faia.  MYMPHALID^—  Con*. 

EBKRIA  Blandina. 

—  Ligea. 

—  Cassiope. 

CSKONYMPHA  DaVUS. 

Pamphilus 

8ob-fam.  NYMPH  AUDI. 
LIMENITIS  Sybilla. 
APATUHA  Iris. 

Sub-fam.    VANESSIDI. 
CYNTHIA  Cardui. 
VANESSA  Atalanta. 

—  lo. 

—  Antiopa. 

—  Polychloros. 

—  Urticae. 
GRAPTA  C.  Album. 


Sub-fam.  ARGYNNIDI, 
AHGYNNIS  Paphia. 

—  Aglaia. 

—  Adippe. 

—  Lathonia. 

—  Euphrosyne. 

—  Selene. 

—  Dia. 
MELITVEA  Cinxia. 

—  Athalia. 

—  Artemis. 


Fam.  KRYCINID^E. 

NEMEOBIUS  Lucina. 

Fam.  LYOENID2E. 
TUECLA  Betulae. 

—  Pruni. 

—  W.  Album. 

—  Queicus. 

—  Rubi. 
CBRYSOPHANGS  Phi  seas. 

—  Chryseii 

Dispar. 

POLYOM  MAixs  Bceticus. 
Argiolus. 
Alsus. 
Acis. 

—  Arion. 

—  Corydon. 
Adonis. 
Alexis. 
jEgon. 
Agestis. 
Artaxerxes. 

F&m.  HESPERID^l. 
PYRGUS  Alveolus. 
NISIONADES  Tages. 
STEROPES  Paniscus. 
PAMPUILA  Actaeon. 

—  Linea. 

—  Sylvanus. 

—  Comma, 


It  will  be  seen  by  the  above  list  that  seventy  species 
are  given  as  British.  Of  these,  five  species,  viz.  Papilla 
Podaliriw,  Erebia  Ligea,  Argynnis  Dia,  Chrysophanu* 
Chryseis,  and  Polyommalus  Bceticus,  have  been  so  rarely 
taken  as  to  be  refused  a  place  among  the  regular  denizens 
of  our  island.  So  that  we  can  only  reckon  up  the  small 
number  of  sixty-Jive  species  of  true  British  butterflies. 

These  it  now  remains  to  describe  individually,  but, 
prior  to  entering  on  that  task,  I  would  say  a 


60  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

on  the  acquirement  of  scientific  nomenclature  and  sya. 
tematic  arrangement,  a  knowledge  of  which  will  facili- 
tate even  our  recreations  in  natural  history,  while  it  ia 
absolutely  essential  to  carrying  out  the  really  scientific 
study  of  any  department. 

It  is  true,  that  the  painting  of  a  butterfly  and  tho 
fragrance  of  a  flower  can  give  deep  pleasure  to  a  mind 
quite  unconscious  of  their  Latin  names,  their  genus, 
order,  or  anything  of  the  kind;  but  the  interest  oi 
natural  objects  is,  I  am  sure,  greatly  augmented  when 
we  acquire  some  insight,  however  dimly,  into  the  won- 
derful mechanism  of  creation's  plan,  its  infinite  grada- 
tion of  forms,  and  their  curious,  subtle  relationships, 
to  which  a  good  system  of  classification  serves,  in  some 
degree,  as  an  index.  I  say,  " in  some  degree"  as  a  sys- 
tem framed  in  perfect  accordance  with  that  of  nature 
is  a  discovery  rather  to  be  desired  than  hoped  for,  with 
the  limited  knowledge  at  present  permitted  to  us. 

Though  these  Latin  names  are  generally  considered 
as  unwelcome  excrescences  on  the  pages  of  popular 
natural  history  works,  I  would  yet  advise  the  young 
entomologist  to  master  them  for  once,  and  accustor.i 
himself  well  to  their  use.  He  will  not  find  the  task  a 
very  difficult  one,  if  I  may  judge  from  the  repeated 
instances  in  which  I  have  heard  the  almost  infantile 
progeny  of  my  naturalist  friends  glibly  mouthing  these 
redoubtable  words,  and  applying  them  with  the  most 
precise  accuracy. 

collectors  it  is  customary  in  familiar  conver- 


LATIN    NAMES.  61 

Bation  to  use  only  the  second,  or  specific  name  of  the 
insect's  Latin  title ;  thus,  in  speaking  of  the  commoi) 
Swallow- tailed  Butterfly,  they  call  it  "  Machaon  "  only, 
which  at  once  distinguishes  the  one  they  mean  from  ths 
other,  or  scarce  Swallow-tailed  Butterfly,  which  they 
would  speak  of  as  " Podalirius"  The  Pearl-bordered 
Likeness  Fritillary  may  he  called  "  Athalia"  and  so  on. 
I  think  it  will  be  allowed  that  these  Latin  names  are 
not  harder  to  learn,  remember,  or  pronounce,  than  the 
long-winded  English  titles ;  and,  when  acquired,  bring 
their  possessor  the  advantage  of  being  able  to  converse 
with  precision  on  their  subject  with  all  naturalists, 
whether  British  or  Continental;  for  these  names  of 
science  are  current  in  all  European  languages. 

Another  piece  of  advice  is  :  don't  waste  time  in  trying 
to  puzzle  out  the  meaning,  the  why  or  the  wherefore  of 
outterflies'  scientific  names.  Now  and  then,  certainly, 
they  have  some  allusion  to  the  insect's  appearance,  01 
to  the  plant  on  which  it  feeds;  thus,  for  instance, 
GonepteryxRhamni,  the  entomological  name  of  the  Brim- 
etone  Butterfly,  means  the  "Angle-winged  (butterfly) 
of  the  Buckthorn"  and  this  is  very  appropriate  and 
descriptive ;  but  in  general  there  is  no  more  connexion 
between  the  name  and  the  character  of  a  butterfly,  than 
there  is  between  a  ship's  name — the  "Furious"  tho 
" Coquette,"  or  the  " Pretty  Jane"  as  it  may  be — and 
tho  moral  disposition  or  personal  appearance  of  the 
vessel  that  bears  it. 

Also,  don't  ivaste  money  and  encourage  dishonesty,  ny 


62  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

giving  tlie  absurdly  largo  prices  put  upon  British,  01 
pretended  British,  specimens  of  butterflies,  or  othei 
insects  that  are  rare  in  this  country  though  common  c# 
the  Continent ;  when,  for  all  purposes  of  science,  or 
the  pleasure  derived  from  their  beauty,  avowed  Conti- 
nental specimens,  at  one-twentieth  of  the  price,  will  do 
just  as  well.  In  putting  these  into  your  cabinet,  how- 
ever,  always  attach  to  the  pin  underneath  the  insect  a 
label,  bearing  some  mark  to  denote  the  specimen' ,3 
Gtaeigix  origin. 


SWALLOW-TAIL.  63 


CHAPTER  VI, 

IHE  BRITISH  BUTTERFLIES  SEPARATELY  DESCRIBED. 

THE  3WALLOW-T AILED  BUTTERFLY.    (Papilio  Macha&n,] 
(Plate  III.  fig.  1.) 

THERE  is  no  possibility  of  mistaking  this  noble  insect 
for  any  other  of  our  native  species,  after  a  glance  at  its 
portrait.  Its  superior  size,  conjoined  with  the  pos- 
session of  a  pair  of  long  tails  on  the  hind  wings,  would 
al  once  mark  it  distinctly,  independently  of  the  peculiar 
markings  and  colour. 

In  the  colouring  of  the  wings,  a  broad  simplicity 
prevails,  the  general  ground- tint  being  a  clear  creamy 
yellow,  with  the  bars  and  marginal  bands  of  the  deepest 
velvety  black.  The  broad  bands  of  black  on  the  front 
wings  are  powdered  towards  ^he  centre  with  yellow 
scales,  and  those  on  the  hind  wings  with  ~blue  scales. 
The  only  other  colour  on  this  side  is  a  spot  of  rust-red 
at  the  inner  angle  of  the  hind  wings. 

The  under  side  is  very  similar  in  colouring  to  the  upper, 
but  the  black  markings  are  less  decided  and  sharp,  and 
there  are  several  additional  rust-rod  spots  on  the  hind 
wrings 


64  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

The  caterpillar,  •nkich  is  a  very  handsome  creatuie,  is 
found  feeding  on  various  umbelliferous  plants  j  among 
which,  its  chief  favourites  in  this  country  appear  to  be 
the  'Wild  Carrot  (Daucus  Carota),  the  Marsh  Milk- 
parsley  (Selinum  palustre),  and  Fennel  (Anethum  Foeni- 
culum).  In  colour  it  is  bright  green,  with  velvet-black 
rings,  which  are  spotted  with  red.  A  distinguishing 
mark  of  this  caterpillar  is  a  reddish-coloured  forked 
appendage  just  behind  its  head,  which,  when  the  animal 
is  alarmed,  gives  out  a  strong-scented  fluid,  supposed  to 
be  for  the  purpose  of  alarming  some  of  its  enemies. 

The  chrysalis,  again,  is  a  very  pretty  object,  especially 
when  of  its  ordinary  colour,  which  is  a  lively  green, 
shaded  in  some  parts  into  bright  yellow;  but  there  is 
a  frequent  variety  marked  only  with  various  shades  of 
brown  and  buff.  Living  specimens  of  both  of  these  are 
before  me  at  this  moment,  and  when  they  assume  the 
perfect  state,  I  shall  be  curious  to  mark  whether  these 
differences  are  continued  in  the  respective  butterflies. 

These  chrysalides  are  most  interesting  objects  to  keep 
during  the  winter  months.  As  the  spring  advances,  the 
colours  of  the  butterfly  begin  to  appear  faintly  through 
their  thin  green  envelope,  and  the  pattern  of  the  upper 
wings,  which  only  are  visible,  becomes  at  last  distinctly 
perceptible,  of  course  in  miniature.  When  this  is  the 
case,  we  should  begin  to  watch  for  the  release  of  the 
beautiful  prisoner. 

If  you  visit  his  cage  tne  first  thing  every  morning  (foi 
his  exit  most  frequently  takes  place  in  the  early  part  oi 


SWALLOW-TAIL.  65 

the  day),  you  may  be  fortunate  enough  on  one  of  theso 
occasions,  to  find  the  creature  either  actually  emerging,  o? 
just  out  of  his  case  ;  cutting  an  odd  figure,  and  evidently 
neither  very  proud  of  himself  nor  much  at  his  ease, 
his  wings  being  tiny  things,  hardly  bigger  than  thos^ 
of  a  humble-bee,  and  hanging  limply  from  his  compa- 
ratively ponderous  and  gigantic  body ;  which  they  are 
nevertheless  destined,  ere  many  hours  are  over,  to  carry 
with  most  enviable  celerity  through  the  air. 

The  rapid  increase  in  size  of  these  organs  is  a  mattei 
of  marvel ;  you  can  literally  see  them  grow,  and  within 
about  an  hour  they  will  have  reached  their  full  expanse. 
The  creature  attaches  itself,  back  downwards,  to  the  lid 
of  its  cage,  or  to  the  under  side  of  any  convenient 
horizontal  surface,  that  the  wings,  by  their  own  weight, 
may  aid  in  their  dilatation,  and  that  they  may  dry  with- 
out creasing,  as  they  will  sometimes  do,  when  the  insect, 
being  under  a  slippery  bell-glass,  for  instance,  is  unable 
to  reach  the  desirable  point  of  suspension,  which  it 
always  evinces  extreme  anxiety  to  do.  By  the  time  the 
sun  is  well  out,  our  pet  will  have  his  wings  thoroughly 
plumed  for  flight ;  and  here  a  difficulty  sometimes  pre- 
sents itself  to  the  entomologist.  "What  is  to  bo  done 
with  our  new-born  Machaon?  It  is  probably  a  splendid 
specimen  for  the  cabinet,  and  the  collector  may  long  td 
grace  his  "series"  with  its  virgin  splendours.  Bu 
then  there  will  creep  over  him  the  unwelcome  sensation 
that  it  is  a  somewhat  cowardly  proceeding  to  foster  a 
blight  V^ing  into  a  life  that  might  be  all  joyousnesa, 
P 


6fc>  BRITISH  BUTTERFLIES. 

and  then,  taking  advaiitage  of  his  domesticated  position, 
to  cut  short  that  life,  almost  ere  commenced,  and  to 
forhid  those  wondrous  wings  to  carry  their  possessor  to 
even  one  short  day's  enjoyment  of  sunshine  and  nectar, 
and  the  doubtlessly  exalted  pleasure  of  mere  airy  motion 
"tself.  Fairly  chasing  down  a  butterfly  is  all  we} 
enough ;  but  this  is  quite  another  thing. 

Every  one  must,  however,  choose  for  himself,  as  to 
taking  the  sentimental  or  the  entomological  view  of  the 
matter. 

Each  probably  finds  its  followers,  and  to  the  occa- 
sional prevalence  of  the  more  tender  sentiment,  are 
probably  owing  many  of  those  stray  Swallow-Tails  that 
urn  up  here  and  there  in  unlikely  places. 

The  chrysalides,  for  rearing,  may  be  obtained  in  the 
autumn  or  winter,  either  from,  entomologists  resident  ii 
the  localities  of  the  butterfly,  or  more  generally  and  cer 
tainly  from  the  London  or  Cambridge  dealers,  who  will 
send  them  into  the  country  by  post  for  a  few  pence  each. 

The  flight  of  this  species  is  rapid  and  powerful,  and 
it  has  a  habit  of  soaring  loffi^y. 

In  this  country  its  head  q  larters  are  in  the  fens  of 
Cambridgeshire,  Norfolk,  and  Huntingdonshire.  It  has 
been  found  in  some  abundance  near  Cambridge,  Norwich, 
Yaxley,  Whittlesea  Mere,  Burwell,  and  Hornsey  Fens ; 
also  singly  in  Lancashire,  at  Battersea,  Pulborough  in 
Sussex,  near  Ashford  in  Kent,  at  Balcombe,  Isle  ol 
Wight,  Hampshire,  near  Chatham,  at  Southend, 
«nd  on  the  Cliffs  of  the  South  Coast. 


BKIMSTONE.  67 

ifron;  its  local  character,  this  is  of  course  one  of  th« 
species  that  <;he  collector  can  hardly  expect  to  meet 
with,  except  he  live  in  one  of  the  districts  given  above 
as  its  head  quarters.  In  these,  however,  it  is  abundant 
enough,  and  the  first  sight  of  a  number  of  these  gran<£ 
insects  on  the  wing  must  be  enough  to  gladden  the  eye 
of  any  naturalist. 

This  butterfly  comes  out  first  in  May,  and  is  met 
with  from  that  time  till  August. 


THE  BRIMSTONE  BUTTERFLY. 
(Gmepteryx  ffluzmni.)     (Plate  III.  fig.  2.) 

THOUGH  one  of  the  commonest  of  our  native  butterflies, 
this,  like  numberless  other  very  common  things,  is  also 
one  of  the  loveliest,  both  in  the  graceful  outline  of  its 
wings,  and  in  the  lively  hue  that  overspreads  their 
"iirface ;  charms  the  more  to  be  appreciated,  as  this 
insect  is  one  of  the  few  that  do  not  wait  for  the  full 
bloom  of  summer  ere  they  condescend  to  make  their 
appearance,  but  in  the  earliest,  chill  months  of  spring, 
and  even  in  the  dead  winter  season,  the  country  rambler 
is  sometimes  gladdened  by  its  gay  flight;  and  in  fact 
(here  is  not  one  winter  month  that  is  not  occasionally 
enlivened  by  this  flying  flower,  when  a  day  of  unwonted 
oiildnc3s  and  sunshine  tempts  it  from  its  winter  retreat 
w'2 


68  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

Until  very  recently  it  had  always  been  stated  by  en- 
tomologists, that  the  Brimstone  Butterfly  was  "  double- 
brooded"  (a  term  meaning  that  it  went  through  two  wholt 
cycles  of  existence,  from  the  egg  to  the  perfect  insect,  in 
one  year),  one  brood  appearing  in  May,  and  the  other  in 
the  autumn. 

But  it  is  now  established,  on  very  satisfactory  evidence, 
that  one  brood  only  is  produced,  and  that,  the  autumnal 
tne.  A  considerable  number  of  these  survive  the 
winter  in  some  place  of  concealment,  and  coming  out 
again  in  the  spring  form  the  so-called  spring  brcod. 
Many  of  these  hybernators  are  found  to  be  in  very  fair 
condition  in  the  spring,  but  in  general  they  lack  the 
perfect  freshness  and  bloom  of  those  taken  in  autumn  ; 
the  wings  of  those  I  have  taken  at  this  period  are  ofteo 
semi-transparent,  from  having  lost  feather,  and  fre- 
quently are  spotted  and  discoloured,  as  if  by  mildew ; 
a  sign  probably  of  their  owners  having  wintered  in 
damp  lodgings 

Mr.  Douglas  states  that  they  get  very  fat  and  full  of 
honey  before  consigning  themselves  to  their  long  win- 
ter's sleep;  evidently  an  instinctive  provision  against 
the  waste  of  substance  that  must  of  necessity  accom- 
pany all,  even  the  most  sluggish  vitality:  in  this  respect 
following  the  same  instinct  that  leads  bears,  and  other 
hybernating  animals,  to  fatten  up  to  their  utmost  stretch 
before  retiring  for  the  season. 

The  eggs  should  be  sought  for  in  the  month  of  May, 
or  a  little  earlier  or  later,  on  the  buds  and  young  shooti 


BRIMSTONE.  69 

uf  tlio  two  sp  cics  of  Buckthorn  (Rhamaus  Frangula 
and  R.  Catliarticus).  When  examined  with  the  micro- 
scope, these  are  found  to  be  very  pretty  objects  of 
conical  form,  with  sculpfcued  ribs  on  the  sides. 

The  caterpillar  that  results  from  these,  when  it  grows 
up,  is  of  a  fine  green  colour,  sliagrcened  over  with  black 
points,  and  shading  on*  into  a  paler  line  along  the  side. 
Its  shape  is  represented  at  Plate  I.  fig.  2.  It  is  found 
on  the  young  buckthorn  foliage  that  forms  its  food. 

The  chrysalis  is  of  the  remarkable  shape  shown  on 
Plate  I.  fig.  1 3,  — green,  marked  with  yellow.  It  remains 
in  this  state  for  about  twenty  days,  when  the  perfect 
butterfly  appears. 

The  general  colour  of  the  male  Brimstone  Butterfly 
is  a  clear,  brilliant  yellow,  much  like  that  of  the  Daffodil, 
its  contemporary  ;  and  in  the  centre  of  each  wing  is  a 
small  spot  of  rich  orange-colour.  A  very  beautiful 
feature  to  be  remarked  in  this  butterfly  is  the  silken 
mane,  so  to  speak,  composed  of  long  hairs  of  silvery 
gloss  and  whiteness,  which  are  arranged  as  if  combed 
up  from  the  sides  of  the  thorax,  so  as  tc  meet  in  a 
crested  form  over  the  top. 

The  female  chiefly  differs  from  the  male  in  tne  ground 
colour  of  the  wings,  which  are  of  a  pale  and  very  pe- 
culiar greenish  white  tint,  rather  more  deeply  tinged 
with  yellow  at  the  extremities  of  the  wings. 

As  the  male,  from  his  colour,  bears  the  name  of 
"Brimstone,"  or  "Sulphur,"  the  complexion  of  hi* 
•nate  may  be  accurately  compared  to  the  tint  of  anothe* 


70  BHlTiS±£    BUTTERFLIES. 

sulphureous  preparation,  called  by  druggists  "  milk  of 
sulphur." 

The  only  noticeable  variation  this  butterfly  is  subject 
to  in  this  country  is  in  the  size  of  the  orange  wing- 
spots,  which  are  sometimes  greatly  enlarged. 

In  a  well-marked  variety,  common  in  the  south  of 
Europe,  Madeira,  &c.,  this  enlargement  reaches  a  great 
development,  nearly  the  whole  of  the  upper  wings  being 
suffused  with  a  deep  orange,  though  in  all  other  respects 
the  insect  does  not  differ  from  our  common  form.  This 
beautiful  variety  has  been  described  as  a  different  species 
under  the  name  of  Gonepteryx  Cleopatra;  but  M. 
Boisduval  has  proved  that  they  are  identical,  by  rearing 
both  the  ordinary  Rhamni  and  the  Cleopatra  from  the 
same  batch  of  eggs. 

The  female  Cleopatra  does  not  differ  materially  from 
Rhamni.  I  look  on  this  variety  as  very  interesting,  as 
a  probable  instance  of  the  direct  effect  of  increased 
warmth  of  climate  in  intensifying  colour.1 

Plentiful  as  this  butterfly  is  in  all  the  southern 
counties,  and  extending  in  more  or  less  abundance  as 

1  Cleopatra,  as  Duponchel  observes,  is  found  in  France,  only  in 
the  hottest  parts,  and  is  first  seen  as  we  go  southwards,  about 
Avignon,  but  abounds  most  on  the  shores  of  the  Mediterranean. 

Why  the  two  varieties  Cleopatra  and  the  common  Rhamni 
fly  together  we  cannot  fully  explain ;  but  it  is  possible  there 
may  be  a  constitutional  difference  between  individual  insects, 
just  as  we  see  that  of  two  Englishmen  going  to  a  hot  climate, 
one  will  brown  deeply,  while  the  complexion  of  the  olbei 
will  hardly  alter,  though  exposed  to  the  vf\ry  J^anae  ex 
influence. 


CLOUDED    YELLOW.  71 

far  northwards  as  the  lake  district,  it  there  becomes 
scarce;  and  I  can  find  no  instance  of  its  having 
occurred  in  Scotland. 

Of  course,  its  prevalence  in  any  district  is  naturally 
regulated  by  the  abundance  of  its  food-plants,  the 
buckthorns. 

Gardens,  fields,  and  lanes  are  equally  the  resort  of 
this  favourite  insect ;  and  there  the  newly-hatched  spe- 
cimens are  to  be  found  on  the  wing  from  August  to 
October. 


THE  CLOUDED   YELLOW,   OE  CLOUDED 
SAFFKOK     (C olios  Edusa.) 

(Plate  III.  fig.  3,  Male  j  SA,  Eemale.) 

THIS  richly-coloured  and  nimble-winged  fly  is  ever  the 
darling  of  the  collector.  None  make  a  finer  show  in 
the  cabinet,  and  few  tempt  pursuit  more  strongly  than 
does  this  golden  beauty  when  on  the  wing.  • 

For  many  years  past,  and  up  to  quite  a  recent  period, 
the  appearance  of  this  butterfly  in  any  abundance  was 
*  phenomenon  only  occurring  at  uncertain  periods, 
separated  by  intervals  of  several  years.  In  one  season, 
perhaps,  hardly  a  solitary  specimen  would  be  seen,  and 
in  the  very  next,  a  swarm  of  them  would  spread  ov«r 
the  southern  counties,  delighting  the  fly  catcher  ami 
the  naturalist  to  find  a  sufficient  reason  for 


72  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

this  sudden  burst  of  insect-life.  "Whether  the  eggs  laj 
dormant  for  years,  till  hatched  under  peculiarly  favour- 
able conditions ;  or  whether  every  now  and  then  a  few 
individuals  were  tempted  to  cross  the  Channel  from  the 
Continent  by  some  attraction  unknown  to  us,  or  were, 
nolens,  volens,  blown  hither  by  the  wind,  and  then 
deposited  eggs  which  produced  the  next  year's  troop  of 
butterflies ;  or,  lastly,  whether  an  agency  was  at  work 
here,  of  whose  nature  we  are  entirely  ignorant, — all 
these  are  questions  that  still  remain  to  be  answered. 
There  is,  I  believe,  no  foundation  for  the  opinion  some- 
times held  by  entomologists,  that  this  species  prevails  at 
regular  periods,  such  as  once  in  four,  or  once  in  seven 
years.  In  fact,  for  the  last  two  or  three  years  its  per- 
manent residence  and  appearance  among  us  seems  to  be 
established,  while,  at  the  same  time,  its  northward 
range  has  been  greatly  extended,  a  considerable  number 
having  been  taken  even  in  Scotland — its  existence  in 
that  country  having  been  previously  quite  unheard  of. 

The  environs  of  London,  especially  on  the  south  side, 
have  been  abundantly  visited  by  this  charming  insect  j 
but  its  tastes  have  a  decidedly  maritime  tendency,  and 
wo  find  it  has  a  marked  preference  for  the  South  Coast; 
abounding,  again,  more  especially  towards  the  eastern 
end.  Its  favourite  resorts  are  clover  and  lucerne  fields, 
though  dry  flowery  meadows,  open  downs,  and  the  sides 
of  railway-banks  are  also  the  scenes  of  its  lively  flight  — 
fa  Edusa  has  indeed  a  lively  flight,  and  his  puisuor 
Uas  need  oi'  the  "Feven-league  boots,"  with  the  hand  of 


CLOUDED    YELLOW.  73 


Mercury,  to  insure  success  in  the  fair  open  race,  if 
can  be  called  a  fair  race  at  all,  between  a  heavy  biped, 
struggling  and  perspiring  about  a  slippery  hill-side,  such 
as  Edusa  loves,  —  and  a  winged  spirit  of  air,  to  whom 
up-hill  and  down-hill  seem  all  one. 

In  truth,  the  best  way  to  get  Edusa  is  to  watch  and 
mark  him  down  on  a  flower,  then  creep  cautiously  up 
till  within  range,  raise  the  net  quietly,  and  strike  rapidly 
downwards  over  the  insect,  who  usually  darts  upward 
when  struck  at  ;  and,  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten,  Edusa 
will  be  fluttering  under  the  net.  It  is  not  the  most 
heroic  style  of  sport,  this,  but  it  fills  the  boxes  ad- 
mirably. 

The  caterpillar  is  of  a  deep  green  colour,  having  OD 
each  side  a  white  line,  marked  with  yellow  and  orange 
It  may  be  sought  for  in  June  and  July,  on  various 
plants  of  the  leguminous  order,  which  form  its  food, 
such  as  None-such  Trefoil  (Medicago  lupulina),  Lucerne 
(J/.  Saliva),  and  Clover. 

The  chrysalis  is  in  shape  between  that  of  the  Brim- 
stone, and  Cabbage  butterfly,  green  with  a  yellow  stripe 
and  rust-coloured  dots. 

The  butterfly  seldom  is  seen  on-  the  wing  till  July, 
but  August  is  its  great  season  ;  and  it  lingers  with  ua 
till  late  in  autumn. 

I  remember  the  pleasure  with  which,  on  a  chill, 
stormy  day  in  October,  I  watched  the  sports  of  a  pair 
who  were  my  sole  companions  while  sketching,  in  i/ 
remote,  rocky  nook  cf  the  South  TVelsh  coast.  Yen 


74  BRITISH   BUTTERFLIES, 

battered  and  weather-worn  were  the  pretty  cieaturet; 
but  still  retaining  much  of  the  golden  bloom  of  then 
summer  dress. 

The  Clouded  Yellow  has  been  found  hybernating  in 
the  chink  of  an  old  wall  at  the  end  of  February,  but  I 
am  not  aware  of  its  coming  out  again  in  the  spring, 
like  the  Brimstone. 

The  ground  tint  of  the  wings  is  an  exceedingly  rich 
orange-yellow,  or  saffron  colour,  mmounded  by  a  border 
of  very  dark  brown,  sometimes  nearly  black.  This 
border  is  marked,  iL.  the  male,  wit'k  thin  yellow  lines, 
and  in  the  female  with  paler  yellow  spots.  There  is  a 
beautiful  rose  tint  in  the  fringe  of  the  wings  and  on 
their  front  edge.  Underneath  the  wings  are  paler  yellow 
taking  a  citron  hue  in  some  parts,  and  marked  with  black 
and  brown ;  in  the  centre  of  the  under  wings  is  a  brown- 
sircled  silvery  spot. 

There  is  a  peculiar  and  constant  variety  of  the  female, 
in  which  all  the  yellow  portion  of  the  upper  surface  is 
replaced  by  a  greenish  white  tint ;  but  in  every  other 
respect  the  insect  agrees  with  the  common  form  of 
Edusa.  This  interesting  variety  was  formerly  ranked 
as  another  species,  tinder  the  name  of  C.  Ifelice  ;  but  it 
is  a  curious  fact  that  no  corresponding  variety  of  the 
male  has  ever  been  observed ;  and  last  year  I  captured 
a  pair  together — a  white  female  and  common  orange 
male — who  were  on  those  terms  of  tender  intimacy 
which  are  generally  supposed  to  betoken  ideatity  oi 


CLOUDED    SULPHUR.  75 

Varieties  of  the  female  are  also  met  wii/h,  of  various 
Intermediate  shades  of  colour  between  the  white  and 
the  ordinary  orange. 

Yet  is  it  not  possible  that  all  these  varieties  may  be 
mules  between  C.  Edusa  and  G.  Hyale  (the  next  species), 
the  males  of  which  are  often  seen  pursuing  the  lady 
Edusas  ?  but  if  so,  as  indeed  it  would  be  on  any  othei 
hypothesis,  it  is  hard  to  account  for  the  unvarying 
character  of  the  male. 

This  butterfly  is  also  called  the  Clouded  Saffron. 


1HE    CLOUDED    SULPHUK,    OR   PALE 
CLOUDED   YELLOW  BUTTERFLY. 

(Colias  Hyale.)     (Plato  III.  fig.  4.) 

WE  may,  in  general,  readily  distinguish  this  elegant 
insect  from  the  last  species — the  females  of  which  it 
rather  resembles  in  its  markings — by  the  difference  in 
the  ground  tint  of  the  wings,  which  in  this  vary  from 
primrose  or  sulphur  yellow  to  a  greenish  white. 

There  is,  however,  some  risk  of  confounding  this 
with  the  white  variety  of  Edusa  (ffelice),  a  mistake 
often  committed  by  young  entomologists  j  so  it  will  ba 
well  to  point  out  the  most  prominent  distinction  between 
llie  two ;  and  this  iu  easily  done,  by  observing  that  in 
Eduxa  the  dark  border  of  the  upper  wings  is  of  nearly 


76  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

equal  breadth  along  the  whole  of  the  outer  margin,  and 
at  the  lower  corner  is  continued  inwards  for  a  short  c?w- 
tance  ;  whilst  in  If y ale  this  border  narrows  rapidly, 
and  disappears  before  reaching  the  lower  corner  of  the 
wing.  Also  the  dark  border  of  the  hind  wings  is  much 
broader  in  Edusa  than  in  Hyale.  Here  we  have  dis- 
tinctive marks,  quite  independent  of  the  ground  colour 
of  the  wings. 

The  sexes  of  this  butterfly  are  nearly  alike  in  their 
markings,  the  chief  difference  being  in  the  yellowei 
ground  tint  of  the  males. 

The  same  localities — viz.  the  south  and  south-east 
coast,  and  the  adjacent  district — that  are  most  prolific 
in  its  near  relative,  Edusa,  likewise  furnish  this  specie? 
in  the  greatest  plenty;  but  this  is  by  far  the  rarer 
species  of  the  two,  and,  either  by  coincidence,  or  in 
obedience  to  some  direct  law,  several  successive  periods 
of  its  abundance  have  been  septennial,  or  have  occurred 
once  in  seven  years.  Thus  the  years  1821,  '28,  '35,  '42, 
'49,  and  '56  are  noted  in  entomological  records  as  having 
produced  it  in  great  numbers. 

On  the  coast  of  France,  opposite  to  our  own,  it  is 
one  of  the  common  butterflies,  and  it  is  net  improbable 
ihat  it  frequently  makes  the  passage  of  the  Channel. 
The  maritime  habits  of  both  this  and  Edusa  are  well 
known,  and  I  have  frequently  seen  the  latter  flying  out 
to  seawards,  and  coquetting  with  the  waves,  till  the  eye 
3ould  follow  the  golden  speck  no  longer.  Taking  ad 
i  *Litage  then  of  a  favouring  wind,  its  naturally  strorg 


feLACtt-VElNED.  77 

tnd  rapid  flight  would  quickly  take  it  across  tlie  fe\» 
miles  of  sea  that  separate  us  from  the  Gallic  shore. 

llyale,  whose  flight  is  at  least  as  strong  as  Edusa's, 
and  whose  salt-water  tastes  are  similar,  doubtless  acts 
in  the  same  manner. 

The  northward  range  of  this  species  is  more  limited 
than  that  of  Edusa,  but  it  has  been  taken  singly  nea? 
York,  Manchester,  and  a  few  other  northern  localities. 
In  the  lucerne  fields  near  Brighton,  a  dozen  or  more 
have  been  sometimes  captured  in  one  day. 

The  caterpillar  is  of  a  sea-green  colour,  with  four 
yellow  lines,  two  along  the  back  and  one  on  each  side ; 
and  is  to  be  found,  in  June  and  July,  feeding  on  lucerne 
and  other  plants  of  the  same  natural  order. 

The  chrysalis  is  very  similar  to  that  of  Edma,  green, 
with  a  yellow  stripe. 

In  this  country,  the  butterfly  first  appears  in  August ; 
but  on  the  Continent  it  seems  to  be  double-brooded, 
being  found  in  May  as  well  as  in  August. 


THE  BLACK-VEINED  OK  HAWTHOEN 
BUTTEKFLY.     (Aporia  Cratccgi.) 

(Plate  IV.  fig.  1.) 

WHEN  on  the  wing,  this  species  might  easily  be  mis 
\jy  the  inexperienced  for  the  common  Cabbagp 


78  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

White ;  and,  by  virtue  of  this  incognito,  does  in  att 
probability  often  escape  from  the  terrors  of  the  net, 
which  would  speedily  entrap  him,  were  his  real  cha- 
racter known  to  the  young  hunter ;  for  this  butterfly  is 
one  of  those  called,  in  entomological  slang,  "  a  good 
thing" — a  term  expressive  neither  of  superior  excel- 
lence nor  beauty,  but  meaning  that  the  insect  can't  be 
met  with  everywhere,  or  every  day,  and  when  seen  is 
always  to  be  caught. 

A  closer  view,  however,  shows  it  to  be  very  distinct 
from  all  the  other  "Whites;"  its  decided  black  veinings 
on  a  milk-white  ground,  in  conjunction  with  its  large 
size,  being  sufficient  for  its  immediate  recognition. 

The  outline  of  the  wings,  as  well  as  the  play  of  the 
reining  lines  on  their  surface,  is  extremely  elegant.  It 
will  be  observed,  that  instead  of  the  feathered  fringe 
that  surrounds  the  wings  of  most  butterflies,  they  are 
bordered  in  this  species  by  a  stout  nervure,  forming  a 
sharp  black  outline,  and  giving  a  peculiarly  chasto 
finish. 

The  under  side  differs  in  no  mentionable  respect 
from  the  upper — a  very  rare  circumstance  in  this  tribe. 
From  being  very  sparingly  coated  with  scales,  the  wings 
are  semi-transparent,  differing  much  in  this  respect 
from  those  of  the  Ga-rden  White  butterflies. 

The  female  generally  has  the  veins  of  the  fore  wings 
of  a  browner  tint  than  in  the  males. 

This  butterfly  is  one  of  the  very  local  species,  though 
its  food  plants  are  everywhere  to  be  found,  in  mora  oj 
Ws  abundance 


BLACK-VEINED.  79 

The  following  localities,  among  others,  have  beep 
recorded  as  producing  it :— Herne  Bay,  and  other  part* 
of  the  Isle  of  Thanet,  plentifully ;  near  Favershain, 
Kent ;  Horsham,  Sussex ;  New  Forest ;  Brington,  in 
Huntingdonshire ;  near  Cardiff,  South  Wales,  plentiful. 

The  caterpillars  are  gregarious,  feeding  under  cover 
of  a  silken  weh.  The  hawthorn  and  the  sloe  are  its 
chief  food  plants  in  this  country,  but  it  is  here  too  rare 
an  insect  to  do  much  damage.  ISTot  so,  however,  on  the 
Continent,  where  it  is  extremely  common,  and  is  classed 
among  noxious  insects,  committing  great  devastation 
/imong  various  fruit  trees,  especially  the  apple,  pear, 
and  cherry. 

But  even  in  this  country  the  insect  is  occasionally 
met  with  in  great  profusion,  but  only  in  isolated  spots. 
Mr.  Drane,  writing  from  Cardiff  to  the  Zoologisi,  says, 
"In  the  middle  of  April  (1858)  I  found  the  larvce  feed- 
:Tig  by  thousands  upon  insulated  shir.bs  of  Prunus 
o'pinosa  (Common  Sloe),  eating  out  the  centres  of  the 
unexpanded  buds,  or  basking  in  the  sun  upon  thoii 
winter  webs." 

The  body  of  the  adult  caterpillar  is  thickly  clothed 
with  whitish  hairs,  is  leaden  grey  on  the  side  and  uii- 
derrieath,  black  on  the  back,  and  marked  with  two 
longitudinal  reddish  stripes.  Found  from  the  middle 
ot  April  to  the  end  of  May. 

The  chrysalis,  shown  at  fig.  14,  Plate  I.,  is  greenish 
white,  striped  with  yellow  and  spotted  with  black. 

The  butterfly  appears  in  Juna, 


80  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

THE  LAEGE  GAEDEN  WHITE  BUTTERFLY. 
(Pieris  Brassicce.)       (Plate  IV.  fig.  2.) 

WHY  this  butterfly  should  so  far  outnumber  sverj 
other  native  species  (excepting,  perhaps,  the  more  rural 
Meadow  Brown),  is  a  question  beyond  our  power  to 
answer  satisfactorily.  .  Certainly,  the  food  plants  of  the 
caterpillar — cabbages,  cresses,  and  their  tribe — are  uni- 
versally met  with ;  but  then  we  find  there  are  other 
insects  whose  food  plant  is  equally  plentiful  and  wide- 
spread, and  yet  they  are  nevertheless  very  rare  or  local. 

This  is  pre-eminently  the  domestic  butterfly,  abound- 
ing in  suburban  gardens,  and  at  times  penetrating  into 
the  smoky  heart  of  London,  and  then  even  the  young 
"  St.  Giles's  bird,"  whose  eyes  were  never  gladdened  by 
green  fields,  gets  up  a  butterfly  hunt,  and,  cap  (or  rag) 
in  hand,  feels  for  the  nonce  all  the  enthusiasm  of  tho 
chase  in  pursuit  of  the  white- winged  wanderer,  who 
looks  sadly  lost  and  out  of  place  in  the  flowerless, 
brick-and-mortar  wilderness. 

This  and  the  next  species  are  the  only  British  butter- 
flias  who  can  be  charged  with  committing  any  appre- 
ciable amount  of  damage  to  human  food  and  pr  >perty. 
In  tho  winged  state,  indeed,  it  is  utterly  harmless  (like 
all  otfier  butterflies) ;  but  not  so  the  hungry  caterpillar 
progeny,  as  the  gardener  knows  too  well  when  he  looka 


LAKGE    GARDEN   WHITE.  81 

\t   his  choice   cabbago   rows   all    gnawed    away    into 
ikeletons. 

In  some  seasons  and  places  they  multiply  so  iiaordi 
nately  and  prodigiously  as  to  deserve  the  title  of  a 
plague  of  caterpillars,  and  several  remarkable  instances 
of  this  phenomenon  are  on  record. 

A  note  in  the  Zoologist,  p.  4547,  by  the  Rev.  Aithur 
Hussey,  gives  us  the  following: — "For  the  last  two 
Bummers  many  of  the  gardens  of  this  village  have  been 
infested  by  caterpillars  to  such  an  extent  that  the  cab- 
bages have  been  utterly  destroyed."  When  the  time 
for  changing  to  the  chrysalis  state  arrived,  the  surround- 
ing buildings  presented  a  curious  appearance,  being 
marked  with  long  lines  of  the  creatures  travelling  up 
'he  walls  in  search  of  a  suitable  place  of  shelter  for 
undergoing  their  transfomiation.  A  great  number  of 
the  caterpillars  took  refuge  in  a  malt-house,  from  which 
they  could  not  escape  as  butterflies,  the  result  being 
that  for  several  weeks  the  maltster  swept  up  daily  many 
hundreds  of  the  dead  insects. 

In  1842,  a  vast  flight  of  white  butterflies  came  over 
from  the  Continent  to  the  coast  about  Dover,  and  spread- 
ing inland  from  thence,  did  an  immense  amount  of 
damage  to  the  cabbage  gardens ;  but  so  effectually  did 
the  ichneumon  flies  do  their  work,  that  an  exceedingly 
Email  proportion  of  the  caterpillars,  resulting  from  tliif 
flock  of  immigrants,  went  into  the  chrysalis  state, 
neaily  all  perishing  just  before  the  period  of  change. 

Those  small,  silky,  oval  objects,  of  yellowish 


82  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

frequently  found  in  groups  on  walls  and  palings,  aie 
the  cocoons  of  these  useful  little  flies,  spun  round 
about  and  over  the  remains  of  the  dead  caterpillar 
their  victim.  "These,"  as  Mr.  Westwood  observes, 
"ignorant  persons  mistake  for  the  eggs  of  the  cater- 
pillar, and  destroy;  thus  foolishly  killing  their  bene- 
factors." 

Happily  these  devastating  caterpillars  have  plenty  of 
enemies  to  prevent  their  continued  multiplication,  and 
to  reduce  their  number  speedily  when  it  exceeds  certain 
limits.  Besides  the  ichneumons,  mentioned  above,  the 
feathered  tribes  do  much  towards  keeping  them  down. 
Mr.  Haworth,  in  his  "  Lepidoptera  JBritannica,"  says, 
with  reference  to  this  :  "  Small  birds  destroy  incredible 
numbers  of  them  as  food,  and  should  be  encouraged. 
I  once  observed  a  titmouse  (Parus  major)  take  five  01 
six  large  ones  to  its  nest  in  a  very  few  minutes.  In 
enclosed  gardens  sea-gulls,  with  their  wings  cut,  are  of 
infinite  service.  I  had  one  eight  years,  which  was  at 
last  killed  by  accident,  that  lived  entirely  all  the  while 
upon  the  insects,  slugs,  and  worms  which  he  found  in 
the  garden." 

The  pretty  egg  of  this  butterfly  is  figured  on  Plate 
II.  fig.  1  :  it  may  be  found  commonly  enough,  with 
a  little  searching,  on  cabbage-leaves,  either  at  the  end 
if  May  or  beginning  of  August. 

The  caterpillar,  which,  besides  cabbages,  consumes 
various  other  cruciferous  plants, — also  Tropseoluins,  or, 
&s  they  are  erroneously  called,  "Nasturtiums/' — is  green. 


1ARGE    GARDEN    WHITE. 

shaded  with  yellow  on  each  side,  and  covered  with 
black  points,  on  each  of  which  is  situated  a  hair. 

By  way  of  compensation  for  the  damage  it  inflicts,  it 
has  been  suggested  that  a  durable  green  dye  might  be 
extracted  from  the  caterpillars  of  cabbage  butterflies, 
since  it  is  extremely  difficult  to  eradicate  the  stain  made 
by  a  crushed  caterpillar  on  linen.  If  this  strange  and 
novel  dye  should  ever  take  its  place  among  the  vagaries 
of  fashion,  the  shopkeepers  could  find  a  familiar  French 
name,  as  the  word  chenille,  applied  to  another  commo- 
dity, means  simply  "  caterpillar,"  so  "  cJienille  green " 
would  be  the  phrase  for  the  colour  afforded  by  smashed 
caterpillars. 

The  chrysalis  (Plate  I.  fig.  15)  may  be  found  almost 
anywhere,  laid  up  under  ledges  of  garden  walls,  door- 
way, or  any  convenient  projection,  not  too  far  from  the 
creature's  food.  Wanting  an  individual  just  now,  to 
sit  for  his  portrait,  I  had  only  to  step  out  of  my  door, 
and  within  a  hundred  yards  espied  a  candidate  for  the 
distinction,  ready  to  hand,  under  the  coping-stone  of  a 
gate-post. 

A  female  specimen  of  the  butterfly  is  figured  on  Plate 
IV.  fig.  2.  The  male  may  be  readily  distinguished  by 
the  absence  of  the  black  spots  and  dashes  on  the  upper 
side  of  the  front  wings. 

The  winged  insect  may  be  seen  throughout  the  warm 
season  from  April  to  August. 


84  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

THE  SMALL  GARDEN  WHITE. 
(Pieris  Rapce.)      (Plate  IV.  fig.  3.) 

OUTWARDLY  resembling  the  last  in  almost  every  respect 
but  that  of  its  inferior  size,  this  species  shares  the 
gardener's  malediction  with  its  larger,  but  perhaps  less 
destructive,  relative  ;  for  the  caterpillar  of  Iiapce.,  though 
smaller,  bores  into  the  very  heart  of  the  cabbage,  in- 
stead of  being  content  with  the  less  valuable  outer 
leaves,  as  Brassicce  is.  Erom  this  pernicious  habit  the 
"French  call  this  grub  the  ver  du  coeur. 

The  colour  of  this  caterpillar  is  pale  green,  with  a 
yellow  line  along  the  back,  and  a  dotted  one  of  the 
Barne  colour  on  each  side. 

The  chrysalis  is  nearly  like  that  of  the  last  in  shape, 
but  of  course  smaller,  and  is  of  a  more  uniform  brownish 
or  yellowish  tint. 

This  butterfly  occasionally  multiplies  immensely,  and 
is  given  to  migrating  in  vast  armies  to  distant  settle- 
in  ants,  sometimes  crossing  the  sea  to  effect  this  purpose. 
Here  is  an  extract  from  a  Kentish  newspaper,  de- 
scribing an  occurrence  of  this  phenomenon  : — 

"  One  of  the  largest  flights  of  butterflies  ever  seen  in 
this  country,  crossed  the  Channel  from  Fiance  to  Eng- 
land on  Sunday  last.  Such  was  the  density  and 
axtent  of  the  cloud  formed  by  the  living  mass,  that  it 


SMALL  GARDEN  WHITS.  85 

completely  obscured  the  sun  from  the  people  oil  board 
our  Continental  steamers,  on  their  passage,  for  many 
hundreds  of  yards,  while  the  insects  strewed  the  decks 
in  all  directions.  The  flight  reached  England  about 
twelve  o'clock  at  noon,  and  dispersed  themselves  inland 
and  along  shore,  darkening  the  air  as  they  went. 
During  the  sea-passage  of  the  butterflies,  the  weathe± 
\vas  calm  and  sunny,  with  scarce  a  puff  of  wind  stir- 
ring ;  but  an  hour  or  so  after  they  reached  terra  firma, 
it  came  on  to  blow  great  guns  from  the  S.  \V.,  the 
direction  whence  the  insects  came." 

A  contemporary  account  states  that  these  were  the 
small  white  butterflies  (Pieris  Rapce). 

The  smaller  butterfly  with  more  dusky  markings, 
formerly  known  as  P.  Metra,  has  been  recently  proved 
to  be  merely  a  variety  of  Rapce,  a  Mr.  J.  F.  Dawson 
having  reared  a  brood  of  caterpillars  all  exactly  similar 
in  appearance,  which  eventually  produced  every  variety 
of  P.  Rapaz  and  P.  Metra. 

Mr.  Curtis,  in  his  "Farm  Insects,"  mentions  the 
capture,  near  Oldham  in  Lancashire,  of  a  male  specimen, 
which  had  all  the  wings  of  a  bright  yellow  colour. 

Most  juvenile  butterfly  hunters,  unblcst  by  scientific 
knowledge  of  insect  life,  imagine  that  this  and  the  lasi 
owe  their  difference  in  size  simply  to  their  being  old 
and  young  individuals  of  the  same  name ;  forgetting — 
or,  rather,  never  having  heard — that  butterflies  nevei 
grow  in  the  slightest  degree  after  once  getting  theii 
*n'nged  form  only  as  caterpillars  do  they  grow. 


86  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

The  male  is  distinguished  from  the  female  by  having 
only  one  round  Hack  spot,  or  sometimes  none,  on  each 
upper  wing,  whilst  the  female  is  spotted  as  in  the 
engraving.  The  under  side  of  the  hind  wings  is  dull 
yellow,  lightly  powdered  with  Hack  scales. 

The  butterfly  is  seen  during  nearly  the  whole  of  the 
Bummer,  and  is  found  almost  everywhere. 


THE  GREEK- VEIKED  WHITE  BUTTERFLY. 
(Pieris  Napi.)    (Plate  IV.  fig.  4.) 

Is  so  called  from  the  greenish  tint  that  often  borders 
ihe  veins  or  nervures  on  the  under  side  of  the  hind 
wing ;  but  the  name  is  not  always  an  appropriate  one, 
for  a  large  proportion  of  the  specimens  met  with  have 
the  veinings  grey,  and  not  at  all  green ;  "but  the  fact  is, 
that  the  ground  colour  varies  greatly,  from  creamy 
white  to  full  buff,  or  bright  clear  yellow ;  in  the  latter 
case  it  is,  that  the  minute  black  scales  which  border  the 
course  of  the  nervures,  covering  over  tho  yellow,  pro- 
duce a  grey-green  effect  on  the  eye. 

Tho  size  also  is  very  variable.  I  have  a  specimen 
that  expands  two  inches  and  two  lines  across,  from  tip 
to  tip,  and  have  seen  another  not  larger  than  a  small 
Copper  butterf.y — little  more  than  one  inch  from  tip 


GREEN-VEINED    WHITE.  87 

to  tip.  The  intensity  of  the  dark  markings,  on  both 
the  upper  and  under  sides,  is  also  subject  to  much 
variation. 

But,  under  all  these  circumstances,  the  presence  oi 
dark  cloudy  veins  on  the  under  side — appearing,  but 
less  distinctly,  on  the  upper  side — will  at  once  distin- 
guish it  from  the  last  species,  the  only  one  with  which 
it  can  possibly  be  confoundsd. 

The  male  has  only  one  roimd  spot  on  the  front  wings; 
the  female  being  marked  as  .in  the  plate. 

Both  in  woods  and  cultivated  grounds  we  meet  witl' 
this  butterfly  commonly  enough,  most  abundantly  in 
May  and  July,  though  it  may  be  found  from  April  to 
August. 

The  caterpillar  feeds  on  the  same  tribe  of  plants  as 
the  two  last,  but  is  supposed  to  be  especially  attached 
to  the  Rape  (Brassica  Napus),  whence  its  specific  name. 
Its  colour  is  green,  with  yellow  spots  round  each  spi- 
racle, wliich  is  itself  tinged  with  red. 

Two  varieties  of  this  were  formerly  ranked  as  distinct 
ipocios,  under  the  name  of  P.  Sabellicas  and  P.  Napoece* 


BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

THE  BATH  WHITE.     (Pirns  I'fapUdioe.) 
(Plate  IV.  fig.  5,  Female.) 

OP  all  the  members  of  this  white-winged  genus  thai 
inhabit  Britain,  this  is  at  the  same  time  the  most  beau- 
tiful and  the  rarest.  The  capture  of  a  Bath  White  is 
an  entomological  "  event,"  and  the  day  thereof  is  a  red- 
letter  day  in  the  fortunate  captor's  life. 

On  the  opposite  coast  of  France,  however,  and  gene- 
rally on  the  Continent,  far  from  being  a  rarity,  this  is 
one  of  the  commonest  butterflies — a  fact  difficult  for  an 
English  collector,  removed  by  only  a  few  miles  of  sea, 
to  realise,  or  reconcile  with  the  extravagant  value  anc1 
importance  attached  to  a  true  "  British  specimen." 

The  remark  made  under  the  head  of  the  Black- 
veined  White,  as  to  that  eluding  the  net  of  the  novice, 
by  its  resemblance  to  a  common  kind,  will  apply  with 
atill  greater  force  to  this  one ;  for  I  suppose  there  are 
few  even  of  the  tolerably  experienced  "hands"  who  could 
tell  this  from  the  two  last  described  insects,  at  a  short 
distance.  One  curious  circumstance  bearing  on  this  is, 
that  a  large  per  centage  of  the  Bath  White  captures  in 
this  country  have  been  made  by  juvenile  beginners, 
who  hunt  and  catch  everything  they  seo;  Common 
Whites  and  alL 


BATH   WHITE.  89 

This  fact  should  encourage  the  collector,  especially 
when  at  work  on  the  south-east  coast,  to  net  all  tho 
middle-sized  Whites  that  come  within  reasonable  dis- 
tance— of  course  letting  them  off  again,  if  they  are  not 
of  the  right  sort. 

The  wing  markings  on  both  the  upper  and  undei 
sides  are,  though  simple,  extremely  elegant  and  chaste. 
The  female,  which  is  the  sex  figured,  has  the  upper 
wings  beautifully  spotted  with  black.  The  hind  wings 
are  bordered  with  a  row  of  black  spots,  and  clouded 
towards  the  centre  with  a  faint  tint  of  the  same. 

The  male  is  distinguished  by  the  absence  of  the 
black  spot  nearest  to  the  lower  margin  of  the  front 
wing,  and  of  the  black  marginal  spots  and  grey  cloud- 
ing of  the  hind  wings.  The  markings  of  the  undei 
surface,  however,  show  through  their  substance  rathei 
plainly. 

In  both  sexes,  the  ground  colour  of  the  wings  is 
milk-white.  But  the  chief  decoration  is  reserved  for 
the  under  surface,  which  is  chequered,  in  a  manner  not 
easily  described,  with  a  soft  but  rich  green  tint  upon 
white,  relieved  here  and  there  by  a  few  black  touches. 

"We  are  informed  by  Lewin,  that  it  was  named  the 
Bath  White  from  a  piece  of  needlework  executed  at 
Bath,  by  a  young  lady,  from  a  specimen  of  this  insect, 
said  to  have  been  taken  near  that  city.  But  the 
eouth-eastern  corner  of  England,  and  more  especially  on 
the  coast,  seems  to  be  the  head-quarters  of  this  valued 
fly, — lending  probability  to  the  supposition  entertained 


00  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

by  many,  that  a  large  proportion  of  those  taken  here 
have  migrated  or  been  blown  across  the  Channel; 
though  I  believe  it  sometimes  breeds  hero,  and  that 
the  caterpillars  have,  on  one  or  two  occasions,  been 
found  in  this  country. 

The  butterfly  has  been  taken  several  times  at  Dover, 
Margate,  and  other  places  on  the  Kentish  coast ;  at 
Lewes ;  "Whittlesea  Mere,  Cambridge ;  Worcester,  and 
near  Bristol. 

The  caterpillar,  which  is  to  be  found  in  June  and 
September,  is  bluish  with  black  spots,  a  pale  yellow 
line  on  each  side,  and  two  of  the  saniv)  colour  on  the 
back.  M.  Le  Plastrier  reared  a  number  of  them,  feed- 
ing them  on  the  leaves  of  the  Wild  Mignonette  (Reseda 
lutea).  It  also  feeds  on  Weld  (Reseda  Luteola). 

The  'Jirysalis  very  much  resembles  that  of  the  Small 
Garden  White,  and  is  totally  unlike  that  of  the  next, 
the  Orange-Tip,  with  which  it  has  been  by  some  ento- 
mologist united  into  another  genus  (Mancipium). 

Daplidice  is  a  slow  insect — slower  than  the  Common 
Whites — and  it  is  an  easy  matter  to  catch  it,  when 
recognized,  which  the  peculiarly  heavy  flight  might  aid 
one  in  doing. 

May  and  August  are  the  months  in  which  to  look 
after  this  gem  of  the  Pontia  genus. 


ORANGE-TIP. 


THE  ORANGE-TIP  BUTTERFLY. 
(Euchloe  Cardamines.) 

(Plate  V.  fig.  1,  Male;  la,  Female.) 

FEW  vernal  ramblers  in  the  country,  whether  ontomolo 
gical  or  no,  can  fail  to  have  noticed,  and  been  charmed 
by,  this  merry  blossom-like  insect,  as  it  gaily  flits  along 
by  hedge-row  and  wood-side,  pausing  anon  to  taste  its 
own  sweet  flowers  of  May,  and  looking,  even  when  on 
the  wing,  so  unlike  any  other  of  our  native  butterflies. 
Truly  it  is  an  exquisite  and  loveable  little  creature,  thi? 
Orange-Tip — sometimes  styled  the  Wood  Lady;  but  this 
latter  title  is  somewhat  awkward  in  its  application, 
inasmuch  as  the  "  lady "  insect  is  entirely  without  the 
characteristic  orange  adornment,  and  would  hardly  bo 
suspected  as  being  the  same  species  with  her  handsome 
lord. 

The  male  Orange-Tip  needs  no  description,  for  the 
purpose  of  recognition,  beyond  that  conveyed  by  his 
name ;  but  as  the  female  is  less  known,  and  has  been 
on  several  occasions  mistaken  for  the  rare  Bath  White 
(Daplidice),  it  will  be  well  to  point  out  her  chief  dis- 
tinguishing characters.  The  difference  between  the  two 
insects  certainly  is  obvious  enough,  when  the  two  are 
teen  together  but  their  written  descriptions  read  rathe! 
alike. 


92  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

The  female  Cardamines  has  the  wings  white  above, 
with  a  greyish  hlack  tip,  and  a  small  oval,  or  crescent- 
shaped  black  spot  (much  smaller  than  that  of  Daplidiee) 
near  the  centre  of  the  front  wings  ;  beneath,  a  whita 
ground,  with  green  marblings,  that  are  much  mor** 
sharply  defined  than  those  in  Daplidice.  Near  tho 
centre  of  the  front  wing  is  a  clear  black  spot,  corre- 
sponding in  position  with  that  on  the  upper  surface, 
and  not  shaded  off  with  green,  as  in  Daplidice. 

We  speak  of  the  green  marblings  of  this  species — and, 
to  the  naked  eye,  they  do  appear  to  be  of  quite  a  bright 
green — but  under  a  microscope  or  powerful  lens  that 
colour  disappears,  being  resolved  into  a  combination  of 
bright  yellow  and  pure  black  scales,  which,  with  the 
dazzling  snow-white  ground  scales  that  surround  them, 
form  a  microscopic  tableau  of  extraordinary  beauty, 
This  can,  however,  only  be  seen  by  daylight,  for  under 
artificial  light  the  yellow,  on  which  the  whole  effect 
depends,  is  entirely  lost. 

The  caterpillar  is  slightly  hairy,  and  green,  with  a 
white  stripe  on  each  side.  It  has  been  generally  stated 
that  the  Cardamine  impatiens  is  the  common  food  plant 
of  this  species,  apropos  of  which  I  will  quote  the  fol- 
lowing communication  from  Mr.  Doubleday  to  the 
editor  of  the  Zoologist : — 

"  In  reply  to  your  query  about  the  food  of  the  larva 
of  Cardamines,  I  may  say  that  I  have  found  it  upon 
Bereral  plants.  I  believe  that  Cardamine  pratensit 
'comra  )n  c  ickoo-  flower)  is  the  one  on  which  the  eggs 


ORANGE-TIP.  93 

are  most  frequently  deposited,  but  the  greatei  part  of 
the  larixK  must  perish  in  this  neighbourhood,  because 
the  fields  are  mowed  before  the  larvae  are  full-grown. 
I  have  very  often  seen  the  larvae  on  the  seed-pods  of 
Erysimum  Alliaria,  and  have  several  times  found  the 
pupae  on  the  dead  stems  of  this  plant  in  winter ; .  I 
think  that  it  is  the  principal  food  of  Cardamines  at 
Epping;  it  also  probably  feeds  on  E.  barbarca,  and 
other  similar  plants.  Some  years  ago  we  used  to  have 
a  quantity  of  a  large  single  rocket  in  the  garden,  and 
there  was  always  a  number  of  the  larvse  of  Cardamines 
feeding  on  the  seed-pods.  Cardamine  impatiens  is  so 
local  a  plant  that  it  cannot  be  the  common  food  of  the 
larvce  of  Cardamines." 

The  chrysalis  is  of  the  very  singular  shape  shown  at 
ilg.  17,  Plate  I.,  a  shape  quite  unique  among  British 
butterflies,  though  that  of  the  next  slightly  approaches 
it.  It  i-s  to  be  looked  for  in  autumn  and  winter  on  the 
dry,  dead  stems  of  the  plants  named  in  the  foregoing 
paragraph 

The  perfect  butterfly,  which  is  very  common  through- 
out the  country,  is  met  with  from  the  end  of  April  to 
the  end  of  May  or  beginning  of  June- 


94  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

XilJi  WOOD-WHITE  BUTTERFLY. 
(Leucophasia  Sinapis.)    (Plate  V.  fig.  2.) 

A  GLANCE  at  the  figure  of  this  graceful  little  butterfly 
(on  Plate  Y.)  will  suffice  to  distinguish  it  at  once,  and 
clearly,  from  all  our  other  Whites.  The  most  ordinary 
form  of  the  insect  is  there  represented,  but  tnera  are 
specimens  occasionally  met  with  that  have  the  blackish 
spot  at  the  tip  of  the  wings  very  much  fainter ;  and 
sometimes,  as  in  one  that  I  possess,  this  spot  is  totally 
wanting.  The  shape  of  the  wings  in  these  is  also  dif- 
ferent, being  much  rounder,  and  proportionately  shorter, 
than  in  the  ordinary  shape.  This  difference  in  outline 
is,  I  believe,  a  sexual  distinction,  the  more  rounded 
form  belonging  to  the  female  insect. 

The  slender,  fragile  wings  and  the  attenuated  body 
of  the  Wood-white  give  it  a  look  of  almost  ghostly 
lightness,  and  its  manners  befit  its  spectral  aspect,  for 
it  seems  to  haunt  the  still  and  lonely  wood  glades, 
flitting  about  slowly  and  restlessly,  and  being  seldom 
seen  to  settle. 

From  its  weak  flight,  it  is  a  very  easy  insect  to  cap- 
ture. It  appears  to  be  addicted  to  eaily  rising,  twenty 
six  specimens  having  been  taken  one  morning  before 
'breakfast  by  a  gentleman  at  Grange,  in  North  Lanca- 
shire ^ 


WOOD-WHITE MARBLED    WHITE.  95 

The  caterpillar  is  green,  striped  on  each,  side  with 
yellow ;  it  feeds  on  the  Bird's-foot  Trefoil,  and  other 
leguminous  plants. 

The  chrysalis  is  shown  on  Plate  I.  fig.  18,  and  in 
shape  somewhat  approaches  that  of  the  Orange-tip. 

The  butterfly  appears  in  May  and  August,  and  though 
by  no  means  a  common  or  generally  distributed  insect, 
is  found — and  sometimes  abundantly — in  many  locali- 
ties throughout  the  corntry,  as  far  north  as  Carlisle; 
some  of  these  are  here  given.  Woods  in  neighboiir- 
hood  of  Brighton,  Horsham  (Sussex),  Dorchester,  New 
Forest,  Exeter,  Epping,  West  Wickham  Wood,  Monks- 
wood,  Huntingdonshire,  Plymouth,  Wavendon,  Wor- 
cester, Kent  and  Surrey,  Teignniouth,  Gloucestershire, 
Carlisle,  Lake  District,  Leicester,  Manchester,  North 
Lancashire.  Unknown  in  Scotland. 


THE  MAKBLED  WHITE  BUTTERFLY. 
(Argc  Galathea.)     (Plate  V.  fig.  3.) 

THIS  higlily  interesting  and  elegant  insect  would,  by 
the  uninitiated,  probably  be  classed  among  the  last 
group  of  Butterflies — the  Whites — from  the  similarity 
in  its  colours ;  but  from  all  those  it  may  be  readily 
distinguished  by  having  only  four  walking  legs  (instead 
of  the  six  which  all  our  other  white  butterflies  possess), 


96  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

and  also  by  the  eye-like  spots  most  visible  on  the  undei 
side. 

The  colouring  may  be  described  as  consisting  of 
nearly  equal  quantities  of  black  and  creamy-white,  or 
pale  yellow,  so  arranged  as  to  form  a  marbled  pattern  of 
great  richness.  This  description  applies  to  the  upper 
surface ;  on  the  under,  the  pale  tint  very  much  pre- 
ponderates; many  of  the  black  masses  of  the  upper  side 
being  here  reduced  to  mere  lines. 

Many  an  entomologist,  whose  hunting  ground  has 
been  limited  to  a  small  district,  has  collected  for  years 
without  once  seeing  this  pretty  creature  on  the  wing  ; 
and  then  visiting  another  neighbourhood,  perhaps  not 
far  distant,  he  will  suddenly  find  it  in  profusion.  I 
well  remember  the  feelings  of  surprised  delight  with 
which,  under  these  circumstances,  I  first  made  its 
acquaintance.  The  scene  of  the  event  was  a  grassy 
opening  in  a  wooded  hill-side  in  Kent,  and  here  were 
literally  hundreds  visible  at  once,  making  the  air  all 
alive  as  they  fluttered  about  in  sportive  groups  :  it  was 
a  sight  not  to  be  forgotten ;  while  a  hundred  yards 
from  this  spot  not  a  solitary  one  was  to  be  seen,  so 
closely  limited  is  the  local  range  of  this  species. 

The  caterpillar,  which  feeds  on  grasses,  like  the  rest 
of  its  tribe,  is  green,  with  yellowish  stripes  on  each 
side,  and  has  a  reddish  head  and  tail.  The  form  is 
shown  at  fig.  3,  Plate  I. — a  form  common  to  all  the 
tribe  to  which  this  species  belongs. 

July  and  August  are  the  months  when  we  shoulJ 


SPECKLED   WOOiO.  9V 

look  for  this  charming  butterfly,  in  wood  clearings  and 
meadows  near  woods. 

Some  of  the  localities  in  which  it  has  been  observed 
are:  Isle  of  Wight,  Surrey  Hills,  Eastwell  Park 
(Kent),  Dover,  Lewes,  Brighton,  Epping,  Gloucester- 
shire, Kingsbury,  Darenth  Wood,  New  Forest,  Rock- 
inghain  Park,  Teignmouth,  York,  Barnwell  Wold, 
South  Wales.  Not  known  in  Scotland. 


THE  SPECKLED  WOOD  BUTTERFLY. 
(Lasiommata  Egeria.)     (Plate  V.  fig.  4.) 

EVERY  ONE  who  has  wandered  through  green  woodland 
ridings,  or  coppiced  paths,  must  be  familiar  with  a 
lively,  spotted  brown  insect  that  trips  along  just  ahead 
of  one,  in  a  sociable  way,  for  some  distance,  finding 
time  to  turn  aside  into  the  leafy  recesses  on  either  side 
without  lo&ing  ground ;  then,  having  had  enough  of 
our  company,  mounting  overhead,  and  retracing  ita 
course  in  the  same  playful  way,  and  soon  lost  in  the 
winding  of  the  path. 

This  is  the  Speckled  Wood,  or  Wood  Argus  Butter- 
fly, a  very  pretty  insect  on  both  sides,  and  receiving 
the  latter  name — Argus,  "  the  many-eyed  " — from  the 
npws  of  rich  black  eyes  that  grace  its  pinions. 


BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

Over  nearly  the  whole  of  England  it  is  to  be  inef 
with  commonly  wherever  there  is  wooded  ground ;  bu' 
in  several  parts  of  Scotland  it  is  quite  unknown. 

The  prevailing  colour  of  the  wings  is  deep  brown, 
spotted  with  various  shades  of  buff  or  lighter  brown. 
The  "  eyes "'  are  velvety  black,  with  a  pure  white 
centre-spot. 

The  caterpillar — a  grass  feeder — is  dull  green,  with 
broad  white  side  stripes. 

The  chrysalis,  which  is  of  a  beautiful  grass-green 
colour,  may  be  found  in  winter,  under  trees,  attached 
to  blades  of  grass. 

The  butterfly  is  out  from  April  to  August. 


THE  WALL  BUTTERFLY.     (Lasiommata  Mea&ra,) 
(Plato  V.  iig.  6'.) 

THE  habits  and  movements  of  this  pretty  species  much 
resemble  those  of  the  last ;  but  the  Wall  Butterfly  is  a 
more  sun-loving  insect,  and  rather  frequents  road-sides 
and  dry  sunny  banks.  Still,  there  are  many  spots 
where  one  sees  both  the  Lasiommatas  together. 

The  colours  on  the  upper  side  are  a  rick  tawny  or 
fulvous  ground,  with  dark-broivn  markings,  and  puro 


WALL — GRAYLINGK  99 

black  eye-spots.  The  under  side  of  the  hind  wings  fo 
pencilled  with  sober  colours,  but  in  a  design  of  great 
beauty  and  delicacy  ;  and  especially  to  be  admired  are 
the  double-ringed  "  eyes,"  a  band  of  which  runs  parallel 
with  the  outer  margin  of  the  hind  wings. 

The  caterpillar  feeds  on  grasses ;  is  green,  with  three 
pale  lines  down  the  back,  and  one  more  clearly  marked 
on  each  side. 

The  butterfly  appeal's  in  May,  and  again  in  August 
and  September;  and  is  everywhere  common  throughout 
the  country. 

It  is  called  the  "Wall  Butterfly  from  its  frequent 
habit  of  choosing  a  road-side  wall  for  a  perch,  whence, 
on  the  approach  of  man,  it  darts  off;  returning  again, 
however,  on  the  departure  of  the  obnoxious  person. 


THE  GRAYLING  BUTTERFLY. 
(Hipparckia  Semele.)    (Plate  Y.  fig.  6,  Female.) 

THIS  fine  insect  is  the  largest  British  species  of  the 
genus,  and  also  of  the  family,  some  of  the  females  mea- 
suring two  inches  and  three-quarters  from  tip  to  tip 
across  the  expanded  wings ;  and  it  also  exhibits  more 
vivacity  of  colouring  than  most  of  its  brethren. 
Above,  the  wings  are  deep  brown,  marked  with 

H2 


100  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

broad  patches  of  paler  colour,  sometimes  making  a 
bright  contrast  in  the  female,  but  much  duller  and 
more  uniform  in  the  male. 

The  female  also  exceeds  her  lord  considerably  in 
itature,  and,  in  fact,  by  her  side  he  looks  rather  a  mean 
nd  shabby  fellow. 

The  device  on  the  under  side  of  the  nind  winge^ 
though  composed  of  the  plainest  colours,  is  very  orna- 
mental; grey  and  brown  are  the  prevailing  hues,  dis- 
posed in  mottled  bars  and  stripes,  reminding  one  of 
agates,  or  some  other  ornamental  stones. 

This  butterfly  is  not  everywhere  to  be  found,  but 
Jaunts  rocky  places  and  hill-sides,  on  a  chalky  or  lime- 
stone soil.  At  St.  Boniface's  Down,  in  the  Isle  of 
Wight,  I  noticed  it  in  such  exceeding  profusion  last 
August,  that  I  could  quickly  have  caught  thousands, 
Had  I  been  so  disposed. 

Though  a  powerful-looking  insect,  its  flight  is  by  no 
means  swift,  and  it  suffers  itself  to  be  captured  without 
difficulty. 

The  caterpillar  is  dull  pinkish  about  the  back,  with 
three  obscure  grey-green  stripes,  a  dark  line  on  the 
aides,  and  greenish  beneath.  It  feeds  on  grasses,  and  has 
been  said  to  undergo  its  transformation  to  the  chrysalis 
in  the  earth ;  but  this  point  requires  confirmation. 

The  butterfly  is  seen  from  the  middle  of  July  till  the 
beginning  of  September. 

The  following  are  localities  for  it  : — Bembridgo  and 
Ventnor  (Isle  P*  Wisrht),  Brighton,  Lewes,  New  Force! 


GEAYLING — -MEADOW   BEOWN.  lOl 

Exeter,  Plymouth,  Falmouth,  Truro,  Bristol,  Dorset- 
Bliire,  Salisbury  Plain,  "Wincliester,  "Worcester,  New 
market,  Gamlingay,  Isle  of  Arran,  Arthur's  Seat  (Edin- 
burgh), Durham,  Darlington,  Glasgow,  Lake  District. 


THE  MEADOW  BROWN  BUTTERFLY. 
(Hipparchia  Janira.) 

(Plate  VI.  fig.  1,  Male;  la,  Female.) 

PERHAPS  of  all  our  butterflies  this  is  the  least  attrac- 
tive, being  too  common  to  excite  interest  from  its  rarity 
or  difficulty  of  attainment^  as  other  dingy  butterflies  do, 
and  too  plain  and  homely  to  win  regard,  in  spite  of  its 
commonness,  as  the  beautiful  "  Small  Tortoise-shell " 
and  the  Common  Blues  do. 

This  is  the  sober  brown  insect  that  keeps  up  a  con- 
stant fluttering,  in  sunshine  and  gloom,  over  the  dry 
pasture  land  and  barren  hill-side;  and  perhaps  it  ought 
to  find  favour  in  our  eyes,  from  this  very  fact  of  keeping 
np  a  cheerful  spirit  under  circumstances  the  most  unfa- 
vourable to  butterfly  enjoyment  in  general. 

The  colouring  of  the  male,  on  the  upper  side,  may  be 
described  as  a  sooty  brown,  rather  lighter  about  tho 
eye-spot  on  the  front  wing. 


102  BRITISH  BUTTERFLIES. 

The  female  is  a  little  smarter  in  her  attire,  naving  an 
orange-tawny  patch,  on  the  front  wing. 

Beneath,  both  sexes  are  nearly  alike;  the  general 
colour  of  the  front  wing  being  fulvous,  or  orange-brown, 
with  a  cool-brown  margin.  The  hind  wings  are  marked 
with  tints  of  a  duller  brown,  varying  much  in  distinct- 
ness in  different  specimens. 

The  caterpillar  is  green,  with  a  white  stripe  on  each 
side.  Feeds  on  grasses. 

The  butterfly  abounds  almost  everywhere,  from  June 
till  the  end  of  August. 


THE  LAEGE  HEATH  BUTTERFLY. 
(Hipparchia  Tithonus.)    (Plate  VI  fig.  2,  Male.) 

THOUGH  much  less  abundant  than  the  last,  this  ia 
another  very  common  species,  and  met  with  throughout 
England  and  the  south  of  Scotland. 

The  ground  tint  above  is  a  rich  rust-colour,  or  orange- 
brown,  bordered  with  dark-brown;  the  base  of  the  wings 
also  slightly  clouded  with  the  same ;  and  on  each  front 
wing,  near  the  tip,  there  is  a  black  eye-spot,  with  twc 
white  dots.  So  far,  both  sexes  are  similar;  but  the 
male  has,  in  addition,  a  bar  of  dark-brown  across  the 
Centre  of  the  rust-coloured  space,  on  the  upper  wing, 
This  sex  is  that  figured  on  the  plate. 


LARGE    HEATH—RINGLET.  103 

"Underneath,  there  is  a  pretty  arrangement  of  sub- 
dued colouring;  that  of  the  front  wings  nearly  resem- 
bling the  upper  side;  the  lower  wings  clouded  and 
spotted  with  russet-brown  on  a  paler  brown  ground,  the 
dark  rounded  brown  spots  having  white  centres;  but 
there  are  no  black  eye-spots  on  the  hind  wings. 

The  caterpillar  is  greenish-grey,  with  reddish  head 
and  two  pale  lines  on  each  side  and  a  dark  one  down 
the  back 

The  butterfly,  a  feeble  flier  and  easily  captured,  ap- 
pears in  July  and  August ;  its  favourite  resorts  being 
heaths,  dry  fields,  and  lanes. 

It  is  sometimes  called  the  Small  Meadow  Brown, 
and  the  Gate-keeper. 


THE  KINGLET  BUTTEEFLY. 
(HipparcMa  Hyperanthus.)    (Plate  VI.  fig.  3,  Female.) 

THIS  is  one  of  those  butterflies  in  which  Nature,  depart- 
ing from  her  accustomed  plan,  has  reserved  the  chief 
adornment  of  the  wings  for  the  under  surface,  leaving 
the  upper  comparatively  plain  and  unattractive. 

In  both  sexes  the  wings,  above,  are  of  a  deep  sepia 
brown,  surrounded  by  a  greyish  white  fringe,  and  bear- 
ing several  black  spots  in  paler  rings,  which  rings  are 


104  BRITISH   BUTTERFLIES. 

much  less  distinct  in  the  male  than  in  the  female,  th« 
sex  figured  in  the  plate. 

The  under  surface  is  of  a  soft  russet  ground,  adorned 
with  a  wreath  of  the  ringlet-spots  from  which  the  insect 
takes  its  common  name.  These  are  black  eye-spots,  white- 
centred  and  set  in  a  clear  ring  of  pale  tawny  colour. 
The  most  usual  form  and  proportions  of  these  spots  are 
shown  in  the  figure  (with  closed  wings),  but  there  arb 
many  varieties  met  with,  the  following  "being  the  most 
remarkable  that  have  come  under  my  notice. 

One,  and  not  a  very  ancommon  one,  has  no  light 
rings  round  the  black  spots  on  the  under  side. 

Another  has  the  rings  reduced  to  a  range  of  mere 
light  specks,  the  black  eye-spots  being  entirely  absent. 

Then  again,  another  has  the  black  pupils  exceedingly 
large  and  rich,  forming  a  most  elegant  variety. 

The  spots  on  the  upper  side  in  the  male  are  some- 
times quite  imperceptible. 

The  ground  colour  of  the  upper  side  is  occasionally  of 
a  pale  drab  or  fawn  colour. 

The  caterpillar  of  this  species  is  very  like  that  of  the 
last  in  colouring,  and  feeds  on  the  same  grasses. 

The  butterfly,  which  is  out  in  June  and  July,  13  a 
common  and  widely  distributed  species,  frequenting 
woods,  shady  corners  of  hedge-rows,  &c. 


SCOTCH   ARGUS.  105 

THE  SCOTCH  ARGUS  BUTTERFLY. 

(Erebia  Blandina.)    (Plate  VI.  fig.  4,  Female.) 

THE  genus  Erelia,  to  which,  this  species  belongs,  is 
composed  of  a  group  of  mountain  butterflies,  very 
numerous  in  the  Alpine  regions  of  the  Continent, 
seventeen  species  being  described  as  inhabiting  the 
Alps  ;  and,  though  only  two  have  yet  been  discovered 
in  this  country  (unless  we  admit  Ligea,  formerly  taker 
in  the  Isle  of  Arran1),  it  is  not -at  all  improbable  that 
others  may  be  waiting  for  us  in  some  of  the  mountain 
districts,  if  we  will  but  look  them  up.  Both  tourists 
and,  more  especially,  residents  in  those  localities  should 
be  encouraged  by  the  hope  of  adding  a  new  species  to 
our  list  to  explore  thoroughly  the  hill-sides  and  summits 
at  various  seasons  of  the  year,  as  many  of  the  species, 
besides  being  extremely  local  in  their  range,  are  only  on 
the  wing  during  a  very  short  period  of  the  year. 

The  Scotch  Argus  ia  a  pretty,  though  not  brightly- 
coloured  butterfly. 

The  colour  above  is  a  deep  rich  brown,  with  a  cop 
pery  or  orange-red  band  on  each  wing,  and  each  band 
has  several  (three  or  four  usually)  black  eye-spots 
Uiereon, 

1  See  page  171. 


106  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

On  the  under  side,  the  front  wings  are  nearly  ths 
3ame  as  on  the  upper  side,  showing  the  red  patch  and 
eyes  plainly ;  but  the  hind  wings  are  without  the  red 
patch,  and  are  divided  into  broad  bands  of  brownish 
tints,  very  variable,  having  sometimes  a  tendency  to 
chocolate  colour,  sometimes  to  an  olive  or  russet  brown : 
but  the  stripe  which  is  shown  as  lightest  in  the  engrav- 
ing of  the  under  side  is  almost  always  greyer  than  the 
rest,  having  occasionally  a  purplish  ash  colour.  On 
this  band  are  some  minute  specks,  occupying  the  places 
of  the  upper  surface  eyes. 

The  number  of  eye-spots  is  very  variable  on  both 
surfaces. 

The  female,  which  is  the  sex  figured,  is  both  largei 
than  the  male  and  has  the  reddish  band  of  a  brighter 
colour. 

The  caterpillar,  whose  food  plant  is  unknown,  is 
stated  by  Duncan  to  be  "light  green,  with  brown  and 
white  longitudinal  stripes  ;  head  reddish." 

The  butterfly  appears  in  August  and  September.  A 
few  years  ago  it  was  esteemed  a  rare  insect,  but  it  haa 
since  been  found  in  plenty  in  some  of  the  following 
localities,  the  list  of  which  would  doubtless  be  largely 
added  to  by  farther  research  in  the  northern  hilly 
districts,  its  chosen  haunts. 

Near  Edinburgh ;  near  Minto,  in  Roxburghshire ; 
Isle  of  Arran ;  Brsemar ;  near  Newcastle ;  Castle  Eden 
Dene;  Durham;  Craven;  Wharf edalfl 


MOUNTAIN   RINGLET.  107 

At  Grange,  in  North.  Lancashire,  this  u  rarity  "  is  a 
common  garden  butterfly,  according  lo  Mr,  C.  & 
Gregson. 


THE  MOUNTAIN  KINGLET  BUTTERFLY. 
(Erebia  Cassiope.)     (Plate  VI.  fig.  5.) 

A  FEW  years  ago  this  little  butterfly  was  esteemed  one 
of  the  greatest  of  British  rarities.  The  first  weD 
authenticated  specimens  were  discovered  and  captured 
in  Westmoreland  by  that  distinguished  artist,  T. 
Stothard,  E.A. ;  then  for  several  years  no  more  were 
taken,  and  the  very  existence  of  the  butterfly  in 
Britain  was  questioned.  Since  that  time,  however,  its 
peculiar  haunts  among  the  mountains  of  Cumberland 
and  Westmoreland  have  been  rediscovered,  and  great 
numbers  have  been  captured  by  various  collectors.  It 
is  only  found  in  very  elevated  situations,  flying  about 
the  moist,  springy  spots  that  abound  on  these  mountain 
sides,  and  in  many  spots  the  insect  is  very  plentiful, 
within  a  limited  range. 

Mr.  Curtis  says,  "  They  only  fly  when  the  sun  shines, 
and  their  flight  is  neither  swift  nor  continued,  for  they 
frequently  alight  among  the  grass,  and  falling  down  to 
ihe  roots,  their  sombre  colour  perfectly  conceals  them." 

The  following  notice  of  their  locality,  &c.  from  per 


108  BRITISH   BUTTERFLIES. 

ittmal  observation,  is  quoted  from  a  communication  to 
the  Intelligencer,  by  a  well-known  entomologist,  Mr.  R 
S.  Edleston,  of  Manchester.  He  says  : — 

"I  and  my  ~friend,  Mr.  Hugh  Harrison,  in  the 
middle  of  June  made  the  ascent  to  Sty  Head  Tarn  ;  for 
the  first  time  in  my  experience,  the  weather  was  every- 
thing we  could  desire — calm  and  sunshine  j  this,  com- 
bined with  the  dry  season  of  last  year  and  the  long 
drought  for  months  during  this,  enabled  us  to  collect  on 
ground  in  other  years  a  dangerous  morass.  The  result 
was,  we  captured  Oassiope  in  abundance,  some  of  them 
in  superb  condition,  just  emerged  from  the  chrysalis. 
A  very  short  time  on  the  wing  suffices  to  injure  them. 
They  vary  considerably  in  the  development  of  the 
black  spots  on  the  fulvous  patch,  almost  obsolete  in 
some  through  all  gradations  to  the  fullest  development  j 
the  patch  varies  in  like  manner,  and  also  in  form ; 
lastly,  they  vary  in  size." 

The  caterpillar  is  yet  unknown. 

The  butterfly  has  the  wings  above  of  a  dark  brown 
colour.  Each  wing  bears  near  its  extremity  a  bar  of 
deep  but  dull  red,  divided  into  sections  where  the 
brown  veins  cross.  In  each  section  is  usually  a  black 
spot,  but  sometimes  these  are  absent,  and  a  few  red 
spots  take  the  place  of  the  bar.  The  hind  wings  are 
smoothly  rounded  in  their  outline,  and  not  toothed  or 
scalloped  as  in  the  last  species  (Blandina).  The  males 
generally  appear  towards  the  end  of  June,  but  a  few 
sometimes  earlier.  The  females,  however,  come  later. 


MARSH   RINGLET.  109 

being  found  in  Jaly,  and  some  even  as  late  as  August. 
The  following  localities  for  it  are  recorded : — Rannoch, 
Perthshire  ;  Lake  District ;  Sty  Head  Tarn  ;  Langdala 
Pikes ;  Eed  Skrees  Mountains,  near  Ambleside  j  Gable 
Hill.  But  other  stations  for  it  will  probably  be  added 
to  our  list  in  time. 


THE  MARSH  RINGLET,  OR  SMALL  RINGLET 
BUTTERFLY. 

(Coenonympha  Davus)     (Plate  VI.  fig.  6.) 

THIS  species,  which  is  another  North-country  butter- 
fly, varies  so  much  in  its  colouring  of  sober  drab  or 
brown,  with  black  eye-spots,  that  its  varieties  have 
been  described  as  distinct  species  under  the  names  of 
C.  Polydama,  Typhm,  and  Iphis,  now,  however,  all 
placed  together  under  the  name  of  Davits. 

These  variations  appear  to  depend  in  great  measure 
upon  local  differences  of  elevation,  latitude,  &c. 

From  this  excessive  variability  also  it  is  very  difficult 
to  givo  a  clear  general  description  of  the  markings, 
though  the  insect  may  be  distinguished  from  other 
British  speciea  that  approach  it  in  appearance  by  the 
obscure  yellowish-drab  tint  of  the  upper  surface,  marked 
with  indistinct  eye-spots,  and  moie  especially  by  having 
an  the  under  surface  of  the  hind  wings  an  irregular 


110  BRITISH   BUTTERFLIES, 

whitish  band  across  the  centre,  and  outside  of  this  3 
row  of  about  six  clearly  defined  black  eye-spots  with 
white  centres,  situated  each  in  a  pale  ochreous  ring. 

The  butterfly,  which  appears  in  June  and  July,  is 
exclusively  met  with  in  the  North  (including  North 
Wales),  and  inhabits  the  moors  and  marshy  heaths,  or 
"mosses,"  in  a  great  many  localities  in  Scotland  and 
the  northern  counties.  The  following  are  among  those 
recorded : — 

SCOTLAND. — Shetland  Isles;  Isle  of  Arran;  Pent- 
land  Hills ;  Ben  Nevis ;  Ben  Lomond,  near  Oban ; 
Ben  More. 

ENGLAND. — Lake  District  of  Cumberland ;  Yorkshire ; 
Beverley  ;  Cottingham ;  Hatfield  Chase  ;  Thome  Moor ; 
White  Moss,  Trafford  Moss,  Chat  Moss,  near  Man- 
chester; Chartly  Park,  near  TJttoxeter;  Delmere 
Forest,  Cheshire;  between  Stockport  and  Ashton; 
near  Cromer,  in  Norfolk ;  near  Glandford  Brigg,  Lin- 
colnshire. 

IRELAND. — Donegal  mountains. 

NORTH  WALES. — Between  Bala  and  Ffestiniog. 

Ash  down  Forest,  in  Sussex,  has  been  given  as  a 
locality,  on  doubtful  authority,  certainly;  but  from 
what  I  have  seen  and  know  of  that  district  and  its 
productions,  I  think  it  is  not  at  all  impossible  that 
Davits  may  be  really  found  there.  Wo  have  there,  at 
uny  rate,  the  heath-covered,  yet  swampy,  moorlands 
that  the  insect  loves,  and  also  in  plenty  the  plants  one 
finds  most  abundant  in  the  northern  moorlands ;  such 


SMALL    HEATH.  11] 

as  Vacciniums,  Cotton-grasses,  the  three  common  Heathf  f 
&c.  &c.  with  great  variety  in  the  elevation.,  ome  of 
the  ground  Jying  very  high. 


THE  SMALL  HEATH  BCJirERFLY. 
(Coenonympha  Pamphilus.)    (Plate  VI.  fig.  7.; 

THIS  is  the  pretty  little  tawny-coloured  butterfly  that 
mixes  with  the  sportive  group  of  "Blues,"  Meadow 
Browns,  &c.  on  heaths,  downs,  and  grassy  fields. 

The  general  colour  of  the  upper  surface  is  a  tawny 
yellow  or  buff,  shaded  with  a  darker  tint  of  brown  at 
the  edges  and  at  the  bases  of  the  hind  wings.  On  the 
under  side  it  may  be  distinguished  from  G.  Davus  by 
the  absence  of  the  clearly  defined  black  eye-spots  which  the 
latter  has.  It  is  usually  much  inferior  in  size  to  tho 
last. 

The  caterpillar,  which  feeds  on  the  common  grasses, 
is  of  a  bright  apple-green  colour,  with  throe  darker 
green  stripes  bordered  with  a  whitish  taut,  the  largest 
stripe  being  that  on  the  back. 

The  butterfly  abound«  al\  over  the  country,  from 
June  till  September. 


112  *HTTJSH    BUTTERFLIES. 

TH:E  WHITE  ADMIRAL 

{Limenitis  Sybilla.)    (Plate  VII.  fig.  1.) 

THIS  elegant  butterfly  is  one  of  those  in  which  tha 
Choicest  ornamentation  is  bestowed  upon  the  under  sur- 
face, to  the  comparative  neglect  of  the  upper.  Above, 
a  dark  sepia-brown  tint,  banded  and  spotted  with  white, 
is  all  that  greets  the  eye ;  but  beneath  there  is  a  piece 
of  the  most  exquisitely  harmonious  colouring,  though 
the  hues  that  compose  it  are  still  of  a  subdued  and 
secondary  nature; — silvery  blue,  and  golden  brown 
blended  with  a  cooler  brown  and  black,  ars  placed  in 
vivacious  contrast  with  bands  and  spots  of  pure  silver  y 
white. 

The  caterpillar  (Plate  I.  fig.  4),  which  feeds  on  the 
Honeysuckle,  is  a  pretty  and  singular  looking  creature  ; 
qeneral  colour  bright  green,  with  reddish  branched 
•pines,  and  white  and  brown  side-stripes. 

The  chrysalis  (Plate  I.  fig.  21)  is  also  a  very  beautiful 
and  curious  object,  very  knobby  and  angular,  of  dark 
green  general  colour,  and  ornamented  with  bright  silver 
upots  and  atripes. 

The  butterfly  is  found  from  the  end  of  June  till  the 
end  of  July;  its  favourite  resorts  being  oak-woods  ia 
the  do  ithern  counties. 


WHITE   ADMIRAL — PURPLE    EMPEROJB  113 

Localities: — Colchester;  Epping;  Hartley  Wood, 
near  St.  Osyth,  Essex ;  near  Rye,  and  in  other  parts  of 
Sussex ;  at  several  places  in  Kent ;  near  Winchester  ; 
and  in  Black  Park,  where  Dr.  Allchin  informs  me  he 
took  a  large  number  in  one  day. 

The  superlatively  graceful  motions  of  this  butterfly 
on  the  wing,  as  it  conies  "floating  and  sailing  through 
the  wood  openings,  have  long  been  celebrated;  and  the 
story  has  been  often  quoted  from  Haworth,  of  the  old 
fly-fancier,  who,  long  after  he  had  become  too  feeble 
and  stiff-jointed  to  pursue  or  net  a  butterfly,  used  to  go 
and  sit  on  a  stile  which  commanded  a  well-known  resort 
of  his  favourite  Sybilla,  and  there,  for  hours  together, 
would  he  feast  his  eyes  on  the  sight  of  her  inimitably 
elegant,  evolutions. 


THE  PURPLE  EMPEROR . 
(Apatura  Iris,)    (Plate  VII.  fig.  2.) 

Bt  universal  suffrage,  the  place  of  highest  rank  among 
the  butterflies  of  Britain  has  been  accorded  to  this 
splendid  insect^  who  merits  his  imperial  title  by  reason 
of  his  robe  of  royal  purple,  the  lofty  throne  he  assumes, 
and  the  boldness  and  elevation  of  his  flight. 

A  glimpse  of  this  august  personage  on  the  wing  ia 
enough  to  fire  the  collector  with  enthusiastic  ambition 


114  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

for  his  capture ;  sometimes  a  matter  of  the  easiest  a> 
complishment,  sometimes  just  as  hopelessly  impossible 
according  to  his  majesty's  humour  of  the  moment 

Cowardice  is  not  one  of  his  attributes,  and  if  he  has 
formed  a  preference  for  any  especial  spot,  he  will  risk 
loss  of  liberty  and  life  rather  than  forsake  it. 

The  old  mode  of  capturing  this  prize  was  by  a  ring 
net  fixed  at  the  end  of  a  pole  some  twenty  or  thirty 
feet  long,  and  so  sweeping  him  off  as  he  sat  on  his 
leafy  throne,,  or  in  one  of  his  evolutions  when  he 
quitted  his  seat  for  a  turn  in  the  air. 

This  method  still  is  practised,  and  succeeds  occa 
sionally,  but  the  weapon  is  an  unwieldy  one,  both  in 
use,  and  for  carriage  to  the  place  of  action ;  and  science 
has  now  placed  in  our  power  another  plan,  by  means  of 
which  I  believe  that  by  far  the  greater  number  of 
Decent  captures  have  been  made. 

The  plan  alluded  to,  is  to  take  advantage  of  the 
creature's  royal  taste  for  game — for  in  that  light  I  take 
his  predilection  for  decomposing  animal  matter,  now  a 
matter  of  notoriety ;  and  so  potent  is  the  attraction  of 
the  haut-goul  for  the  royal  palate,  that  if  any  animal, 
or  part  of  one,  not  too  recently  slaughtered,  be  sus- 
pended near  the  known  haunts  of  the  insect,  ten  to  one 
but  its  savour  will  bring  him  down  to  earth  to  taste  the 
luxurious  morsel,  and  so  engrossed  does  lie  become  when 
thus  engaged,  that  he  may  be  swept  off  by  the  net 
without  difficulty.  In  the  space  of  two  or  three  dayj 
large  numbers  of  Eir.perors  have  been  caught  by 


ftTKPLE    EMPEROE.  115 

of  this  novel  and  singular  trap,  and  the  seemingly 
course  and  ur.butterfly-like  taste  that  leads  them  to  it. 

The  wings  of  the  male  only  have  that  splendid  glow 
of  changing  purple  that  gives  him  his  name  and 
honours,  the  empress  having  in  its  place  a  sober  garb 
of  brown ;  she,  however,  considerably  exceeds  her  lord 
in  dimensions  and  expanse  of  wing.  From  her  stay-at- 
home  habits,  sitting  all  day  in  her  oak-leaf  bower,  she 
is  comparatively  seldom  seen  or  captured.  I  believe 
collectors  generally  take  about  ten  males  to  one  female. 

On  the  under  side  the  colouring  of  both  sexes  is 
Bimilar,  and  affords  a  striking  contrast  to  the  dark 
upper  surface,  having  the  white  markings  arranged  as 
on  the  upper  side,  but  rather  broader ;  and,  instead  of 
the  dark  brown  or  purple,  a  lively  pattern  of  orange- 
brown,  greyish  brown,  and  black.  On  the  front  wing  ia 
a  purple-centred  eye-spot,  and  a  smaller  one  is  seen 
near  the  lower  angle  of  the  hind  wing. 

The  firm,  muscular  appearance  of  the  wings,  gives 
promise  of  great  strength  in  those  organs,  fully  borne 
out  in  the  powerful  and  bird-like  flight  of  the  creature, 
who  has  also  a  habit  of  soaring,  about  midday,  to  vast 
heights  in  the  air,  and  there  engaging  in  contests, 
sportive  or  pugnacious,  with  his  brother,  or  rival* 
Emperors. 

In  the  caterpillar  state  also  the  Purple  Emperor  is  a 
remarkable  creature,  of  the  form  shown  in  Plate  I. 
fig.  5,  bright  green,  striped  with  yellow  on  each  side, 
tnd  bearing  on  his  head  a  pair  of  horns  or  tentacles. 


11£  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

Though  the  perfect  insect  is  chiefly  found  on  the  oak, 
the  caterpillar  feeds  generally  on  the  broad-leaved 
Sallow,  though  it  has  been  occasionally  found  on  the 
Poplar. 

'The  chrysalis,  which  may  be  found  on  the  same  trees, 
suspended  to  the  under  side  of  a  leaf,  is  shown  at  Fig.  22, 
Plate  I.  and  is  of  a  light  green  colour. 

The  butterfly  appears  in  July,  and  is  found  in  oak 
woods  in  many  localities  of  the  South.  The  following 
are  a  few  of  these  : — Near  Colchester,  extremely  abun- 
dant, Epping,  Great  and  Little  Stour  Woods ;  Ketter- 
ing,  Barnwell  Wold,  Northamptonshire;  Bourne,  Lin- 
coln ]  Leicester ;  Eeading,  Newbury,  Berks ;  Hereford- 
shire  ;  Forest  of  Dean,  Monmouthshire ;  Warwick- 
shire ;  Suffolk ;  Monkswood,  Hunts ;  Clapham  Park 
Wood,  Beds;  Darenth  Wood,  Chatham,  Tenterden; 
Ticehurst,  Balcombe,  Tilgate  Forest,  Arundel,  neai 
Brighton ;  Lyndhurst ;  Stowmarket ;  Isle  of  Wight. 


THE  PAINTED  LADY, 
(Cynthia  Cardui.)    (Plate  VIL  fig.  3.) 

WE  now  come  to  a  very  natural  group  of  butterflies, 
rich,  and  often  gorgeous,  in  their  colouring,  and  having, 
?«oth  in  their  perfect  and  preparatory  states,  many  cha- 


PAINTED    LADY.  117 

racteristics  in  common,  in  point  of  habits,  as  well  as  of 
appearance  and  construction.  The  caterpillars  are  all 
thorny,  and  the  chrysalides  are  adorned  with  brilliant 
metallic  (generally  golden)  spots,  from  which  appearance 
was  derived  the  name  u chrysalis" l  since  applied,  but 
somewhat  improperly,  to  the  pupos  of  all  butterflies. 
This  golden  effect  is  produced  by  a  brilliant  white 
membrane  underlying  the  transparent  yellow  outer 
Bkin  of  the  chrysalis,  and  it  may  be  imitated,  as  dis- 
covered by  Lister  many  years  ago,  "  by  putting  a  small 
piece  of  black  gall  in  a  strong  decoction  of  nettles ;  this 
produces  a  scum  which,  when  left  on  cap-paper,  will 
exquisitely  gild  it,  without  the  application  of  the  real 
metal." 

The  present  species  is  a  highly  elegant  insect,  well 
named  the  Painted  Lady,  and  in  France  the  "  Belle 
Dame." 

The  colouring  of  the  upper  surface  is  composed  of 
black  and  very  dark  brown,  with  irregular  markings  of 
an  orange  red,  tinged  partially  with  a  rosy  hue.  Neai 
the  tip  of  the  front  wings  are  several  pure  white  spots. 

Beneath,  the  great  beauty  lies  in  the  delicate  pen- 
cilling of  the  hind  wing  with  pearly  greys  and  browns, 
and  contrasted  with  this,  the  warm  roseate  blush  and 
aurora  tint  on  the  upper  wing. 

The  caterpillar  is  thorny  and  brown,  with  yellow 
stripes  down  the  back  and  sides.  It  feeds  on  various 

1  S^e  the  meaning  of  Chrysalis  and  Aurelia,  on  page  12. 


113  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

species  of  thistle,  but  sometimes  also  on  the  nettle  and 
otLer  plants. 

The  chrysalis  is  brown  and  grey,  with  silver  spots. 

The  butterfly  first  appears  about  the  end  of  July,  ani 
is  seen  till  the  end  of  September,  and  occasionally  in 
October.  I  took  a  beautiful  fresh  specimen  in  October, 
while  strolling  through  a  nursery  garden  at  Wands- 
worth. 

Those  seen  in  early  spring  are  hibernated  specimens, 

The  appearance  of  this  butterfly  in  any  given  locality 
is  a  matter  of  great  uncertainty,  though  it  capriciously 
visits,  and  even  abounds  occasionally  in  almost  every 
place. 

It  is  a  bold  insect,  and,  though  agile  in  its  move- 
ments, not  difficult  to  catch,  for,  if  disturbed  or  missed 
at  the  first  stroke,  it  returns  to  the  charge  quite  fear- 
lessly. 


THE  RED  ADMIKAL. 
(Vanessa  Atalanta.)      (Plate  VIIL  fig.   1.) 

IE  grand  simplicity  and  vividness  of  colour,  the  Feed 
Admiral  perhaps  surpasses  every  other  British  butter- 
fly, and  reciinds  one  forcibly  of  some  of  the  gorgeous 
denizens  of  the  tropics.  Intense  black  and  brilliant 
icarlct  in  bands  and  borders  are  the  two  chief  elements 


BED   ADMIRAL.  HQ 

of  this  splendour,  relieved  delightfully  by  the  coo, 
white  spots  at  the  outer  and  upper  corners,  and  by  the 
choice  little  bits  of  blue  at  the  inner  and  lower  angles 
and  near  the  margins.  The  painting  of  the  under  sur- 
face entirely  beggars  description.  There  is,  in  addition 
to  the  red  band,  a  good  deal  of  blue  on  the  upper  wing, 
and  the  lower  wing  is  covered  by  an  intricate  em- 
broidery of  indescribable  tints— all  manner  of  browns, 
and  greys,  and  blacks,  with  golden  and  other  hues  of 
metals,  are  here  pencilled  and  blended  with  magic  effect. 

The  caterpillar,,  which  feeds  on  the  common  nettle, 
is  thorny,  yellowish  grey  in  colour,  with  light  yellow  line* 
on  each  side  and  black  markings. 

The  chrysalis  is  brownish,  with  gold  spots. 

The  butterfly  usually  comes  out  in  August,  and  may 
be  met  with  till  early  in  October.  The  hybernated  speci- 
mens of  this  are  more  rarely  seen  than  those  of  any  of 
the  other  common  Vanessas. 

Like  others  of  its  genus,  the  Eed  Admiral  is  familiar, 
and  even  saucy,  in  its  manners,  seeming  to  prefer  the 
haunts  of  men  to  the  solitudes  that  other  insects  love, 
flaunting  boldly  before  our  face  in  gardens  and 
troys,  where  most  we  meet  it. 

It  is  found  commonly  all  over  the  country 


120  BRITISH   BUTTERFLIES. 

THE  PEACOCK  BUTTERFLY. 
(Vanessa  lo.)    (Plate  VIII.  fig.  2.) 

THE  form  and  markings  of  this  species,  so  distinct  from 
every  other  of  our  butterflies,  will  be  seen  by  reference 
to  the  plate ;  and  as  to  its  colouring,  I  will  not  do  it 
the  iRJustice  to  attempt  a  description  of  its  rich  perfec- 
tion, more  especially  as  almost  every  reader  may  hope 
to  add  the  insect  to  his  collection  during  his  first  year's 
hunting,  and  then  he  can  study  its  beauties  for  himsel£ 

The  under  side,  however,  presents  a  remarkable  con- 
trast to  the  splendour  of  the  reverse,  beicg  covered  with 
shades  and  streaks  of  funereal  blacks  and  browns.  This 
affords  a  strange  effect  when  the  insect,  sitting  on  a 
flower  head,  alternately  opens  and  shuts  the  wings  with 
a  fanning  motion,  according  to  its  custom. 

The  caterpillar  (Plate  I.  fig.  6),  which  feeds  grega- 
riously upon  the  nettle,  is  black,  dotted  with  white,  and 
thorny. 

The  chrysalis  is  greenish, 'with  gold  spots. 

The  butterfly,  which  is  common  in  nearly  every  part 
of  England,  comes  out  in  August  and  September,  the 
individuals  met  with  not  unfrequontly  in  the  spring 
naving  hybernated. 

Mr.  Doubleday  writes  thus  to  the  Zoologist  regarding 
the  winter  retreats  of  butterflies  of  this  genus : — " 


PEACOCK — CAMBERWELL   BEAUTY.  121 

winter  some  large  stacks  of  beeoh  faggots,  which  had 
been  loosely  stacked  up  in  our  forest  (Epping)  the 
preceding  spring,  with  the  dead  leaves  adhering  to 
them,  were  taken  down  and  carted  away,  and  among 
these  were  many  scores  of  lo,  Urlicce,  and  Polyckl&ros." 
In  Scotland  this  is  generally  a  very  rare  butterfly, 
but  has  latterly  been  abundant  in  Dumfriesshire  and 
Kirkcudbrightshire. 


THE  CAMBEKWELL  BEAUTY. 
(  Vanessa  Antiopa.)    (Plate  VIII.  fig.  3.) 

MANY  years  ago,  when  Camberwell  was  a  real  village, 
luxuriating  in  its  willows,  the  entomologists  of  the  day 
were  delighted  by  the  apparition,  in  that  suburb,  of 
this  well-named  "  Beauty/'  whose  name  since  then  has 
always  been  associated  with  Camberwell — certainly  not 
a  promising  place  in  the  present  day  for  a  butterfly 
hunt,  for,  though  it  has  its  "  beauties  "  still,  they  are 
not  of  the  lepidopterous  order,  nor  game  for  any  net 
that  the  entomologist  usually  carries.  Since  then  it  has 
been  found  at  intervals,  and  in  very  variable  abundance, 
in  a  wide  range  of  localities. 

The  arrangement  of  colours  in  this  butterfly  is  most 
remarkable  and  unusual,  by  reason  of  the  sudden  con- 
trast between  the  pale  whitish  border  and  the  velvet 
depth  of  the  colours  it  encloses. 


122  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES!. 

The  inmost  portion  of  all  the  wings  is  a  deep  rich 
chocolate  brown,  then  comes  a  band  of  black,  including 
a  row  of  large  blue  spots,  and  succeeded  by  an  outer 
border  of  pale  yellow  tint,  partially  dappled  with  black 
specks. 

The  caterpillar  feeds  on  the  willow  (which  accounts 
for  its  former  appearance  in  Camberwell).  It  is  thorny, 
black,  with  white  dots,  and  a  row  of  large  red  spots 
down  the  back. 

The  chrysalis  is  very  angular,  and  blackish  with 
tawny  spots. 

The  butterfly  comes  out  of  the  chrysalis  late  in  the 
autumn,  ar.d  is  seen  from  August  till  October;  but 
a  great  proportion  of  those  observed  in  this  country 
have  survived  the  winter,  and  have  been  seen  abroad 
again  in  the  spring.  It  has  been  frequently  seen  feast- 
ing on  over-ripe  or  rotten  fruit,  and  at  such  times  may 
be  often  surprised  and  captured  with  ease. 

No  spot  can  be  pointed  out  where  one  can  expect 
to  meet  with  this  fine  insect;  but  it  has  appeared 
singly  at  intervals  in  the  following  localities  among 
others  : — Scotland,  Ayrshire ;  Durham ;  Scarborough  ; 
York ;  Darlington  ;  Sheffield ;  Manchester ;  Lake  Dis- 
trict ;  Appleby ;  Coventry  ;  Peterborough  j  Oxford  ; 
Burton-on-Trent  ;  Norfolk  ;  Lincolnshire  ;  Suffolk  ; 
Bristol ;  Ely  ;  Shrewsbury  ;  Plymouth ;  Teignmouth  ; 
Kent ;  Ashford ;  Bromley  ;  Tenterden  ;  Kamsgate  ; 
various  places  in  neighbourhood  of  London ;  Epping  ; 
Hampshire ;  Isle  of  Wight ;  Lewes  ;  Worthiog. 


LARGE   TORTOISESHELL.  123 

Or    tho  Continent  this  is  a  common  butterfly,  in 
friany   places    being    the    most  abundant  of   all  the 


THE  LAEGE  TOETOISESHELL  BUTTERFLY 
(Vanessa  Polychloros.)    (Plate  IX.  fig.  1.) 

THE  beginner  often  has  a  slight  difficulty  in  finding 
a  good  and  permanent  distinction  between  this  species 
and  the  next  (V.  Urticce).  At  the  first  blush,  the 
superior  size  of  this  seems  to  be  a  sufficient  mark,  and 
then  the  orange  of  the  wings  has  usually  a  much 
browner,  or  more  tawny  hue,  than  that  of  Urticce ;  but 
as  I  have  seen  specimens  of  Polychloros  absolutely 
smaller  than  some  very  large  Urticce 's,  and  as  the  coloui 
of  both  occasionally  varies,  so  that  they  approach  each 
other  in  this  respect  also,  it  is  evident  we  must  look  for 
some  better  mark  of  distinction ;  and  here  is  one.  In 
Polychloros,  all  the  light  markings  between  the  black 
spots  on  the  upper  edge  of  the  front  wing  are  yellow, 
whereas  in  Urticai  the  outer  one  next  the  blue  and  Hack 
border  is  pure  pearly  WHITE.  The  two  other  marks  on 
the  front  edge  are  yellow.  Polychloros  has  also,  near 
the  lower  corner  of  the  front  wing,  an  extra  black  spot, 
not  found  in  Urticce. 

The  blue  fpots  on  the  border  are  in  this  species 
almost  confined  to  the  hind  wings. 


124  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

The  caterpillar  generally  feeds  on  the  elm,  whence 
the  butterfly  is  occasionally  called  the  "  Elm  Butterfly, 
but  it  has  also  been  found  on  the  willow,  and  on  tha 
white  beam-tree.  Mr.  Boscher  of  Twickenham  informs 
me  that  the  specimens  he  has  bred  from  caterpillars  fed 
on  the  willow  have  been  all  far  below  the  average  size. 
The  caterpillar  is  thorny,  and  of  a  tawny  colour,  broadly 
striped  with  black  along  easb  side. 

The  chrysalis  is  of  a  dull  flesh  colour,  with  golden  spots. 

The  butterfly  makes  its  appearance  in  J  aly  and  August, 
hibernated  specimens  being  also  frequently  seen  in  the 
spring,  from  March  till  May. 

In  some  places  and  seasons  it  is  not  rare,  but  is  very 
uncertain  in  its  appearance,  abounding  most  in  the 
southern  districts,  and  being  almost  unknown  in  Scot- 
land, It  is  fond  of  gardens  and  other  frequented  places. 


THE  SMALL  TOETOISESHELL  BUTTERFLY 
(Vanessa  Vrticce.)    (Plate  IX.  fig.  2.) 

THIS  pretty  species  is  much  commoner  than  the  last> 
being,  in  fact,  the  most  plentiful  of  all  the  genus,  and 
found  everywhere,  in  gardens,  by  weedy  road-sides  and 
waste  grounds,  &c. 

Its  markings  are  very  similar  to  those  of  the  last,  but 
fche  colouring  i=j  much  more  gay  and  brilliant. 


SMALL   TOETOISESHELL.  125 

The  distinguishing  mark  of  this  species — the  pos- 
session of  a  pure  white  spot  near  the  upper  corner  of 
the  front  wing — has  been  already  'pointed  out  under 
V.  PolycUoros. 

The  blue  crescent-spots  of  the  border  are  much  moro 
marked  than  in  the  last,  and  extend  along  the  edge  of 
the  front  wing.  The  orange  colour  also  approaches  a 
scarlet,  and  the  yellow  spots  have  a  brighter  hue  than 
in  Polychloros. 

The  caterpillar,  which  is  found  feeding  in  large  com- 
panies on  the  nettle,  is  of  greyish  colour,  with  a  black 
line  on  the  back,  and  brown  and  yellow  stripes  on  the 
sides.  Thorny,  like  rest  of  the  genus. 

The  chrysalis  is  generally  of  a  brown  hue,  spotted 
with  gold,  but  I  have  seen  it  gilded  all  over,  making  a 
very  splendid  appearance. 

Hybernated  individuals  of  this  butterfly  are  seen 
during  the  spring  months,  but  the  first  emergence 
from  the  chrysalis  takes  place  in  June,  and  the  insect 
is  seen  on  the  wing  constantly  from  that  time  till 
October. 

The  following  interesting  notice  of  the  capture  of  a 
owarm  of  these  butterflies  in  mid-winter,  is  quoted, 
from  the  Zoologist,  p.  5000.  The  writer  is  a  Mr. 
Banning,  resident  near  Ballacraine,  in  the  Isle  of 
Man  :— 

"  Whilst  standing  in  my  farm-yard  on  the  day  fol- 
lowing Christmas-day  (1855),  it  being  unusually  fine 
wad  warm,  I  was  suddenly  astonished  by  the  fall  of 


126  BRITISH  BUTTERFLIES. 

more  than  a  hundred  of  the  accompanying  butterflies 
( V.  Urticce].  I  commenced  at  once  collecting  them,  and 
succeeded  in  securing  more  than  sixty.  These  I  have 
fed  on  sugar  spread  over  cabbage-leaves  and  bran  until 
now,  and,  to  all  appearances,  those  which  still  survive 
(more  than  forty  in  number)  are  thriving  well,  and  in 
good  condition." 


THE  COMMA  BUTTERFLY. 
(Grapta  C.  Album)     (Plate  IX.  fig.  3.) 

THE  singularly  jagged  outline  of  this  butterfly  at  once 
distinguishes  it  from  every  other  native  species,  though, 
did  we  not  know  it  as  a  distinct  species,  it  might  have 
been  taken  for  one  of  the  two  pi  evious  species  very 
much  stunted,  deformed,  and  torn,  so  similar  is  it  in 
colour  and  the  plan  of  its  markings. 

The  upper  surface  is  deep  fulvous,  or  rusty  orange, 
and  marked  with  black  and  dark  brown.  In  different 
individuals,  the  under  side  varies  greatly  in  its  tints 
and  markings,  especially  near  the  border  of  the  wings, 
which  are  sometimes  of  a  deep  rich  olive  brcwn,  some- 
times pale  tawny.  They  all  agree,  however,  in  bearing 
in  the  centre  of  the  hind  wings  the  character  from 
which  the  insect  takes  its  specific  name,  viz.  a  white 
mark  in  fom  of  the  letter  C,  which  has  also  been 
likened  with  less  justice  to  a  9  whence  its  English  name 
rf  "  Comma." 


COMMA.  127 

The  female  is  of  a  paler  tint  than  the  male,  and  tho 
edges  of  the  wings  are  less  deeply  scalloped  and  cut. 
The  figure  is  that  of  a  male. 

The  caterpillar  is  tawny-coloured ;  but  the  back,  for 
about  the  hinder  half  its  length,  is  whitish ;  head  black. 
The  body  is  armed  with  short  spines,  and  there  are  two 
ear-like  tubercles  projecting  from  the  side  of  the  head. 
It  has  been  found  feeding  on  the  elm,  willow,  sloe, 
currant,  nettle,  and  hop. 

The  chrysalis  is  of  the  curious  shape  shown  at  fig.  24-, 
Plate  I. ;  of  a  brownish  tint,  with  gold  spots. 

The  'butterfly  appears  in  July  and  August,  and  hy- 
bernated  individuals  in  the  spring,  up  till  May.  Its 
range  seems  to  be  nearly  confined  to  the  Midland  and 
Western  districts.  It  was  formerly  found  near  London, 
and  in  other  places,  whence  it  has  now  disappeared. 

The  following  localities  are  given  for  it : — Carlisle 
and  the  Lake  district,  York,  Green  Hammerton  (York- 
shire), Doncaster,  Broomsgrove  (Worcestershire),  War- 
wickshire, Peterborough,  Scarborough,  Barnwell  Wold 
(Northamptonshire),  Bristol,  Gloucester,  Dorchester. 
I  found  it  very  plentiful  on  the  banks  of  the  Wye,  in 
1858 ;  and  in  the  following  May  I  took  one  in  South 
Wales,  at  Pont-y-Pridd.  In  Scotland,  Fifeshiro  has 
been  mentioned  as  a  locality. 

This  is  a  rapid  flyer,  and  not  very  easily  caught  when 
fresh  on  tho  wing. 


128  BRITISH  BUTTERFLIES. 


THE  SILVER-WASHED  FEITILLAEY 
(Argynnis  PapJda.) 

(Plate  IX.  fig.  4,  Male ;  4  a,  Female.) 

THE  beautiful  genus  to  which  tliia  butterfly  belongs  ia 
distinguished  by  the  adornment  of  silvery  spots  and 
Btreaks  with  which  the  under  side  of  the  hind  wings  is 
bedight;  while  the  upper  surface  is  chequered  with 
black,  upon  a  rich  golden-brown  ground,  the  device 
reminding  one  of  those  old-fashioned  chequered  flowers 
called  "  fritillaries,"  whence  the  common  name  of  these 
butterflies. 

Of  all  the  British  Fritillaries,  this  is,  perhaps,  the 
loveliest,  from  the  exquisite  softness  and  harmony  of 
tl.'.e  silvery  pencillings  on  the  iridescent  green  of  the 
under  side;  though  some  of  the  others  with  bright 
silver  spots  are  gayer  and  more  sparkling. 

The  two  sexes  differ  considerably  on  the  upper  sur- 
face ;  the  male  being  marked  with  black  (as  in  the 
engraving)  upon  a  bright  orange-brown  ground,  while 
the  female  is  without  the  broad  black  borders  to  the 
veins  of  the  front  wings,  and  the  grqund  colour  is  suf- 
fused with  an  olive-brown  tint,  inclining  sometimes  to 
green.  The  black  spots  are  also  larger.  Beneath,  how- 
ever, both  sexes  are  marked  nearly  alike  with  washy 
vtrealcs  of  silver,  and  not  with  defined  spots. 


DARK-GREEN    FRITlLLARY.  129 

The  caterpillar  (fig.  7,  Plate  I.),  aa  with  all  the  Fritit 
laries,  is  thorny,  with  two  spines  behind  the  head  longei 
than  the  rest ;  black,  with  yellow  lines  along  the  back 
and  sides.  It  feeds  on  violet  leaves,  also  on  the  wild 
raspberry  and  nettle. 

The  chrysalis  (fig.  16,  Plate  I.)  is  greyish,  with  the 
tubercles  silvered  or  gilt. 

The  butterfly  is  out  in  July  and  August,  and  is  not 
rare  in  the  woods  of  the  South  and  Midland  districts, 
but  it  also  extends  its  range  into  Scotland.  On  the 
banks  of  Wye,  about  Tintern  and  Monmouth,  I  found 
it  extremely  abundant.  It  has  been  seen  swarming  in  a 
teasel-field,  near  Selby,  Yorkshire. 

Its  predilection  for  settling  on  bramble  spraye  has 
been  alluded  to  on  page  47. 


THE  DAKK-GKEEtf  FEITILLAEY. 
(Argynnis  Aglaia.)     (Plate  X.  fig.  1,  Male.) 

Tins  is  a  handsomely-marked  insect — orange-brown, 
chequered  with,  black,  above.  Beneath,  the  front  wing 
is  coloured  nearly  as  above,  but  bears  near  the  tip  several 
silvery  spots.  The  hind  wing  is  splendidly  studded  with 
rounded  spots  of  silver,  on  a  ground  partly  tawny,  portly 
olive-green  and  brown.  The  male  is  the  sea  repro- 


130  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

eented,  the  female  being  darker  above,  botli  as  to  the 
ground  colour  and  markings. 

The  caterpillar,  which  feeds  on  the  dog-violet,  is  very 
similar  to  that  of  the  last;  as  also  is  the  chrysalis. 

The  butterfly  is  out  in  July  and  part  of  August,  and 
may  be  seen  in  a  variety  of  situations,  from  the  breezy 
tops  of  heathy  downs,  to  close-grown  forest-lands  in  the 
valleys ;  and  it  seeras  to  be  distributed  over  the  whole 
of  the  country,  occurring  in  widely  distant  localities, 
from  the  south  coast  to  Scotland. 


THE  HIGH-BROWK  FRITILLARY. 
(Argynnis  Adippe.)     (Plate  X.  fig.  2.) 

ON  the  upper  surface,  this  insect  so  closely  resembles 
the  last,  that-  it  is  difficult  in  a  description  to  discri- 
minate between  them;  but  beneath,  the  two  are  dis- 
tinguished by  the  absence  in  Adippe  of  the  silvery  spots 
near  the  tip  of  the  front  wing ;  and  though  there  is 
some  similarity  in  the  arrangement  of  the  silver  spoti 
on  the  hind  wing,  and  in  its  general  colouring,  Adippt, 
is  distinguished  by  a  row  of  rust-red  spots,  with  small 
silvery  centres,  between  the  silver  border  spots  and  tne 
next  row  inwards.  By  comparing  the  figures  of  the 
under  sides  of  Adippe  and  Aglaia,  these  will  be  readily 
made  out 


HIGH-BROWN   FRITILLAEY — QUEEN    OF    SPAIN.    131 

The  caterpillar  is  thorny,  greyish,  with  black  spots 
011  the  back,  intersected  by  a  white  line.  Feeds  on  the 
fiolet. 

The  chrysalis  is  reddish,  spotted  with  silver. 

The  butterfly  appears  in  July,  in  many  open  places,  in 
woods,  and  on  heaths,  in  various  paits  of  England,  but 
most  plentifully  in  the  south.  Like  the  last  species,  it 
is  an  active  and  wary  insect  on  the  wing,  and  requires 
considerable  agility  and  dexterity  for  its  capture. 


THE  QUEEN  OF  SPAIN  FRITILLARY. 
(Argynnis  Lathonia.)    (Plate  X,  fig.  3.) 

THIS  splendid  little  species  is  one  of  the  prize-flies  of 
the  collector — that  is,  if  the  specimen  be  an  undoubted 
native  ;  for  while  a  "  Queen  of  Spain  "  taken  within  our 
shores  will  command  a  considerable  sum  of  money  in 
the  market,  another,  precisely  similar,  but  brought  over 
from  the  opposite  French  coast,  may  be  bought  for  a  very 
few  pence ;  but  the  mode  of  carriage,  you  sec,  makes 
all  the  difference,  and  the  value  of  the  insect  depends 
entirely  upon  whether  its  own  wings  or  a  steam-boat 
have  brought  it  over  the  Channel  So  much  for  "  the 
fancy." 

^Tien  figured  side  by  side  with  the  other  Fntillaries 
this  species  looks  distinct  enough  from  any  of  them, 


132  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

but  it  has  been  several  times  confounded  with  smalt 
specimens  of  Adippe  and  with  Euphrosyne,  and  its 
capture  has  thereupon  been  erroneously  published ;  but 
this  must  have  been  the  effect  of  a  description  imper- 
fectly written  or  read.  It  will  be  observed  that  the 
form  of  the  front  wings  differs  in  this  from  the  rest  ol 
the  Yritillaries,  the  outer  margin  being  concave  in  it? 
outline.  The  inner  corner  of  the  hind  wings  also  is 
more  sharply  angular. 

Above,  the  colouring  of  the  wings  is  similar  to  that 
of  the  others  of  the  genus,  tawny-brown  and  black. 
'Beneath,  the  front  wing  has  a  group  of  silver  spots  neat 
the  tip,  the  ground  colour  of  the  hind  wing  is  yellowish, 
and  the  silver  spots  are  proportionately  larger  than  in 
the  other  species ;  near  the  margin  of  the  hind  wingt 
and  parallel  with  its  edge,  are  seven  dark-brown  spots 
with  silver  centres. 

The  caterpillar  is  brown,  striped  with  white,  and 
yellowish  tint ;  head,  legs,  and  thorns,  tawny  coloured. 
It  feeds  on  the  wild  heartsease,  also  on  sainfoin  and 
borage. 

The  chrysalis  is  tinted  with  dull-green  and  brown, 
and  spotted  with  gold. 

The  butterfly  is  said  to  be  double-brooded-  '-one  brood 
appearing  in  June,  the  other  in  September.  The  most 
likely  places  in  which  to  look  for  it  are  clover  fields  in 
the  south  of  England,  and  more  especially  on  the  south- 
east coast  Though  still  classed  among  the  rarest  of 
British  butterflies,  it  has  been  found  in  a  great  many 


FEARL-BOKDERED    FRITILLARY.  133 

localities.  It  has  been  taken  at  Brighton ;  Shorehani  ; 
Eastbourne;  Dover;  Margate;  Ashford;  Chatham; 
Exeter ;  Bristol ;  Harleston,  near  Norwich ;  Colchester  j 
Lavenham;  Peterborough. 


THE  PEABL-BOKDEKED  FEITILLARY. 
(Argynnit  Euphrosyne^)    (Plate  X.  fig.  4.) 

THIS  very  common  insect  is  considerably  smaller  than 
any  of  the  preceding  species,  though  small  specimens 
of  the  last  sometimes  do  not  much  exceed  it  in  size. 
The  upper  surface  is  lively  orange-brown,  with  black 
markings.  Beneath,  the  hind  wing  is  mapped  out  with 
black  lines  into  various  irregular  spaces,  all  of  which 
are  filled  with  tints  of  dull  yellow,  ochreous,  or  reddish 
orange ;  excepting  a  row  of  silver  spots  on  the  border, 
one  silver  spot  in  the  centre  of  the  wing,  and  one  triangu- 
lar one  close  to  the  root  of  the  wing. 

The  caterpillar  is  black,  with  white  lines ;  and  the 
pro-legs  red.  It  feeds  on  various  species  of  viola. 

The  luiterfly  appears  first  in  May,  and  there  ia 
another  brood  in  autumn,  about  August.  It  frequents 
woods  and  hedgerows,  being  met  with  most  profusely 
in  the  south ;  but  its  range  is  extended  into  Scotland. 
Ir.  Ireland  I  believe  it  is  unknown, 


134  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

HIE  SMALL  PEARL-BORDERED  FR1TILLARY. 
(Argynnis  Selene.)    (Plate  XL  fig.  1.) 

THIS  butterfly,  which  is  very  nearly  related  to  the  last, 
often  so  closely  resembles  it  in  the  marking  of  the 
upper  surface,  that  even  practised  eyes  are  sometimes 
at  a  loss  to  distinguish  the  two,  without  a  reference  to 
the  under  side  ;  for  on  this  side  do  the  real  distinctive 
marks  lie,  and  chiefly  on  the  hind  wing.  In  addition 
to  the  silver  border  and  central  spots  of  Euphrosyne, 
this  species  has  several  other  silvery  or  pearly  patches 
distributed  over  the  hind  wing;  and  the  reddish-orange 
colour  adjoining  the  silver  border  in  Euphrosyne  is 
exchanged  for  dark  chestnut -brown  in  Selene.  In 
average  size  the  two  insects  differ  very  slightly,  though 
the  name  of  this  expresses  an  inferior  size. 

The  caterpillar  much  resembles  that  of  the  last,  and 
feeds  on  violet-leaves. 

The  chrysalis  is  greyish. 

The  butterfly  is  double-brooded,  appearing  first  in 
May  and  again  in  August.  It  is  not  so  common  an 
insect  as  Euphrosyne,  but  is  met  with  in  similar  situa- 
tions, and  has  a  range  nearly  co-extensive  with  that  of 
the  latter. 


GLANVILLE   FRITILLARY.  135 


THE  GLANVILLE  FEITILLAEY. 

(Meliicea  Cinxia.)     (Plate  XI.  fig.  2.) 

Tuonan  usually  rather  abundant  where  it  occurs  at  all, 
this  insect  is  one  of  the  most  local  of  all  our  butterflies, 
and  I  can  only  find  recorded  about  a  dozen  places  for  it 
in  the  country.  Of  these,  the  Isle  of  Wight  is  the 
great  metropolis  of  the  insect,  and  there,  in  many  place* 
round  the  coast,  numerous  colonies  have  been  established 

This  butterfly  is  distinguished  from  the  next  (M. 
Athalia),  which  it  very  much  resembles,  principally  by 
the  characters  on  the  under  surface. 

The  hind  wing  (beneath)  is  covered  with  alternate 
bands  of  bright  straw-colour  and  orange-brown,  divided 
by  black  lines ;  and  possesses  in  the  marginal  straw- 
coloured  band  a  row  of  clear  BLACK  SPOTS.  Another 
row  of  black  spots  crosses  the  centre  of  the  wing.  It 
will  also  be  observed  that  the  kind  wings  have  on  tJieir 
upper  surface  a  row  of  black  spots  parallel  with,  and  not 
far  from,  the  margin.  The  colouring  of  the  upper  side 
is  orange-brown  with  black  markings. 

The  caterpillar,  which  feeds  on  the  narrow-leaved 
plantain,  is  thorny  and  black,  with  reddish  head  and 
legs.  The  chrysalis  is  brownish,  marked  with  fulvous 
tint.  A  highly  interesting  account  of  the  habits  and 


136  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

history  of  this  "butterfly  in  all  its  stages  has  been 
sketched  from  the  life  by  the  Kev.  J.  F.  Dawson  (who 
has  made  an  intimate  acquaintance  with  a  colony  of  the 
insect  at  Sandown,  Isle  of  Wight),  and  will  be  found  in 
the  Zoologist,  p.  1271. 

The  butterfly  first  appears  about  the  first  or  second 
week  in  May,  and  thence  continues  till  about  the  middle 
of  June,  seldom  enduring  till  July.  It  is  to  be  looked 
for  in  rough,  broken  ground,  such  as  the  Isle  of  Wight 
landslips,  where  plenty  of  the  narrow-leaved  plantain 
grows. 

Other  localities  for  the  Glanville  Fritillary  are,  Folke- 
stone below  West -Cliff  (abundant);  round  Dover; 
Birchwood ;  Dartford,  Kent ;  Stapleford,  near  Cam- 
bridge; Yorkshire;  Lincolnshire;  Wiltshire;  Peterboro', 
Stowrnarket;  and  in  Scotland,  at  Falkland  in  Fifeshira 


THE  PEAKL-BOKDERED   LIKENESS 
FEITILLAEY.    (Melitcea  Athalia.) 

(Plate  XI.  fig.  3.) 

Tuis  is  another  veiy  local  butterfly,  though  rather  mow* 
widely  and  generally  distributed  than  the  last,  which, 
as  before  stated,  it  greatly  resembles  in  appearance, 
especially  on  the  upper  side. 


GREASY   OR    MARSH    FRITILLART.  137 

Li  may  be  characterised  negatively  as  not  having  the 
rows  of  black  spots  found  on  both  surfaces  of  Cinxia. 
though  its  colouring  is  very  similar — -fulvous  (or  orange* 
brown)  and  black  above ;  straw-coloured,  fulvous,  and 
black  beneath. 

The  caterpillar  is  black,  with  rust-coloured  spines; 
and  feeds  on  various  species  of  plantain. 

The  butterfly  is  out  from  May  to  July,  and  is  met 
with  (if  at  all)  on  heaths,  clearings  in  woods,  &c. 
Localities,  in  some  of  which  it  is  very  plentiful,  are, 
Caen  Wood ;  Coombe  "Wood ;  Epping ;  Halton,  Bucks ; 
Bedford ;  Aspley  Wood,  Beds  ;  Plymouth,  Teignmouth, 
Stowniarket,  Dartmoor,  Devonshire ;  Oxford ;  Wilt- 
shire; Colchester;  St.  Osyth;  Tenterden;  Eaversham; 
Deal;  Canterbury.  Very  rare  in  north  of  England. 


THE  GEEASY  OE  MAESH  FEITILLAEY. 
(Melitcea  Artemis.)    (Plate  XL  fig.  4.) 

THE  black  markings  on  the  upper  side  of  this  but- 
terfly closely  approach  those  of  the  last  two  species,  but 
the  interstices,  instead  of  being  filled  up  with  a  uniform 
fulvous  tint,  as  in  those,  are  "  coloured  in  "  with  several 
distinct  shades,  some  with  pale  lawny  yellow,  others  with 
orange  brown.  This  latter  tint  forms  a  band  parallel 


138  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

to  the  outer  margin  of  each  wing,  the  band  on  the  fronj 
wings  'ving  a  row  of  pale  spots  in  it  j  that  on  the  hind 
wings  a  row  of  black  spots.  Beneath,  the  upper  wing 
has  an  appearance  of  the  markings  having  been 
*'  smudged  "  together,  and  a  shining  surface,  as  if  it  had 
been  greased,  whence  the  common  name  of  the  insect ; 
the  hinder  wings  are  like  those  of  the  two  last,  yellowish, 
banded  with  brownish  orange,  the  outer  band  of  which 
bears  a  series  of  black  spots  each  surrounded  by  a  paU 
yellowish  ring. 

The  front  edge  of  the  front  wing  is  slightly  concavt 
in  its  outline,  about  the  middle,  whereas  it  is  convex  in 
Cinxia  and  AtJialia. 

The  caterpillar  is  black,  with  reddish  brown  legs.  It 
is  gregarious,  feeding  under  protection  of  a  web  upon 
the  leaves  of  plantain,  devils-bit  scabious,  and  some 
other  plants. 

The  chrysalis  is  drabbish,  with  darker  spots,  and  is 
said  to  suspend  itself  by  the  tail  from  the  top  of  a  tent- 
like  structure  made  of  blades  of  grass  spun  together  at 
the  top. 

The  butterfly  appears  in  June  (sometimes  a  little* 
earlier  or  later),  and  frequents  marshy  meadows,  moist 
woods,  &c.,  but  is  a  very  local  insect,  abounding  most  in 
l?ie  south.  The  specimens,  however,  that  I  have  seen  from 
the  north,  are  much  larger,  brighter,  and  more  distinctly 
marked  than  the  "  southerners."  The  nearest  localities 
to  London  are,  Hornsey,  and  Copthall  "Wood  at  the  top 
Df  Muswell  Hill ;  West  Wiskham  Wood,  and  High- 


DUKE    OF   BURGUNDY   FEITILLARY.  139 

Beccli  Epping).  It  is  also  found  near  Brighton  (plen 
tifully) ;  Carlisle ;  Durham ;  Eurton-on-Trent ;  York  ; 
Haverfordwoet,  S.  W. ;  Cardiff,  S.  W. ;  Weston-supcr- 
Mare ;  Bristol ;  and  a  great  number  of  other  places  dis- 
tributed throughout  the  country.  In  Ireland  at  Ardra- 
han,  co.  Galway.  Rare  in  Scotland. 


THE  DUKE  OF  BURGUNDY  FRITILLARY. 
(Nemeobius  Lucina.)    (Plate  XL  fig.  5.) 

THOUGH  this  little  insect  bears  the  name  of  Fritillary, 
at  the  end  of  its  lengthy  and  important  title,  ii 
really  belongs  to  a  family  widely  differing  from  that  of 
any  of  the  true  Fritillaries  previously  described,  and  it 
only  shared  their  name  on  account  of  its  similarity  in 
colour  and  markings. 

The  caterpillar  (Plate  I.  fig.  8),  instead  of  being  long 
and  thorny  like  those  of  the  true  Fritillaries,  is  shortt 
thick,  and  wood-louse  shaped.  Its  colour  is  reddish 
brown,  with  tufts  of  hair  of  the  same  colour.  It  feeds 
on  the  primrose. 

The  chrysalis  differs  from  that  of  the  true  Fritillaries 
as  much  as  the  caterpillar  does,  being  of  the  form,  and 
ouopended  in  the  manner,  shown  at  fig.  25,  Plate  I. 

The  butterfly  is  chequered  on  the  upper  surfece  with 


140  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

tawny,  and  dark  brown  or  "black.  It  appears  in  Ma> 
and  June,  and  again  in  August,  being  found  in  wooda, 
principally  in  the  south,  and  its  range  is  often  confined 
to  a  small  spot  hardly  fifty  yards  in  diameter,  within 
which  it  may  be  quite  plentiful.  The  following  are 
among  its  recorded  localities  : — Carlisle ;  Lake  District ; 
West  Yorkshire;  Koche  Abbey,  Yorkshire;  Peter- 
borough; Stowmarket ;  Pembury  ;  Barnwell  Wold, 
Nbrthants  ;  Oxford ;  Blandford  ;  Worcester ;  Glouces- 
tershire Bedfordshire ;  Epping;  CoombeWood ;  Darenth 
Wood  ;  Boxhill ;  Dorking ;  Brighton ;  Lewes ;  Worth- 
ing ;  Lyndhurst ;  Teignmouth. 

The  males  of  all  the  members  of  the  family  to  which 
this  butterfly  belongs,  and  of  whicn  this  is  the  sole 
European  representative — the  ERYCINID^E — have  only 
four  legs  adapted  for  walking,  whilst  the  females  have 
six. 


THE  BKOWN  HAIE-STKEAK. 
(Thecla  Betulv.)    (Plate XII.  fig.  1,  Male;  1  a,  Female.) 

THE  genus  to  which  this  butterfly  belongs,  contains  five 
British  species,  elegant  and  interesting  insects,  thougt 
not  gaily  tinted.  They  are  most  obviously  distinguished 
from  other  small  butterflies  by  the  tail-Wee  projection  on 
the  lower  edge  of  their  hind  wings  (though  one  of  their 


BROWN    HAIR-STREAK. 


141 


number,  T.  Ruli,  has  this  very  slightly  developed). 
From  each  other  they  are  best  distinguished  by  the 
characters  on  their  under  surface,  where  they  all  bear  a 
more  or  less  distinct  /Mw'r-like  streak,  whence  their  com- 
mon name  —  Hair-streak. 

The  Brown  Hair-streak  is  the  largest  of  the  genus, 
measuring  sometimes  an  inch  and  two-  thirds  in  expanse. 
The  two  sexes  differ  considerably  on  the  upper  surface, 
the  male  being  of  a  deep  brown  colour,  slightly  paler 
near  the  middle  of  the  front  wing,  while  the  female 
possesses  on  the  front  wing  a  large  patch  of  clear  orange. 
Both  sexes  have  several  orange  marks  upon  the  lower 
angles  of  the  hind  wings.  Beneath,  the  general  colour 
is  tawny  orange  with  duller  bands,  and  marked  with  one 
white  line  on  the  front  wing,  and  two  parallel  white  line* 
on  the  hind  wings. 

The  caterpillar  is  green,  marked  obliquely  with  white  ; 
it  feeds  on  the  birch  and  also  on  the  sloe. 

The  butterfly  appears  in  August,  continuing  into  Sep- 
tember. It  is  generally  distributed  through  the  south, 
but  is  by  no  means  an  abundant  insect.  Mr.  Stain- 
ton  observes  that  it  has  a  habit  of  "flitting  along  in 
hedges  just  in  advance  of  the  collector  ;"  but  it  is  also 
found  in  oak  woods  in  company  with  the  Purple  Hair- 
streak 

Forty  were  taken  in  a  season  in  woods  near  Henfield, 
Sussex.  Other  localities  are,  Underbarrow  Moss,  West- 
moreland; STorth  Lancashire,  common  in  some  parts; 
Fronton;  Valley  of  the  Ibvey,  Montgomeryshire; 


142  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

Cardiff,  S.  W. ;  Barnwell  Wold ;  Peterborough  ;  Col » 
Chester ;  Epping ;  Darenth  Wood ;  Coombe  Wood  ; 
Brighton  ;  Tenterden  ;  Winchester ;  Woolmer  Forest, 
Hants ;  Plymouth ;  Dartmoor  ;  Wallingford,  Berks  ,' 
fpswich  j  Dorsetshire  ;  Norfolk  Wiltshire  ;  Monki 
Wood,  Cambridgeshire. 


THE  BLACK  HAIE-STEEAK. 
(Thecla  Pruni.)     (Plate  XII.  fig.  2.) 

THE  upper  side  is  very  dark  brown,  sometimes  almost 
black,  and  bearing  near  the  hinder  edge  of  the  hind 
wings  a  few  orange  spots.  This  character  will  at  once 
distinguish  this  from  the  next  species  (W.  Album). 
On  the  under  side  of  the  hind  wing  is  a  broad  band  oj 
orange,  having  a  row  of  black  spots  on  its  mner  edge. 

The  caterpillar  is  green,  with  four  rows  of  yellow 
spots.  It  feeds  on  the  sloe. 

The  butterfly  comes  out  about  the  end  of  June  or  in 
July.  It  is  generally  a  very  rare  insect,  but  is  occa- 
sionally taken  in  great  plenty  in  certain  spots.  The 
Rev.  W.  Bree,  writing  to  the  Zoologist  from  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  Polebrook,  North  Hants,  says,  "Thecla 
Pruni  is  very  uncertain  in  its  appearance.  In  1837 
it  literally  swarmed  in  Barnweli  and  Ashton  Wolds  ;  I 
io  not  scruple  to  say  that  it  would  have  been  possible 


WHITE  LETTER  HAIR-STREAK.  143 

to  capture  some  hundreds  of  them,  had  one  been  so 
disposed ;  for  the  last  few  years  it  has  appeared  very 
sparingly  indeed."  It  has  also  been  found  in  the  fol- 
lowing localities : — Overton  Wood ;  Brington,  Hunting- 
donshire;  and  Monks  Wood,  Cambridgeshire. 


THE   WHITE  LETTER  HAIE-STKEAK 
(Thecla  W.  Album.)     (Plate  XII.  fig.  3.) 

THIS  is  very  much  like  the  last  in  appearance,  and 
has  often  been  mistaken  for  it  by  inexperienced  eyes. 
The  points  of  difference  are — on  the  upper  side,  the 
absence  of  the  orange  band  at  the  hinder  edge  of  the 
hind  wings,  and  the  presence  of  a  Unish  grey  circumflex 
line  at  the  inner  angle;  here  aLc  id  sometimes  a  small 
orange  dot ; — beneath,  the  or  any,  wnd  forms  a  series  of 
arches,  bounded  on  the  edge  i.^aredt  the  root  of  the 
wing  by  a  clear  blade  line  instead  >f  the  rounded  black 
spots  seen  at  this  part  in  Pruni. 

The  caterpillar,  which  feeds  on  the  elm,  is  wood- 
louse  shaped;  pea-green,  barred  Tvith  yellow;  head 
black  May  be  beaten  off  elm  trees  in  May. 

The  butterfly  appears  in  July,  and  is  found  in  various 
situations,  sometimes  flying  high  up  round  elm  trees, 
lometimcs  descending  to  bramble  hedges,  or  fluttering 


144  J5E1TISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

about  in  weedy  fields  a  foot  or  two  from  the  ground.   I"', 

was  formerly  a  much  rarer  insect  than  at  present,  and 
now  its  appearance  in  any  given  locality  is  a  matter  of 
much  uncertainty.  Mr.  J.  F.  Stephens  writes  as  follows 
to  the  Zoologist : — 

"  For  eighteen  years  I  possessed  four  bleached  speci- 
mens only  of  Tliecla  W.  Album,  having  vainly  endea 
voured  to  procure  others,  when,  in  1827,  as  elsewhere 
recorded,  I  saw  the  insect  at  Ripley,  not  by  dozens  only, 
but  by  scores  of  thousands  !  and  although  I  frequented 
the  same  locality  for  thirteen  years  subsequently,  some- 
times in  the  season  for  a  month  together,  I  have  not 
since  seen  a  single  specimen  there;  but  in  1833  I 
camght  one  specimen  at  Madingley  Wood,  near  Cam- 
bridge." 

Other  localities  : — Near  Sheffield  \  Roche  Abbey  ; 
York ;  Peterborough ;  near  Doncaster ;  Polebrook, 
Northants  ;  Allesley,  "Warwickshire  ;  Brington,  Hunt- 
ingdonshire ;  Yaxley  and  Monks  Wood,  Cambridge- 
shire ;  Needwood  Forest,  Staffordshire ;  Wolverstoa, 
near  Ipswich ;  Chatham  ;  Southgate,  Middlesex ;  Wesi 
Wi  :Vh&n  Wood  ;  Epping ;  Bristol 


PURPLE    HAIR-STREAK.  145 


THE  PUBPLE  HAIR-STREAK 
(Thecla  Qiicrcus.)   (Plate  XII.  fig.  4,  Male ;  4  a,  Female ) 

AT  once  the  commonest  and  the  handsomest  of  the 
Hair-streaks,  being  found  in  almost  every  part  of  Eng- 
land where  there  is  an  oak  wood,  and  looking  like  a 
small  Purple  Emperor,  with  its  rich  gloss  of  the  im- 
perial colour. 

The  male  has  all  the  wings,  in  certain  lights,  of  a  dark 
brown  colour,  but  with  a  change  of  position  they  be- 
come illuminated  with  a  deep  rich  purple  tint,  extend- 
ing over  the  whole  surface  excepting  a  narrow  border, 
which  then  appears  black.  The  female  has  the  purple 
mucli  more  vivid,  but  confined  to  a  small  patch  extend- 
ing from  the  root  to  the  centre  of  the  front  wing. 
Beneath,  the  wings  are  shaded  with  greyish  tints, 
crossed  by  a  white  line  on  each  wing,  and  having  two 
yrarqe  spots  at  the  inner  corner  of  the  hind  wing. 

The  caterpillar  (Plate  I.  fig.  9),  which  feeds  on  the 
oak,  is  reddish  brown,  marked  with  black. 

The  chrysalis,  which  is  sometimes  attached  to  the 
leaves  of  the  oak,  and  at  others  is  found  under  tht, 
surface  of  the  earth  at  the  foot  of  the  tree,  is  a  brownish 
object,  of  the  lumpy  shape  shown  in  Plate  I.  fig.  28  (a 
fgmi  shared  by  the  chrysalides  of  all  the  Hair-streaks) 
fi 


146  BRITISH   BUTTERFLIES. 

The  butterfly  is  seen  in  July  and  August,  flitting 
about  in  sportive  groups  round  oak  trees,  and  occa- 
jsionally  descending  within  reach  of  the  net.  It  also 
affects  other  trees  besides  oaks,  some  thirty  or  forty  at 
a  time  having  been  seen  gambolling  about  one  limt 
tree.  It  being  so  generally  distributed,  it  will  be  need- 
less to  particularize  its  localities. 


THE  GREEN  HAIR-STREAK. 
(Thecla  Rubi.)     (Plate  XII.  fig.  5.) 

THIS  pretty  little  species  is  at  once  known  from  all 
other  English  butterflies  by  the  rich  bright  green  colour 
that  overspreads  its  under  surface.  Above,  the  wings 
are  deep,  warm  brown. 

The  caterpillar  is  green,  spotted  and  striped  with 
white,  and  feeds  on  the  bramble;,  also  on  the  broom, 
and  other  plants  of  the  same  order. 

The  butterfly  appears  first  in  May  and  June,  and 
again  in  August,  it  being  double-brooded.  It  is  found 
flying  about  rough  brambly  hedges,  and  often  settles 
on  the  outer  leaves  of  low  trees  about  a  dozen  feet  from 
the  ground.  It  seems  to  occur  generally  throughout 
the  country,  and  extends  into  the  southern  parts  oi 
Scotland.  It  has  been  found  in  many  localities  clow 
to  London. 


SMALL    COPPER   BTTTTEEFLY.  147 

THE  SMALL  COPPEE  BUTTERFLY. 
(Chrysophanus  Phlceas.}     (Plate  XIII.  fig.  1.) 

WE  now  arrive  at  a  genus  characterized  by  the  splendid 
golden  or  burnished  coppery  lustre  and  tint  of  their 
firings ;  of  which,  however,  the  present  little  species  is 
the  only  one  that  remains  to  us,  should  the  "  Largt 
Copper  "  be  really  (as  it  is  feared)  extinct. 

This  little,  but  lively  representative  of  the  genus,  is 
one  of  our  commonest  and  most  widely  distributed  but- 
terflies, flashing  about  in  the  sunshine,  joining  in  a 
dance  with  the  no  less  lively  blues,  or  settling  on  the 
lilac  flowers  of  the  scabious,  &c.,  whose  soft  tones  set 
off  to  the  best  advantage  the  metallic  effulgence  of  this 
little  gem. 

The  caterpillar  feeds  on  sorrel  leaves ;  is  green,  with 
three  red  stripes. 

The  chrysalis  and  caterpillar  both  resemble  in  shape 
those  of  the  Hair-streaks. 

The  butterfly  is  supposed  to  be  tfnpfe-brooded,  coming 
out  in  April,  June,  and  August ;  and  is  so  common, 
fchat  no  localities  need  bo  given. 


148  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 


THE  LAEGE  COPPEE  BUTTEEFL¥. 
(Ckrytyphanus  Dispar.)     (Plate  XIII.  fig.  2.) 

A  FEW  years  ago,  this  was  the  pride  of  British  eat* 
mology,  for  we  were  supposed  to  have  the  insect  en- 
tirely to  ourselves,  it  being  unknown  on  the  Continent, 
whilst  it  literally  swarmed  in  some  of  the  fens  ol 
Cambridgeshire  and  Huntingdonshire.  Then,  from 
some  cause,  never  satisfactorily  explained,  it  almost 
suddenly  disappeared,  and,  there  is  reason  to  fear,  has 
become  quite  extinct  in  this  country.  Still,  hopes  are 
entertained  that  it  may  be  surviving  in  some  unexplored 
districts,  and  that  it  will  again  "  turn  up." 

As  comparatively  very  few  persons  have  ever  seen  this 
/splendid  creature  on  the  wing,  the  following  commu- 
nication from  one  who  has,  quoted  from  the  Intelligencer 
will  be  of  interest  to  those  who  have  not  read  it  in  that 
periodical.  It  is  from  the  pen  of  Mr.  E.  C.  F.  Jenkins, 

Sleaford,  Lincolnshire.  He  writes  :  "  I  proceed  to  give 
you  some  account  of  my  own  acquaintance  with  that  most 
beautiful  insect,  which,  some  thirty  years  ago,  was  so 
abundant  in  the  unreclaimed  fens  about  AVhittlesea 
^lere,  that  I  never  expected  to  hear  of  its  utter  exter- 
mination. Its  brilliant  appearance  on  the  wing  in  the 
sunshine  I  shall  never  forget,  and  to  watch  it  sitting  09 


LARGE    COPPER    BUTTERFLY.  149 

the  flower  of  the  Eupaiorium  canndbinum  and  show 
the  under  sides  of  its  wings,  was  something  ever  tc  be 
remembered.  I  once  took  sixteen  in  about  half  an  hour 
on  one  particular  spot,  where  the  above-mentioned  plant 
was  very  plentiful ;  but  unless  the  sun  was  very  bright 
they  were  very  difficult  to  find.  In  those  days  the 
larva  was  unknown,  and  I  attribute  the  disappearance 
of  the  butterfly  to  the  discovery  of  the  larva,  to  the 
unceasing  attacks  of  collectors,  and  to  the  burning  of 
the  surface-growth  of  the  fens,  which  is  done  in  dry 
weather  when  they  are  to  be  reclaimed." 

The  two  sexes  of  this  butterfly  differ  very  remark- 
ably in  the  appearance  of  the  upper  surface.  This,  in 
the  male,  is  of  an  effulgent  coppery  colour,  narrowly 
bordered  with  black,  and  having  a  black  mark  in  the 
centre  of  each  wing.  The  female  is  larger,  has  a  reddei 
tinge,  with  a  row  of  black  spots  on  the  front  wings, 
and  the  hind  wings  nearly  covered  with  black,  except- 
ing a  band  of  coppery  red  near  the  margin,  extending 
also  more  or  less  distinctly  along  the  courses  of  the 
veins.  Underneath,  both  sexes  are  nearly  alike,  the 
hind  wing  of  a  general  light  Hue  tint,  with  a  red  band 
near  the  margin,  and  spotted  with  black. 

The  caterpillar  is  green,  darker  on  the  back,  and 
paler  at  the  sides,  it  feeds  on  the  water  dock. 

The  butterfly  used  to  be  found  in  July  and  August, 
being  formerly  especially  abundant  about  Yaxley  and 
Wliittlesea  Mere,  and  has  been  taken  also  at  Benacre. 
Suffolk ;  and  Bardolph  Fen,  Norfolk. 


150  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

Various  reports  of  its  capture,  during  the  last  two  03 
fchree  years,  have  been  published ;  but  they  all  seem  to 
require  confirmation. 

This  butterfly  is  now  generally  considered  to  be  a 
l&rge  local  variety  of  the  continental  one  called  Hippo- 
with  which  it  closely  agrees  in  its  markings. 


THE  BLUES.    (Genus  Polyommatus.) 

WE  now  arrive  at  a  numerous  genus  of  elegant  and 
lively  little  insects,  collectively  known  as  the  "  Blues," 
though  some  of  them  are  not  blue  at  all.  In  their 
manners,  and  the  localities  they  inhabit,  there  is  so 
much  in  common,  that  one  description  of  these  will 
answer  for  nearly  every  one  of  them ;  so  that  iny  small 
available  space  will  be  in  great  part  devoted  to  pointing 
out  the  marks  of  distinction  between  the  various  species, 
ten  in  number,  several  of  them  closely  resembling 
others  in  general  appearance,  and  requiring  some  care 
in  their  discrimination. 

Their  caterpillars,  which  are  wood-louse  shaped,  or 
misciform,  generally  feed  on  low  plants,  chiefly  of  the 
papilionaceous  order;  and  the  butterflies  are  found  in 
dry  meadows,  on  downs,  and  in  open  heathy  places. 
Tile  first  species,  P.  Argiolus,  is,  however,  an  exception 
la  the  above,  both  in  its  food  and  haunts. 


AZTJKE    BLUE.  151 

Several  species  of  this  genus  are  often  found  toge- 
ther. For  example,  in  the  Isle  of  Wight,  last  August^ 
I  took  P.  Argiolus,  Cory  don,  Adonis,  Alexis^  and  Agcstis, 
all  within  about  one  hour,  and  a  space  of  a  few  yardi 
square  in  the  corner  of  a  field. 


THE  AZUEE  BLUE  BUTTERFLY 

(Polyommatus  Argiolw.) 
(Plate  XIIL  fig.  3,  Male ;    3  a,  Female.) 

Colouring: — Upper  side,  beautiful  lilac  blue — the 
male  with  a  narrow  black  border  (fig.  3),  the  female  with 
a  broad  one,  sometimes  extending  over  the  outer  half  of 
the  wing  (fig.  3  a).  Under  side,  very  delicate  silvery 
blue,  almost  white,  with  numerous  small  black  spots. 
N'o  red  spots. 

Caterpillar,  green,  with  darker  line  on  back.  Feeds 
m  the  flowers  of  holly,  ivy,  and  buckthorn. 

The  butterfly  appears  in  May,  or  sometimes  in  April, 
and  again  in  August,  frequenting  woods  and  hedges, 
especially  where  holly  and  ivy  abound.  1  noticed  im- 
mense numbers  about  the  ivied  walls  of  Chepstow 
Castle. 

As  the  name  "Azure  Blue"  is  in  general  use,  I  have 
retained  it  above,  but  that-  of  "  Holly  Blue,"  sometime* 


152  BRITISH  BUTTERFLIES. 

applied  to  it,  is  preferable,  as  its  colour  is  much  less  an 
azure  blue  than  that  of  Adonis. 

Localities  : — Common  in  the  south,  and  found  as  fai 
north  as  Durham  and  the  Lake  District  Not  known 
bi  Scotland. 


THE  BEDFOED  BLUE,  OR  LITTLE  BLUE. 
(Polyommatus  Alsus.) 

(Plate  XIIL  fig.  4,  Male ;  4  a,  Female.) 

THIS  is  the  smallest  of  British  butterflies,  specimens 
being  sometimes  seen  even  smaller  than  those  figured. 

Colouring  :  —  Upper  side,  dark  brown,  distinctly 
powdered  with  blue  near  the  root  of  the  wing  in  the 
male,  without  blue  in  the  female.  Under  side,  pale  grey- 
drab,  bluish  near  the  base,  marked  with  rows  of  Hack 
evots  in  pale  rings.  No  red  spots. 

Caterpillar,  green,  orange  stripe  down  back,  and 
streaks  of  same  colour  on  each  side. 

The  butterfly  is  out  in  May  and  June,  and  is  some- 
times oeen  much  later.  It  is  generally  met  with  on 
limestone  or  chalky  soils ;  and,  from  a  long  list  of 
localities  I  have  looked  over,  it  seems  to  be  distributed 
•>ver  England,  Scotland,  Wales,  and  Ireland. 


MAZARINE  BLins.  158 


THE  MAZABINE  BLUE.     (Polyommatm  Acts.) 
(Plate  XIII.  fig.  5,  Male  ;  5  a,  Female.) 

Colouring  :  —  Upper  side,  male,  deep  purple,  or  maza* 
line  blue,  with  a  border  of  black  (fig.  5)  ;  female,  dark 
brown  (fig.  5  a).  Under  sides  of  both  sexes  similar, 
pale  greyish  drab,  tinged  at  the  base  with  greenish  blue, 
numerous  black  spots  in  white  rings.  No  red  spots. 

Though  this  elegant  butterfly  was  frequently  met 
with  some  years  ago,  it  has  lately  become  one  of  our 
rarest  species,  and  I  can  give  no  locality  where  it  can 
be  now  found.  It  has  been  reported  as  taken  lately  at 
Ventnor,  Isle  of  Wight,  and  somewhere  in  South  Wales, 
also  in  other  places,  but  only  singly. 

Collectors,  on  visiting  any  new  district,  should  net 
all  the  Blues  they  are  not  quite  sure  are  common 
ones,  and  this  may  perchance  turn  np  among  iiiem 
sometimes. 

The  caterpillar  is  said  to  feed  on  the  fower  heads  of 
sommcn  Thrift  (Armeria  vulgaris). 

The  butterfly  may  be  looked  for  in  Jaly, 


154  BRITISH   BUTTERFLIES. 

THE  LAKGE  BLUE. 
(Polyommatus  Arion.)    (Plate  XIV.  fig.  1.) 

THIS  is  the  largest  of  all  our  "  Blues,"  and,  next  to  the 
last,  the  rarest,  though  still  taken  in  some  numbers 
every  year. 

Colouring  : — Upper  side,  dark  blue,  granulated  with 
black  scales  that  give  it  a  dull  aspect,  having  a  black 
border,  and  a  series  of  large  black  spots  across  the  front 
wing.  Under  side,  greyish  drab,  suffused  with  greenish 
blue  near  the  body;  towards  centre,  many  black 
spots  in  indistinct  light-coloured  rings,  and  a  double 
border  of  the  same.  No  red  spots. 

The  caterpillar  is  unknown. 

The  butterfly  appears  in  July,  frequenting  rough, 
flowery  pasture-grounds,  but  is  exceedingly  local.  A 
famous  place  for  it  is  Barnwell  Wold,  about  a  mile  and 
a  half  from  the  village  of  Barnwell,  near  Oundle, 
Northamptonshire,  where  the  insect  was  discovered  by 
the  Rev.  W.  Bree  many  years  ago  j  but  it  is  less  abun- 
dant there  than  formerly,  from  the  repeated  attacks  of 
collectors,  who  catch  all  they  can  find.  Other  localities, 
mentioned  in  various  works,  are — Brington,  Hunting- 
donshire ;  Shortwood,  and  some  other  spots,  near 
Chcltenh&m ;  Charrnouth,  Dorsetshire ;  Dover ;  Downs 


THE    CHALK-HILL    BLUE.  155 

near  Glastonbury,  Somerset ;  Downs  near  Marlborough, 
Wiltshire  j  Broomliam,  Bedfordshire  \  near  Bedford  • 
near  Winchester. 


THE  CHALK-HILL  BLUE. 

(Polyommatus  Corydon.)    (Plato  XIV.  fig.  2,  Male ; 
2  a,  Female.) 

Colouring: — Upper  side,  male,  pale  silvery  greenish 
Hue,  with  very  silky  gloss,  and  shading  off  into  a  broad 
black  border. 

Female,  dark  smoky  brown,  with  a  leaden  tinge, 
sprinkled  near  the  body  with  greenish  blue  scales  of  the 
same  colour  as  the  males  ;  border  of  orange  spots,  more 
or  less  visible.  Under  side  marked  as  in  fig.  2  a,  on  a 
brown  ground,  with  a  row  of  red  spots  near  border  ol 
hind  wing. 

The  caterpillar  (Plate  I.  fig.  10)  is  green,  striped 
with  yellow  on  the  back  and  sides. 

The  chrysalis  is  brownish,  and  of  the  shape  shown 
at  fig.  29,  Plate  I. 

The  butterfly  is  out  in  July  and  August,  frequenting 
chalky  do  WES,  especially  in  the  south,  and  where  it 
does  occur  is  often  extremely  abundant.  Occasionally 
It  is  found  of  the  chalk,  having  been  seen  in  Epping 
Forest,  decidedly  not  a  chalk  district  Other  1-calitiea 


156  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

are — Croydon  ;  Brighton ;  Lewes ;  Dover  ;  Winches- 
ter ;  Isle  of  Wight ;  Kalton,  Bucks  ;  K  ewrnarket  ; 
Peterborough ;  Norfolk ;  Suffolk ;  Berkshire  ;  Oxford 
Bhire ;  Wiltshire  ;  Gloucestershire.  At  Grange,  North 
Lancashire,  it  Is  the  commonest  "Blue,"  not  on  chalk, 
but  limestone. 


THE  ADONIS  BLUE. 

(Pnfyommatus  Adonis.)       (Plato  XIV.  fig.   3,   Male; 
3  a,  Female.) 

Colouring: — Upper  side,  male,  brilliant  sky-blue, 
without  any  lilac  tinge,  bordered  by  a  distinct  black 
line,  the  fringe  distinctly  barred  with  blackish.  Female, 
dark  smoky  brown,  sprinkled  near  body  with  pur* 
blue  scales  the  colour  of  tJiose  of  male  ;  border  of  orange 
apots,  more  or  less  visible. 

Under  side,  male,  marked  as  in  fig.  3 ;  border  cf .  red 


Female,  almost  exactly  like  that  of  Gorydon  (fig. 
2  a),  but  usually  has  the  black  spots  on  tho  front  wing 
smaller. 

This  is  a  most  lovely  little  butterfly,  tho  "blue  of  iti 
upper  surface  being  quite  unapproachable  among  native 
insects,  Mr.  Stainton,  speaking  of  the  different  blues  of 
Coryd«  n  and  Adonis,  happily  obso.rve.s  that,  "  Corydon 


THE   COMMON   BLUE.  15? 

nwninds  one  of  the  soft  silvery  appearance  of  Moonlight, 
whilst  Adonis  recalls  the  intense  blue  of  the  sky  on 
a  hot  summer's  day." 

Caterpillar  like  that  of  Corydon. 

The  butterfly  is  double-brooded,  appearing  first  in 
May  and  again  in  August.  It  is  found  on  the  same 
Boils  and  in  most  of  the  localities  with  the  last,  but  is, 
[  believe,  more  confined  to  the  south. 


THE  COMMON  BLUE. 

(Pdyommatus  Alexis.}    (Plate  XIV.  fig.  4,  Male  ; 
4  a,  Female.) 

Colouring : — Upper  side,  male,  lilac  blue.  Female, 
purplish  blue  about  the  centre,  brown  towards  tho 
margius,  but  the  proportions  of  blue  and  brown  are 
very  variable — sometimes  all  the  wings  have  a  border 
of  orange-red  spots,  sometimes  these  are  absent  from 
one  or  both  pairs  of  wings. 

Fringe  in  both  sexes  white,  uninterrupted  ~by  dark 
bars. 

Under  sidet  male,  marked  as  in  fig.  4,  and  hardly  to 
be  distinguished  from  under  side  of  male  Adonis,  except 
hy  the  ground  colour,  which  is  paler  and  greyer  than  io 
Adonis.  Female,  same  pattern,  as  male,  but 
with  wanner  tints — more  like  male  Adonis, 


158  BRITISH   BTJTTEftFLIES. 

This  very  pretty  little  insect  is  the  blue  butterfly  on« 
sees  everywhere,  abounding  in  meadows,  on  heaths  and 
downs,  and  not  at  all  confined  to  chalky  soils,  like 
some  other  "blues." 

The  caterpillar  is  green,  with  darker  stripe  on  the 
back,  and  white  spots  on  each  side.  It  feeds  on  Bird's- 
foot  Trefoil  and  other  leguminous  plants. 

The  butterfly  is  to  be  found  almost  constantly  from 
the  end  of  May  to  the  end  of  September,  being  double- 
brooded. 


THE  SILVEE-STUDDED  BLUE. 

(Polyommatus  jEgon.)     (Plate  XIV.  fig.  5,  male  ; 
5  a,  Female.) 

Colouring : — Upper  side,  male,  fjurplish  blue  (rather 
deeper  than  that  of  Alexis),  with  a  rather  broad  black 
margin.  Female,  dark  brown,  sometimes  slightly  tinged 
with  blue,  and  bordered  on  the  hind  wings  with  dull 
Drange  spots  ;  but  these  are  often  absent. 

Fringe  white,  not  barred  with  black.  Under  side, 
tear  tJie  margin  of  the  hind  wings,  and  between  that 
and  the  orange  border  spots,  are  several  metallic  spots, 
vf  a  bluish  tint,  whence  the  insect  has  its  name  ol 
*  Silver-studded." 


THE   BROWN  ARGTTS,  159 

Tho  caterpillar  is  brown,  with  white  lines.  Feeds  on 
broom  and  other  plants  of  the  same  order. 

The  butterfly  appears  in  July  and  August,  and  is  very 
frequently  met  with  throughout  the  country  on  heaths, 
commons,  and  downs,  both  on  sandy  and  chalky  soils. 
In  many  places  it  is  the  commonest  of  the  "  Blues.'1 
It  has  been  found  at  Epping  ;  Coombe  Wood ;  Darenth 
Wood ;  Box  Hill ;  Ripley,  Surrey  ;  Brighton ;  Lewes ; 
Deal ;  Lyndhurst ;  Blandford ;  Brandon,  Suffolk ;  Holt, 
Norfolk  ;  Birkenhead ;  Bristol ;  Saruni,  Wiltshire  ; 
LymeBegis;  Parley  Heath,  Dorsetshire;  Manchester; 
York ;  several  places  in  Scotland. 


THE  BROWN  AEGUS. 
(Polyommatus  Agestis.)     (Plate  XIV.  fig.  6.) 

THOUGH  this  butterfly  and  the  next  are  classed  among 
the  "  Blues,"  from  their  possessing  the  same  structure 
and  habits,  there  is  no  trace  of  blue  in  the  colouring  of 
either  sex,  as  in  all  the  preceding  species  of  Polyommatus. 
In  this  species  the  colour  of  both  Fexes  on  the 
npper  side  is  a  warm,  dark  brown,  having  on  all  the 
wings  a  border  of  dark  orange  spots.  The  female  hardly 
differs  from,  the  male,  except  in  having  this  border 
broader,  and  more  extended  on  the  front  wing ;  where, 


1(10  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

in  the  niaie,  it  is  sometimes  very  indistinct.  The  undei 
side  much  resembles  that  of  the  female  of  Alexis,  tht 
border  of  orange  spots  being  even  more  distinct  on  the 
front  wing  than  on  the  hJnd  one.  It  will  be  observed 
on  referring  to  Plate  XIY.  that  on  the  under  sides  of 
all  the  butterflies  there  figured,  there  is  an  irregular 
black  spot  situated  near  the  front  edge  of  the  upper 
wing  and  midway  in  its  length — this  is  called  the 
"discoidal  spot"  It  will  also  be  observad  that  the 
common  Blue  (fig.  4)  has,  on  the  area  of  the  wing,  be- 
tween the  discoidal  spot  and  the  root  of  the  wing,  two 
spots,  which  are  absent  in  this  species.  This  forms  a 
very  ready  mark  of  distinction,  though  it  requires  a 
good  many  words  to  explain  it. 

The  caterpillar,  which  feeds  on  Erodium  Cicuiarium, 
and  perhaps  on  Helianthemum  (Rock  Cistus),  is  green, 
with  pale  spots  on  the  back,  and  a  brownish  line  down 
the  middle. 

The  butterfly  appears  in  May  and  June,  and  again  in 
August,  and  is  common  in  very  many  localities  in  the 
south,  being  particularly  abundant  on  the  downs  of  the 
south  coast  and  the  Isle  of 


THE    ARTAXERXES.  161 


THE  ARTAXEBXES  BUTTE11FLY. 
(Polyommatus  Artaxerxes.)    (Plate  XIV.  fig.  7.) 

Colouring,  same  as  in  the  last  species  (Agestis) ;  "but 
on  the  upper  surface,  the  orange  border-spots  are  often 
hardly  perceptible  on  the  front  wing,  and  there  is  a 
distinct  white  spot  in  the  centre  of  the  front  wings. 
The  under  side  also  is  precisely  like  that  of  Agestis,  with 
the  black  spots  removed  from  the  centre  of  the.  white 
rings,  which  are  thus  changed  into  large  white  spots,  as 
shown  in  the  figure. 

There  has  been  a  great  deal  of  discussion  among 
entomologists,  as  to  whether  this  be  a  distinct  species, 
or  only  a  variety  of  Agestis.  I  believe  it  to  be  the 
latter,  but  do  not  attach  much  importance  to  the  ques- 
tion ;  and  as  this  butterfly  is  found  under  the  name  of 
Artaxerxes,  in  almost  every  cabinet,  and  is  rather  a 
famous  little  insect,  I  have  thought  it  best  to  give  it  a 
separate  heading  under  its  usual  title,  and  collecting 
readers  may  still  label  it  in  their  cabinet  either  as 
above,  or  as  "P.  Agestis,  var.  Artaxerxes"  and  probably 
will  be  equally  right  either  way. 

The  popular  nature  and  limited  extent  of  this  work 
will  not,  however,  admit  of  the  subject  being  entered 
into  scientificallv  on(j  i  can  oniy  here  state  that  I  have 
M 


162  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 

seen  specimens  from  various  parts  of  the  country,  that 
include  every  intermediate  variety  between  the  ordinary 
Agestis  of  the  south,  and  the  Artaxerxes  of  Scotland. 
The  Durham  Argus,  formerly  called  P.  Salmacis,  forms 
one  of  these  gradations. 

Against  the  idea  of  Agestis  and  Artaxerxes  being  one 
species,  it  has  been  objected,  that  the  former  is  double, 
the  latter  single  brooded.  What  of  that  ?  Plenty  of 
species  that  are  double-brooded  in  the  south  of  Europe 
are  well  known  to  become  single-brooded  in  a  more 
northern  situation. 

The  caterpillar  is  said  to  be  exactly  like  that  of 
Agestis.  It  feeds  on  Helianthemum  vulgarc  (Eock 
Cistus). 

The  butterfly  is  found  in  July  and  August  in  several 
parts  of  Scotland^  and  the  north  of  England.  Arthur's 
Beat,  Edinburgh,  has  been  long  noted  for  producing  it. 


THE  SKIPPEKS.     (Family— Hesperidce.) 


curious  little  butterflies  form  a  very  natural 
group ;  in  many  respects,  both  of  structure  and  habits, 
approaching  the  moths,  and  therefore  placed  at  the  end 
of  the  butterflies.  They  are  of  small  size,  but  robust 
appearance,  and  not  brightly  coloured.  Their  flight  is 
rapid,  but  of  short  continuance,  and  they  eeem  to  skip 


THE    SKIPPERS.  163 

from  flower  to  flower :  hence  their  name.  They  are 
chiefly  distinguished  scientifically  from  other  butterflies 
by  the  form  of  the  antennae,  which  are  more  or  less 
hooked  at  the  tip  (see  one  magnified  on  Plato  II. 
fig.  14),  by  the  great  width  of  the  head,  and  the  dis- 
tance between  the  roots  of  the  antennae,  by  their  moth- 
like  habit  of  rolling  np  leaves  for  their  habitation 
when  caterpillars,  and  by  spinning  a  cocoon  for  the 
chrysalis.  The  caterpillars  are  shaped  as  in  fig.  11, 
Plate  I. ;  the  chrysalides,  as  in  figs.  26  and  27.  There 
are  seven  British  species. 


THE   GEIZZLED   SKIPPER. 
(Thymele  Alveolus.)    (Plate  XV.  fig.  1.) 

THE  ground  colour  of  this  smart  little  butterfly  is  very 
dark  brown,  or  black,  with  a  greenish  hue  over  it,  and  it 
is  sharply  marked  with  squarish  spots  of  creamy  white. 
The  fringe  is  also  chequered  with  the  same  colours. 
Sexes  similar  in  appearance. 

The  caterpillar  feeds  on  the  wild  Raspberry,  also,  it 
is  said,  on  Potentilla  alba,  and  P.  anserina,  and  ia 
greenish,  with  white  lines 

The  butterfly  appears  in  May,  and  again  in  August, 
being  double-brooded.  It  appears  to  be  common  in 
grassy  wood-openings  all  over  the  country,  extend  ing 
also  into  the  south  of  Scotland. 

M3 


164  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 


THE  DINGY  SKIPPER. 
(Tkanaos  Tages.)     (Plate  XV.  fig.  2.) 

CERTAINLY  a  rather  "dingy"  butterfly,  its  colour  being 
dull  grey  brown,  with  confused  bands  of  darker  brown  ; 
near  the  border  a  row  of  whitish  dots.  Sexes  similar. 

The  caterpillar  (fig.  11,  Plate  I.)  feeds  on  Bird's- 
foot  Trefoil,  and  is  pale  green,  with  four  yellow  lines 
and  rows  of  black  dots. 

The  chrysalis  is  shown  at  fig.  27,  Plate  I. 

The  butterfly  com.es  out  in  May  and  August,  being 
double-brooded,  and  is  found  on  hill-sides,  dry  banks, 
old  chalk  pits,  &c.  generally  throughout  the  country, 
though  it  is  less  common  than  the  last*  It  is  also  me; 
with  frequently  in  Scotland. 


THE  CHEQUERED  SKIPPER 
(Steropes  Paniscus.')     (Plate  XV.  fig.  3.) 

similar.      Wings  chequered  with  brownish 
and  tawny  orange  above ;  beneath,  in  addition  to  the 
above  colours,  there  are  on  the  hind  wing  several  bright 


THE   SKIPPERS.  165 

spots  of  pale  buff  distinctly  outlined  with,  dark  brown— 
having  a  much  more  ornamental  effect  than  we  generally 
meet  with  on  the  under  surface  in  this  family — the 
colouring  on  that  side  being  usually  faint  and  blurred 
ao  as  to  give  a  washed-out  or  wrong-sided  appearance. 

The  caterpillar  is  brown,  striped  and  "collared"  with 
yellow ;  head  black.  It  feeds  on  the  Plantain,  also  on 
Dog's-tail  Grass  (Cynosurus  cristatus). 

The  butterfly  appears  in  June,  but  is  very  local — being 
either  found  plentifully  in  a  place  or  not  at  all.  It  has 
occurred  at  Barnwell,  and  Ashton  "Wold,  Northants  ; 
Kettering ;  Sywell  "Wood,  near  Northampton ;  near 
Peterborough ;  Clapham  Park  Wood,  and  Luton,  Bed- 
fordshire; Bourne,  Lincolnshire;  Monks  "Wood,  Hunts; 
White  Wood ;  Gamlingay,  Cambridgeshire ;  Stow- 
market ;  Milton  ;  Rockingham  Forest ;  Dartmoor  j 
Netley  Abbey ;  Charlbury,  near  Ens  tone,  Oxon. 


THE  LULWORTH  SKIPPER.     (Pamphila  Acteon.} 
(Plate  XV.  fig.  4,  Male ;  4  a}  Female.) 

THIS  plainly-coloured  little  butterfly,  prized  by  collec- 
tors for  its  rarity,  has,  in  the  male  sex,  great  general 
resemblance  to  that  of  the  next  species — the  -common 
P.  Linea — but  Actceon  may  be  distinguished  by  having 
the  wings  clouded  over  nearly  the  whole  surface  with 


166  BRITISH   BUTTERFLIES. 

dull  brown,  having  something  of  a  greenish  cast.  Th& 
female  is,  however,  very  different  from  that  of  Linea, 
having  all  the  wings  of  uniform  dingy  brown,  excepting 
a  crescent-shaped  row  of  tawny  spots  near  the  tip  of 
the  front  wing,  and  a  more  or  less  distinct  streak  of  the 
same  colour  near  the  centre. 

The  male  Actceon  is  further  distinguished  from  the 
female  by  the  possession  of  a  blackish  streak  near  the 
centre  of  his  front  wing. 

Beneath,  the  wings  are  clouded  obscurely  with  tawny 
yellow  and  a  dingy  brownish  tint,  the  yellow  tinge  pre- 
dominating in  the  male. 

The  caterpillar  is  unknown. 

The  butterfly  appears  in  July  and  August,  but  is  sc 
extremely  limited  in  its  local  range  that  it  is  only  to  be 
met  with,  so  far  as  is  known,  in  three  spots — all  on  the 
same  line  of  coast — viz.  Lulworth  Cove,  Dorsetshire ; 
the  "Burning  Cliff,"  about  five  miles  nearer  Wey- 
mouth  along  the  coast ;  and  at  Sidmouth,  Devonshire. 
At  the  present  time  I  believe  the  "Burning  Cliff"  is 
the  locality  where  the  insect  is  found  in  the  greatest 
plenty.  It  is  to  be  looked  for  on  the  rough  broken 
ground  covered  with  weeds  that  slopes  down  to  the 
shore  on  this  coast. 

Mr.  Humphreys  states  that  in  1835  he  saw  it  ia 
great  abundance  at  Shenstoae,  near  LichfiekL 


THE    SKIPPERS.  167 


THE  SMALL  SKIPPER.     (Pamphila  Liiua.) 

(Plate  XV.  fig.  5,  Male ;  5  a,  Female.) 

UPPER  side,  uniform  orange  tawny  colour,  shaded  into 
brown  at  the  borders.  The  male  (fig.  5)  has  an  oblique 
blackish  line  near  the  centre  of  the  front  wing ;  this  is 
absent  in  the  female  (fig.  5  a).  The  males  of  this  butter- 
fly very  much  resemble  those  of  the  last  rare  species 
(Actceon),  but  they  may  be  distinguished  by  the  middle 
part  of  the  upper  wing  not  being  clouded  with  brown, 
as  it  is  in  Actceon.  Under  side,  two  shades  of  tawny 
colour,  but  not  spotted. 

The  caterpillar  is  green,  with  four  white  lines,  and 
feeds  on  grasses. 

The  butterfly  appears  in  July,  and  is  very  common 
and  widely  distributed. 


THE  LARGE  SKIPPER.     (Pamphila  Sylwnus.) 
(Plate  XV.  fig.  6,  Male  j  6  a,  Female.) 

UPPER  side,  dark  rich  brown,  shaded  and  spotted  with 
tewny  or  fulvous  tint.     The  male  is  known  by  a  dark- 


168  BRITISH   BTTTTERFLIES. 

brown,  burnt-look^ig  streak  near  the  centre  of  the  front 
wings;  the  female  being  without  this  mark.  Under 
side,  greenish,  with  indistinct  yellowish  spots. 

The  caterpillar  is  green  (darker  on  the  back),  and 
dotted  with  black;  spotted  with  white  underneath.  It 
feeds  on  various  grasses. 

The  butterfly  appears  in  May,  and  again  in  August  01 
the  end  of  July ;  and  is  very  common  in  almost  every 
locality,  frequenting  grassy  places  in  and  near  woods, 
road-sides,  &c. 


THE  SILVER-SPOTTED  SKIPPER. 
(PamphUa  Comma.) 

(Plate  XV.  fig.  7,  Male;  fa,  Female. 

THIS  butterfly  closely  resembles  the  last,  especially  on 
the  upper  side ;  which  is,  however,  more  brightly  and 
clearly  marked.  But  the  chief  distinction  is  to  be  found 
on  the  under  side,  which  is  marked,  on  a  greenish 
ground,  with  clear-cut,  square  white  spots.  The  male,  as 
in  the  last  species,  is  distinguished  by  the  thin  blackish 
bar  placed  obliquely  on  the  front  wing.  The  outline 
of  this  species  also  differs  somewhat  from  that  of  the 
last,  especially  in  the  males.  This  difference  will  be 
better  understood  by  comparing  figs.  6  and  7  on  the 
plate,  than  by  description, 


THE    SKIPPERS.  169 

The  caterpillar  is  dull-green  and  reddish,  with  a 
tfhite  collar,  and  spotted  with  white  near  the  tail-end. 
It  feeds  on  leguminous  plants. 

The  butterfly  appears  in  July  and  August,  but  is  only 
found  in  a  limited  number  of  localities,  and  these  chiefly 
in  the  southern  counties ;  but  where  found  at  all,  it  is 
generally  abundant.  Among  its  localities  are  the  fol« 
lowing: — Croydon;  Brighton;  Lewes;  Dover;  Lynd- 
hurst ;  Blandford ;  Plymouth ;  Old  Sarum,  "Wiltshire  ; 
Barnwell  and  Ashton  Wolds,  Northamptonshire ;  Hal- 
ton,  Bucks ;  Newmarket ;  Gogmagog  Park,  Cambridge ; 
Hull ;  Scarborough, 


170  BRITISH    BUTTERFLIES. 


REPUTED  BKITISH  SPECIES 


ON  Plate  XVL  are  grouped  together  figures  of  six 
species  of  butterflies  which  are  not  admitted  into  our 
regular  British  lists,  on  account  of  the  extreme  rarity  of 
their  capture,  or  the  fact  of  their  not  having  been 
observed  at  all  for  several  years  past.  They  are  all 
common  species  in  various  parts  of  the  Continent,  and 
some  of  them  will  probably  occur  again  in  this  country. 


PAPIUO  PODALIRIUS.—  The  SCARCE  SWALLOW- 
TAILED  Butterfly  (fig.  1). — There  is  no  reasonable 
doubt  that  several  individuals  of  this  elegant  butterfly 
were  formerly  taken  in  various  parts  of  the  country,  but 
no  capturea  have  occurred  for  many  years  past.  The 
caterpillar,  also,  was  more  than  once  found  in  the  New 
Foretrt  .District,  Hampshire.  Generally  a  common  insect 
on  the  Continent. 


REPUTED    BRITISH    SPECIES.  171 

PARNASSIUS  APOLLO.— The  APOLLO  Butterfly  (fig. 
2), — I  have  good  reason  for  believing  that  a  specimen 
of  this  splendid  Alpine  butterfly  was  captured  in  this 
country  very  lately,  and  it  is  not  at  all  impossible  that 
it  may  be  some  day  found  on  our  north  country  moun- 
tains, or  those  of  the  Lake  District.  It  is  a  most 
beautiful  insect,  with  its  singular  semi-transparent  and 
partially  glazed  wings ;  the  lower  of  which  bear  large 
eye-spots  of  crimson-scarlet. 


EREBIA  LIGEA.— The  AEEA1S"  BROWN  Butterfly 
(ng.  3). — Of  this  species,  greatly  resembling  our  E. 
Blandina,  several  specimens  were  formerly  taken  by 
some  entomologists  in  the  Isle  of  Arran,  where,  as  also 
in  other  mountain  districts,  it  may  probably  still  exist; 
but  its  haunts  have  to  be  re-discovered  by  some  enter 
prising  butterfly-hunter. 

From  Blandina,  which  it  almost  exactly  resembles  on 
the  upper  surface,  it  may  be  distinguished  by  the  mark- 
ing of  the  under  side  of  the  hind  wing,  on  which  is  an 
irregular,  broken  band  of  pure  white,  and  between  this 
and  the  margin  a  row  of  three  distinct  black  eye-spots. 


ABGYNNIS    DIA. —WEAVER'S    FRITILLARY.— 
This  species  is  so  nearly  like  Euphrotyne  or  Selenet  on 

the  upper  surface,  that  it  readily  might  be,  and 


172  BRITISH  Btf  TIERS  LIES. 

sometimes  is,  passed  by  as  one  of  those  common  insects. 
Underneath  it  is  chiefly  recognised  by  the  beautiful 
blush  of  silvery  purple  that  extends  in  a  band  across 
the  middle  of  tk-5  hind  wings,  and  more  faintly  tinges 
the  front  wings  near  the  tip. 

There  is  little  reason  to  doubt  that  this  insect  was 
really  taken  by  Mr.  Richard  "Weaver  at  Sutton  Park, 
near  Tain  worth;  also  by  Mr.  Stanley,  near  Alderley, 
in  Cheshire. 


CHRYSCPHANUS  CmiysEis.— The  PURPLE-EDGED 
COPPEK  Butterfly. — As  this  species  has  been  admitted 
by  that  very  careful  and  accurate  entomologist,  Mr. 
Stainton,  into  his  "  Manual,"  I  cannot  refuse  it  a  place 
here,  though,  from  all  the  information  I  can  gain,  ita- 
only  claim  to  the  name  of  "  British  "  rests  on  a  tradition 
of  its  having  been  taken  a  long  time  ago  in  Ashdown 
Forest,  Sussex  j  and  since  then,  by  a  dealer,  in  Epping 
Forest.  It  is  a  beautiful  insect,  coppery  red,  bordered 
with  changeable  purple,  and  I  should  be  glad  to  see  it 
fairly  established  in  our  lists. 


POLYOMMATUS  B^Ticus.  —  The  LONG-TAILED 
BLUE. — This  Butterfly  has  been  long  known,  as  a 
scutfis.rn  insect,  with  a  very  wide  range  of  distribution, 
abounding  in  the  south  of  Europe  and  thence  extending 
into  India,  Java,  £c.  Then  last  year  it  was  seen  in 


REPUTED    BRITISH    SPECIES.  173 

Guernsey,  and  in  August  of  the  same  year  an  indivi- 
dual was  actually  captured  in  this  country,  the  scene  of 
the  event  being  somewhere  on  the  chalk  downs  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Brighton,  and  the  fortunate  captor 
being  Mr.  McArthur,  of  that  town.  My  friend  and 
neighbour,  Dr.  Allchin,  of  Bayswater,  was  on  the  spot 
at  the  time,  and  saw  the  insect  shortly  after  its  capture 

The  butterfly,  which  on  the  upper  side  has  some- 
what of  the  aspect  of  a  female  "  Common  Blue,"  will 
be  at  once  recognised  by  its  long  tail-like  appendages  to 
the  hind  wings.  Beneath,  its  plan  of  colouring  is  totally 
distinct  from  that  of  any  of  our  native  "  Blues  "  (Poly- 
ommati),  being  destitute  of  the  numerous  little  eye-like 
Bpots,  which  are  replaced  by  bands  of  fawn  colour  and 
white ;  but  at  the  lower  angle  of  the  hind  wings  are  two 
spots  of  glittering  metallic  green,  reminding  one,  on  a 
small  scale,  of  the  "  eye-"  of  a  peacock's  feather. 

The  habits  of  the  insect  are  those  of  our  Common 
Blues — skipping  about  over  grassy  places,  and  for  a 
Common  Blue  it  would  on  the  wing  be  readily  mistaken. 

Collectors  will  in  the  coming  season  doubtless  search 
the  south  coast  district  thoroughly,  and  many  a  Common 
Blue  will  be  apprehended  on  suspicion. 

Should  our  little  friend  Bceticus  continue  his  north- 
ward progress  (as  we  have  some  reason  to  hope  he  may), 
we  may  find  him  regularly  enrolled  on  the  native  lists, 
and  gracing  the  ranks  of  that  select  little  company 
entitled  "  Our  Britirii  Butterflies." 


BEFEBENCES  TO  PLATES. 


PEEPAEATOEY  STATES  AND  DETAILS. 


PLATE  I. 

Fig.           Caterpillars  of— 

Fig. 

1.  Swallow-tailed  Butterfly. 

1. 

2.  Brimstone  B. 

2. 

3.  Meadow-brown  B. 

3. 

4.  White  Admiral. 

4. 

5.  Purple  Emperor. 

5. 

6.  Peacock  B. 

6. 

7.  Sil  ver-  washed  FriUllaiy. 

7. 

8.  Duke  of  Burgundy  Fritillavy. 

8. 

9.  Purple  Hair-streak. 

10.  Chalk  hill  Blue  B. 

9.  i 

11.  Dingy  Skipper. 

10. 

Chrysalides  of  — 

11. 

12.  Swallow-tailed  B. 

12. 

1*.  Brimstone  B. 

13. 

14.  Black-veined  White  B. 

1.5.  Large  Garden  White  B. 

It. 

16.  Sil  ver-  washed  Fritillary. 

15. 

IT.  Orange-tip  B. 

16. 

1  8.  Wood  -white  B. 

1>.  Marbled-white  B. 

17. 

20.  Meadow-brown  B. 

18. 

21.  White  Admiral. 

19. 

"22.  Purple  Emperor. 

20. 

2  !.  Large  Tortoiseshell  B. 

ii4.  Comma  B. 

21. 

•j/i.   Duke  of  Bu'gundy  Fritillary. 

'&.  .Small  Skipper  B. 

2-2. 

27.  Dingy  Skipper  B. 

28.  Purple  Hiit  -streak  B. 

23. 

29.  Chalk-hill  Blue  B. 

PLATE  II. 

Egg  of  Garden  White  B. 

—  Queen  of  Spain  Fritillary. 

—  Large  Heath  B. 

—  Peacock  B. 

—  Large  Tortoiseshell  B. 

—  Meadow-brown  B. 

—  Wood  Argus. 

Head  of  Red  Admiral  B.,  mag- 
nified. 

Section  of  sucker  of  ditto,  mag- 
nified. 

Papillae  on  end  of  do.  magnified. 

Portion  of  Eye  of  Butterfly, 
magnified. 

Antenna  of  Fritillary,  magnified- 

—  Swallow-tailed       R, 

magnified. 

—  Skipper  B. magnified. 
Base  of  Antenna,  magnified. 
Arrangement  of  Sctiles  on  Wing, 

magnified. 

Plumed  Scale,  magnified. 
Long  form  of  ditto,  magnified. 
Another  form  of  ditto,  magnified. 

—  from  Small    White    13., 

magnified. 

—  from      Orange-tip      B., 

magnified. 
B.ttledore  Scale  from  Blue   U  , 

magnified. 
Ordinary    Scale    from    Garden 

White  B.,  magnified. 


176 


REFERENCES    TO    PLATES. 


Fig.  Fig. 

24.  Ordinary    Scale     from    Wood  32.  Ordinary  Scale  from  Small  Tor 

White,  magnified.  toiseshell  B.,  magnified. 

25.  Ditto.  33.  Ditto. 

26.  Ordinary  Scale  from  Brimstone  34.  Ditto. 

B.,  magnified.  35.  Ditto. 

27.  Ditto.  86.  Ordinary  Scale  from  Chalk  hill 

28.  Ditto.  Bl*ie  B.,  magnified. 

29.  Ordinary  Scale  from  Common  37.  Ordinary  -*calo  from  Apollo  B., 

Blue  B.,  magnified.  magnified. 

SO.  Ditto.  38.  Form  common  to  Vanessa  genus, 

81.  Ditto.  magnified. 


BUTTERFLIES. 


PLATE  III. 
Fig. 
).  Swallow-tail. 

2.  Brimstone. 

3.  Clouded  Yellow,  3  a,  female. 

4.  Pale  Clouded  Yellow. 

PLATE  IV. 

1.  Black-veined  White. 

2.  Large  Garden  White. 

3.  Small  Garden  White. 

4.  Green-veined  White. 
6.  Bath  White. 

PLATE  V. 

1.  Orange  Tip,  1  a,  female. 

2.  .Wood  White. 

3.  Marbled  White. 

4.  Wood  Argus. 

5.  Wall. 

6.  Grayling. 

PLATE  VI. 

1.  Meadow  Brown,  1  a,  female. 

2.  Large  Heath. 

3.  Ringlet. 

4.  Scotch  Argus. 

5.  Mountain  Ringlet. 
C.  Small  Ringlet. 

7.  Small  Heath. 


PLATE  VII. 
Fig. 

1.  White  Admiral. 

2.  Purple  Emperor. 
8.  Painted  Lady. 

PLATE  VIII. 

1.  Bed  Admiral. 

2.  Peacock. 

3.  Camberwell  Beauty. 

PLATE  IX. 

1.  Large  Tortoiseshell. 

2.  Small  Tortoiseshell. 

3.  Comma. 

4.  Silver-washed  Fritillary,  4  a,  fern. 

PLATE  X. 

1.  Dark  Green  Fritillary. 

2.  High-brown  Fritillary. 

3.  Queen  of  Spain  Fritillary. 

4.  Pearl-bordered  Fritillary. 

PLATE  XI. 

1.  Small  Pearl-bordered  Fritillary. 

2.  Glanville  Fritillary. 

3.  Pearl-bordered  Likeness  Fritillary 

4.  Greasy  Fritillary. 

5.  Duke  of  Burgundy  Fritillary. 


REFERENCES   TO    PLATES. 


177 


Fig. 


PLATE  XII. 


1.  Brown  Hair-streak,  1  a,  female. 

2.  Black  Hair-streak. 

3.  White  Letter  Hair-streak. 

4.  Purple  Hair-streak,  4  a,  female. 

5.  Green  Hair-streak. 

PLATE  XIII. 

1.  Small  Copper. 

2.  Large  Copper,  2  a,  female. 

3.  Holly,  or  Azure  Blue,  3  a,  female 

4.  Bedford  Blue,  4  a,  female. 

5.  Mazarine  Blue,  5  «,  female. 

PLATE  XIV. 

1.  Large  Blue. 

2.  Chalk-hill  Blue,  2  a,  female. 

3.  Adonis  Blue,  3  a,  female. 

4.  Common  Blue,  4  a,  female. 


Fig. 

5.  Silver-studded  Blue,  5  a,  female. 

6.  Brown  Argus. 

7.  Artaxerxes  Butterfly. 

PLATE  XV. 

1.  Grizzle  1  Skipper. 

2.  Dingy  Skipper. 

8.  Chequered  Skipper. 

4.  Lulworth  Skipper,  4  a,  female. 

5.  Small  Skipper,  5  a,  female. 

6.  Large  Skipper,  C  a,  female. 

7.  Silver-spotted  Skipper,  7  a,  fern. 

PLATE    XVI. 

1.  Scarce  Swallow-tail. 

2.  Apollo. 

3.  Arran  Brown. 

4.  Weaver's  Fritillary. 

5.  Purple-edged  Copper. 

6.  Tailed-Blue. 


INDEX. 


-.. 27 

Apollo  Butterfly 171 

Apparatus 39 

Arran  Brown  B 171 

Artaxerxes  B 161 

Artist  and  Butterfly 37 

Ba'h  White  B. S« 

Black-veined  White  B 7t 

B\ues,The(Geim$Polyommattu)l5Q 

Blue  B.,  Adonis 15« 

Azure 151 

Bedford 152 

Chalk-hill 155 

Common.... 157 

Holly 151 

Large 154. 

Mazarine 153 

Silver-studded 158 

Tailed  (Bceticus) 172 

Boxes 43 

Brimstone  B 67 

Brown  Argus  B 159 

Butterfly  Emblems  34 

hunting 39 

Cabinets 55 

Camberwell  Beauty  B 131 

Caterpillar ~ 7 

Chrysalis 12 

Classification 58 

Clouded  Sulphur  B 75 

Yellow  B » 71 


;    4S9 

Comma  B 126 

Copper  B.,  Large 148 

Purple-edged 172 

Small 147 

Eggs  of  B 3 

Eve  of  B 27 

Fritillary  B.,  Dark  Green 129 

Duke  of  Burgundy 139 

Glanville 135 

Greasy 137 

High-brown 130 

Pearl-bordered  133 

Pearl-border.Likeness  136 

Queen  of  Spain 131 

Silver-washed 12S 

Small  Pearl-bordered..   134 
Weaver's  (Dia) 171 

Garden  White  B.,  Large SO 

Small 84 

Grayling ft........  99 

Green-veined  White ,.  86 

Heath  B.,  Large 102 

Small  .  Ill 

Hair-streak  B.,  Black 142 

Brown 140 

Green i46 

Purple 145 

White-letter....  141 


INDEX. 


179 


chndumon    .,..,,  ,  

PAG 

IS 

Scotch  Argus  B    .., 

PAGE 
105 

19 

Skippers  (Family  Hesperidce 

102 

Larva  

7 

Skipper  B.,  Chequered  

104 

60 

31 

Marbled  White  B   .... 

95 

Lulworth   

165 

Meadow  Brown  B  

101 

Small  

1<)7 

Nets                 .             .     . 

40 

Silver-spotted 
Speckled  Wood  B  

1GS 

97 

Swallow-tail  B.    ... 

65 

Orange  Tip  B  

91 

170 

Pain  in  Insects    

Painted  Lady  B  

50 
116 

25 

Pale  Clouded  Yellow  B  
Peacock  B                      • 

75 
120 

Tortoiseshell  B.,  Large  
Small 

1-J3 
124 

Purple  Emperor  B. 

113 

118 

Wall  B 

98 

Reputed  British  Species  ... 

170 
103 

White  Admiral  B  
Wings  of  B. 

112 

20 

307 

Wood  Argus  B  

07 

Small    

100 

Wood  White  B  «,  

94 

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eia 


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f/ 


VIII. 


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XL 


la 


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XTTI. 


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