British Butterfiles Part 13

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

The _b.u.t.terfly_ makes its appearance in July and August, _hybernated_ 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 Scotland. It is fond of gardens and other frequented places.

THE SMALL TORTOISESh.e.l.l b.u.t.tERFLY. (_Vanessa Urticae._)

(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 the colouring is much more gay and brilliant. {125}

The distinguishing mark of this species--the possession of a pure _white_ spot near the upper corner of the front wing--has been already pointed out under _V. Polychloros_.

The blue crescent-spots of the border are much more 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 companies on the nettle, is of greyish colour, with a black line on the back, and brown and yellow stripes on the sides. Th.o.r.n.y, 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 b.u.t.terfly 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 swarm of these b.u.t.terflies 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 following Christmas-day (1855), it being unusually fine and warm, I was suddenly astonished by the fall of {126} more than a hundred of the accompanying b.u.t.terflies (_V. Urticae_). 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 b.u.t.tERFLY. (_Grapta C. Alb.u.m._)

(Plate IX. fig. 3.)

The singularly jagged outline of this b.u.t.terfly 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 previous 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 brown, sometimes 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 form of the letter C, which has also been likened with less justice to a , whence its English name of "Comma." {127}

The female is of a paler tint than the male, and the 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 _b.u.t.terfly_ appears in July and August, and hybernated 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 (Yorkshire), Doncaster, Broomsgrove (Worcestershire), Warwickshire, 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, Fifeshire has been mentioned as a locality.

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

{128}

THE SILVER-WASHED FRITILLARY (_Argynnis Paphia._)

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

The beautiful genus to which this b.u.t.terfly belongs is distinguished by the adornment of silvery spots and streaks 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 b.u.t.terflies.

Of all the British Fritillaries, this is, perhaps, the loveliest, from the exquisite softness and harmony of the 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 s.e.xes differ considerably on the upper surface; 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 ground colour is suffused with an olive-brown tint, inclining sometimes to green. The black spots are also larger. Beneath, however, both s.e.xes are marked nearly alike with _washy streaks of silver_, and not with defined spots. {129}

The _caterpillar_ (fig. 7, Plate I.), as with all the Fritillaries, is th.o.r.n.y, with two spines behind the head longer 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 _b.u.t.terfly_ 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 sprays has been alluded to on page 47.

THE DARK-GREEN FRITILLARY. (_Argynnis Aglaia._)

(Plate X. fig. 1, Male.)

This 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, partly olive-green and brown. The _male_ is the s.e.x {130} represented, the female being darker above, both 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 _b.u.t.terfly_ 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 seems to be distributed over the whole of the country, occurring in widely distant localities, from the south coast to Scotland.

THE HIGH-BROWN 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 discriminate between them; but _beneath_, the two are distinguished 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 spots on the hind wing, and in its general colouring, _Adippe_ is distinguished by a row of rust-red spots, with small silvery centres, between the silver border spots and the next row inwards.

By comparing the figures of the under sides of _Adippe_ and _Aglaia_, these will be readily made out. {131}

The _caterpillar_ is th.o.r.n.y, greyish, with black spots on the back, intersected by a white line. Feeds on the violet.

The _chrysalis_ is reddish, spotted with silver.