British Butterfiles Part 19

(Plate XV. fig. 6, Male; 6 _a_, Female.)

Upper side, dark rich brown, shaded and spotted with tawny or fulvous tint.

The _male_ is known by a {168} dark-brown, _burnt_-looking 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 gra.s.ses.

The _b.u.t.terfly_ appears in May, and again in August or the end of July; and is very common in almost every locality, frequenting gra.s.sy places in and near woods, road-sides, &c.

THE SILVER-SPOTTED SKIPPER. (_Pamphila Comma._)

(Plate XV. fig. 7, Male; 7 _a_, Female.)

This b.u.t.terfly 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.

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The _caterpillar_ is dull-green and reddish, with a white collar, and spotted with white near the tail-end. It feeds on leguminous plants.

The _b.u.t.terfly_ 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 following:--Croydon; Brighton; Lewes; Dover; Lyndhurst; Blandford; Plymouth; Old Sarum, Wiltshire; Barnwell and Ashton Wolds, Northamptonshire; Halton, Bucks; Newmarket; Gogmagog Park, Cambridge; Hull; Scarborough.

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REPUTED BRITISH SPECIES.

On Plate XVI. are grouped together figures of six species of b.u.t.terflies 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.

PAPILIO PODALIRIUS.--The SCARCE SWALLOW-TAILED b.u.t.terfly (fig. 1).--There is no reasonable doubt that several individuals of this elegant b.u.t.terfly were formerly taken in various parts of the country, but no captures have occurred for many years past. The caterpillar, also, was more than once found in the New Forest District, Hampshire. Generally a common insect on the Continent.

[Ill.u.s.tration: XVI.]

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PARNa.s.sIUS APOLLO.--The APOLLO b.u.t.terfly (fig. 2).--I have good reason for believing that a specimen of this splendid Alpine b.u.t.terfly 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 mountains, 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 ARRAN BROWN b.u.t.terfly (fig. 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 enterprising b.u.t.terfly-hunter.

From _Blandina_, which it almost exactly resembles on the upper surface, it may be distinguished by the marking 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.

ARGYNNIS DIA.--WEAVER'S FRITILLARY.--This species is so nearly like _Euphrosyne_ or _Selene_, on the upper surface, that it readily might be, and perhaps {172} sometimes is, pa.s.sed 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 the 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 Tamworth; also by Mr. Stanley, near Alderley, in Cheshire.

CHRYSOPHa.n.u.s CHRYSEIS.--The PURPLE-EDGED COPPER b.u.t.terfly.--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, its only claim to the name of "British"

rests on a tradition of its having been taken a long time ago in Ashdown Forest, Suss.e.x; 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 BaeTICUS.--The LONG-TAILED BLUE.--This b.u.t.terfly has been long known, as a _southern_ 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 {173} Guernsey, and in August of the same year an individual 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 _b.u.t.terfly_, which on the upper side has somewhat 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" (_Polyommati_), being dest.i.tute of the numerous little eye-like spots, 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 peac.o.c.k's feather.

The habits of the insect are those of our Common Blues--skipping about over gra.s.sy 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 _Baeticus_ continue his northward 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 ent.i.tled "Our British b.u.t.terflies."

THE END.