The Butterflies Of The British Isles - free ebook by Richard South

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The Butterflies Of The British Isles

Richard South

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THE BUTTERFLIES OF THE BRITISH ISLES

THE BUTTERFLIES OF THE BRITISH ISLES

BY RICHARD SOUTH, F.E.S. EDITOR OF "THE ENTOMOLOGIST," ETC. WITH ACCURATELY COLOURED FIGURES OF EVERY SPECIES AND MANY VARIETIES ALSO DRAWINGS OF EGG, CATERPILLAR CHRYSALIS, AND FOOD-PLANT LONDON FREDERICK WARNE &amp; CO. AND NEW YORK 1906 ( All rights reserved )...

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PREFACE.

PREFACE.

Few things add more enjoyment to a country ramble than a knowledge of the many and varied forms belonging to the animal and vegetable kingdoms that present themselves to the notice of the observing wayfarer on every side. Almost every one admires the wild flowers that Nature produces so lavishly, and in such charming variety of form and colour; but, in addition to their own proper florescence, the plants of woodland, meadow, moor, or down have other "blossoms" that arise from them, although they

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INTRODUCTORY.

INTRODUCTORY.

Butterflies belong to the great Order of insects called Lepidoptera (Greek lepis , a scale, and pteron , a wing), that is, insects whose wings are covered with minute structures termed scales. Moths ( Heterocera ) also belong to the same order, and the first point to deal with is how may butterflies be distinguished from moths? In a broad kind of way they may be recognized by their horns ( antennæ ), which are slender as regards the shaft, but are gradually or abruptly clubbed at the extremity.

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THE BUTTERFLIES OF THE BRITISH ISLES.

THE BUTTERFLIES OF THE BRITISH ISLES.

As is the case with all other Lepidoptera, butterflies pass through three very distinct stages before they attain the perfect form. These stages are:—1. The egg ( ovum , plural ova ). 2. The caterpillar ( larva , larvæ ). 3. The chrysalis ( pupa , pupæ ). The perfect insect is called the imago (plural imagines )....

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The Egg.

The Egg.

Butterfly eggs are of various forms, and whilst in some kinds the egg-shell ( chorion ) is elaborately ribbed or fluted, others are simply pitted or covered with a kind of network or reticulation; others, again, are almost or quite smooth. If the top of an egg, such as that of the Purple Emperor (Plate 28 ), is examined under a good lens a depression will be noted, and in this will be seen a neat and starlike kind of ornamentation. In the middle of this "rosette" are, present in all eggs, minute

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The Caterpillar.

The Caterpillar.

The second stage is that of the caterpillar, and in some species, such as the Red Admiral, this is of very short duration, a few weeks only, whilst in others, as for example the Small Blue, it usually lasts for many months. There is considerable diversity both in the shape and, where it is present, in the hairy or spiny clothing ( armature ) of caterpillars. All, however, are alike in one respect, that is the body is divided into thirteen more or less well-defined rings ( segments ), which toget

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The Chrysalis.

The Chrysalis.

The term chrysalis more especially applies to such of them as are spotted or splashed with metallic colour, as, for example, the chrysalids of some of the Fritillaries. The scientific term for the chrysalis is pupa , which in the Latin tongue means "a doll or puppet." Fig. 4. Caterpillar of Small White, about to change to chrysalis. In passing to the chrysalis stage the caterpillars have sometimes to make rather more preparations than in previous skin-changing provisions. Those of the Swallow-ta

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The Butterfly.

The Butterfly.

Having safely cleared itself free of the chrysalis shell, the butterfly makes its way to some suitable twig, spray, or other object, from which it can hang, sometimes in an inverted position, whilst a very important function takes place. This is the distention and drying of the wings, which at first are very weak and somewhat baggy affairs, although the colour and markings appear upon them in miniature. All other parts of the butterfly seem fully formed, but the helpless condition of the wings a

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Collecting.

Collecting.

Fig. 12. Y-piece Naturally the first matter for consideration, when the formation of a collection of butterflies has been decided upon, is how to set about it. Well, there are two methods of effecting our purpose. The specimens may be purchased from a dealer in such things, or we may acquire an outfit comprising net, boxes, and pins, and go in search of the insects ourselves. Apart from its healthful and entertaining possibilities, the latter method has very much to recommend it. In the first pl

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The Swallow-tail (Papilio machaon).

The Swallow-tail (Papilio machaon).

The Swallow-tail butterfly is the only British member of the extensive and universally distributed sub-family Papilioninæ, which includes some of the largest as well as the most handsome kinds of butterfly. Our species has yellow wings ornamented with black, blue, and red, and is an exceedingly attractive insect. The black markings are chiefly a large patch at the base of the fore wings, this is powdered with yellow scales; a band, also powdered with yellow, runs along the outer or hind portion

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The Black-veined White (Aporia cratægi).

The Black-veined White (Aporia cratægi).

The Black-veined White (Plate 4 ) may be at once recognized by its roundish white wings and their conspicuous veins, which latter are black in the male butterfly, and in the female brownish on the main ones (nervures) and black on the branches (nervules). As the scales on the wings are denser in the male than in the female, the former always appears to be the whiter insect. On the outer margin of the fore wings there are more or less triangular patches of dusky scales, and these in occasional sp

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The Large White (Pieris brassicæ).

The Large White (Pieris brassicæ).

This butterfly is probably almost as familiar to those who dwell in towns as it must be to those who live in the country. It is perhaps unnecessary to describe it in any detail, and it may therefore suffice to say that it is white with rather broad black tips to the fore wings; there are some black scales along the front margin of these wings, and on the basal area of all the wings. The male has a black spot on the front margin of the hind wings, and the female has, in addition, two roundish bla

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The Small White (Pieris rapæ).

The Small White (Pieris rapæ).

The Small White butterfly (Plate 11 ) is, perhaps, more often in evidence then its larger kinsman just referred to. It also is a migrant, and although it never seems to be absent from these islands, in its proper season, its great increase in numbers in some years is almost certainly due to the arrival of immigrants. The spring form of this butterfly, named metra by Stephens, who, together with others, considered it a good species, has the tips of the fore wings only slightly clouded with black;

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The Green-veined White (Pieris napi).

The Green-veined White (Pieris napi).

This butterfly is not often seen away from its favourite haunts in the country; these are woods, especially the sunny sides, leafy lanes, and even marsh land. As in the case of the two Whites previously noticed, there are always two broods in the year. The first flight of the butterflies is in May and June, occasionally as early as April in a forward season. These specimens have the veins tinged with grey and rather distinct, but are not so strongly marked with black as those belonging to the se

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The Bath White (Pieris daplidice).

The Bath White (Pieris daplidice).

The Bath White (Plate 14 ) is such a rare visitor to this country, that any one who captures a specimen may congratulate himself on the event. During the whole of the last century not more than sixty specimens seem to have been recorded as taken in England, and ten of these were captured between 1895 and the present time. Nearly all of these were netted on the south or south-eastern coast, and in the months of July or August, but chiefly the latter. The occurrence of specimens in May or June app

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The Orange-tip (Euchloë cardamines).

The Orange-tip (Euchloë cardamines).

This butterfly (Plate 17 ), as its name suggests, has a large patch of orange colour on the outer third of its white, or creamy white, fore wings, and the extreme tip is blackish; at least, this is so in the male. The female is without the orange patch, and this is replaced by a smaller one of blackish-grey. The lower portion of this patch is broken up by the ground colour, and by white spots on the outer margin and around the tips of the wings. The hind wings, in both sexes, appear to be dapple

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The Wood White (Leucophasia sinapis).

The Wood White (Leucophasia sinapis).

The graceful little butterfly figured on Plate 19 is creamy white, with a rather square black or blackish spot on the tip of the fore wings of the male. In the female the spot is reduced to some blackish scales on and between the veins. Occasionally there is a second brood in the year, and the specimens of this flight have smaller and rounder black spots in the males, and almost none at all in the females. Specimens of the female sex entirely devoid of black marking are referable to var. erysimi

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The Pale Clouded Yellow (Colias hyale).

The Pale Clouded Yellow (Colias hyale).

This usually scarce butterfly (Plate 21 ) is of a primrose-yellow colour in the male, and, as a rule, almost white in the female; sometimes the latter sex is of the yellow male colour. The outer margin of the fore wings is broadly black in both sexes, but there are some more or less united spots of the ground colour in the black towards the tips of the wings, and below vein 3 the black is usually confined to the outer margin. There is a black spot near the middle of the wing, and some blackish d

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The Clouded Yellow (Colias edusa).

The Clouded Yellow (Colias edusa).

In its typical colouring—orange with broad black borders—this butterfly (Plate 22 ) will be recognized the first time it is seen. Both sexes have a black spot about the centre of the fore wings, and a deep orange spot near the middle of the hind wings—the latter is subject to variation in size and shape. The female usually has the black borders spotted with yellow, but in some examples these spots are almost (Plate 24, Fig. 1 ) or quite absent. Another form of the female, known as var. helice (P

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The Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni).

The Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni).

This butterfly (Plate 26 ) has the tips of the fore wings sharply pointed, and there is a rather acute angle about the middle of the outer margin of the hind wings. The colour of the male is bright sulphur yellow, with a central orange spot on each wing, that on the hind wings usually the largest; there is also a rusty dot at the outer end of the upper veins and along the front margin of the fore wings towards the tip. The female is greenish yellow, and is marked similarly to the male. In both s

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The Purple Emperor (Apatura iris).

The Purple Emperor (Apatura iris).

On account of its large size and the beautiful purple sheen over its brownish-black velvety wings, this butterfly (Plate 29 ) is always counted a prize by the collector. It is, however, only the male that dons the purple, and he only when seen from the proper angle. The female is without the purple reflection and her wings are browner, but the white spots on the fore wings and the white bands on the hind wings are rather wider than those of the male. Above the anal angle of the hind wings, in bo

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The White Admiral (Limenitis sibylla).

The White Admiral (Limenitis sibylla).

The "White Admirable Butterfly," as it was called by some of the older English entomologists, needs only to be seen to be at once recognized (Plate 33 ). The white markings on its blackish wings are somewhat similar to those of the Purple Emperor. As in that butterfly, so, too, in this, the most beautiful ornamentation is found on the under side. The shape of the wing is, however, very different in the two butterflies, and there is no probability of confusing one with the other. A somewhat uncom

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The Comma (Polygonia c-album).

The Comma (Polygonia c-album).

The peculiar shape of the wings of this butterfly (Plate 35 ) might cause it to be mistaken for a very tattered example of one of the Tortoiseshells. The irregular contour of the outer edges of the wings is, however, quite natural, and is subject to some variation in its jaggedness. Their colour is deep tawny or fulvous, with brownish borders on their outer margin. On the fore wings there are three black spots on the front or costal area, and below the first, which is often divided, there is a r

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The Large Tortoiseshell (Vanessa polychloros).

The Large Tortoiseshell (Vanessa polychloros).

Apart from its larger size, and somewhat different outline, this butterfly may be known from the Small Tortoiseshell by its duller colour, which is brownish-orange; on the fore wing there are, as a rule, no blue crescents in the hind marginal border, but there is an extra black spot placed between veins 1 and 2; on the hind wings a black spot on the front area represents the black basal area seen on the Small Tortoiseshell; and this is an important point of difference, although the two species a

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The Small Tortoiseshell (Vanessa urticæ).

The Small Tortoiseshell (Vanessa urticæ).

This butterfly is one of the most ubiquitous as well as prettiest that we have in this country. Its reddish-orange colour, marked with yellow patches, black spots, and blue crescents, gives it a charming appearance as it sits on a flower, or even on the ground, with wings fully expanded to the sunlight. When the wings are closed up, however, the butterfly seems to disappear, as the under side of the wings is quite sombre in colour. The only bright spot on the under side is the yellowish central

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The Peacock (Vanessa io).

The Peacock (Vanessa io).

Pl. 36. Large Tortoiseshell. 1, 3 male ; 2, 4 female . Pl. 37. Small Tortoiseshell. Eggs enlarged; caterpillar and chrysalis. In a state of nature the butterfly seems little given to variation. In rearing from the caterpillar, however, some curious aberrations occasionally crop up. In my early days of collecting I raised a number of specimens from caterpillars selected from a large brood; every one of these butterflies was of a dull brownish colour and had a greasy semi-transparent appearance. I

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The Camberwell Beauty (Vanessa antiopa).

The Camberwell Beauty (Vanessa antiopa).

This is a large and handsome insect; its chocolate-brown wings are bordered with ochreous speckled with black scales. The border is variable in width, and this is occasionally so wide that it partly or completely hides the blue spots, which in the ordinary form are placed on a dark band just before the ochreous border. Such specimens are known as var. hygiæa or var. lintneri (Plate 41 ); but in the former form the yellow spots on the front edge of the fore wing are absent, and in the latter vari

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The Painted Lady (Pyrameis cardui).

The Painted Lady (Pyrameis cardui).

The usual colour of this butterfly is tawny-orange, but in some specimens, especially fresh ones, there is a tinge of pink, or a rosy flush; the markings are black, and there are some white spots towards the tips of the fore wings. The black markings on the hind wings are subject to variation in size, and sometimes they run one into the other. Occasionally this union of the spots is accompanied by blackish suffusion spreading more or less over the entire surface of the wings, so that they appear

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The Red Admiral (Pyrameis atalanta).

The Red Admiral (Pyrameis atalanta).

The vivid contrast of black and scarlet in this butterfly will certainly arrest the attention of even the least observant. But Nature, ever excellent in her colour schemes, has toned down the glare of the scarlet bands by the addition of some splashes and dots of white above them on the fore wings, and some dots of black on those of the hind wings. Then, by way of a finish, there is a delicate tracing of blue along the outer margin of the fore wings, and a touch of the same colour at the angle o

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The Silver-washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia).

The Silver-washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia).

The wings of this fine butterfly are fulvous, with the veins and spots black; the spots on the hind wings are band-like, and the central spots on the fore wings are sometimes connected. The female is paler than the male, and is without the heavy black scales ( androconia ) on veins 1, 2, and 3; the basal third of the fore wing, and a larger area of the hind wing, tinged with greenish. The form of the female with all the wings greenish is the var. valesina (Plate 52 ), and between this and the ty

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The High Brown Fritillary (Argynnis adippe).

The High Brown Fritillary (Argynnis adippe).

Bright fulvous with black spots and veins. The female is not so bright in tint as the male, and is without the thick patch of scales on veins 2 and 3. The series of black spots parallel with the outer margin of the fore wing are normally six in number, but the third is usually small and sometimes absent, whilst the fourth and fifth are often much larger than others of the series. In the corresponding row on the hind wing the first and third spots are sometimes wanting. On the under side the silv

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The Dark Green Fritillary (Argynnis aglaia).

The Dark Green Fritillary (Argynnis aglaia).

This butterfly is bright fulvous in the male, paler in the female; the latter sex is blackish towards the base, and has paler spots on the outer margin. The black marking is pretty much as in the previous species, but the male has the black scales ( androconia ) on veins 1 and 2, and these are less conspicuous. The basal two-thirds of the hind wings is greenish on the under side. The silvery spots are arranged in fairly regular series, and there are no silvery centred red spots between the two o

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The Queen of Spain Fritillary (Argynnis lathonia).

The Queen of Spain Fritillary (Argynnis lathonia).

In shape and in general appearance this butterfly is not unlike a small example of the Silver-washed Fritillary; the large silvery, or sometimes pearly, blotches on the under side of the hind wings at once reveal its higher British rank. When flying it has a curious resemblance to the Wall, and sometimes it has been taken when the captor supposed that he was netting a specimen of that plebeian butterfly. The black markings on the upper side vary somewhat in size, and occasionally those on the fr

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The Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Argynnis euphrosyne).

The Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Argynnis euphrosyne).

Some authors consider the smaller Fritillaries to be generically separable from the larger kinds, and place this and the next species in the genus Brenthis , whilst the Queen of Spain is referred to the genus Issoria , Hübner. Here, however, they are retained in Argynnis . In colour and in the marking of the upper side the Pearl-bordered is very like the High Brown, but, as will be seen from the figures, it is much smaller in size, and the ornamentation on the under side is different. There is o

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The Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Argynnis selene).

The Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Argynnis selene).

This butterfly differs from the last one referred to in having a rather deeper colour on the upper side, and heavier black markings on the outer margin of the hind wings. The female is slightly more orange in tint, and has a series of pale spots on the outer margin of each wing. On the under side the red markings are browner in tint, and there are more silvery spots on the hind wings. Variation in colour and marking is similar to that mentioned under the Pearl-bordered. On Plate 66 a white spott

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The Heath Fritillary (Melitæa athalia).

The Heath Fritillary (Melitæa athalia).

The ground colour of this butterfly, sometimes called the "Pearl-bordered Likeness" or "May Fritillary," is brownish-orange, and the markings are black or blackish; the bases of the wings are clouded with blackish, and the fringes are white checkered with black. The ground colour varies in tint, and may be pale tawny or deep reddish. The black markings are subject to modification in two directions; in one leading up to almost complete disappearance from the central area, and in the other they ar

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The Glanville Fritillary (Melitæa cinxia).

The Glanville Fritillary (Melitæa cinxia).

This butterfly is bright brownish-orange with black markings, as shown on Plate 71. The under side of the hind wings and the tips of the fore wings are very pale yellowish; the former with two black-margined brownish-orange bands, and lines of black dots; the tip of the fore wing is also dotted and marked with black. The female is slightly paler, and the markings are often blurred. There is variation in the black markings on the upper side. Sometimes these are enlarged, but more often they are m

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The Marsh Fritillary (Melitæa aurinia).

The Marsh Fritillary (Melitæa aurinia).

This species, of which several forms are represented on Plate 73, is subject to considerable variation in depth of colour, and also in size and intensity of the markings, in all localities. The varieties here referred to are more or less characteristic of the countries in which they occur. To mention all the forms, or even those to which varietal names have been given, would occupy more space than is available for the purpose. Reddish-orange or bright tawny, veins black, breaking up the yellow o

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The Milkweed Butterfly (Anosia plexippus).

The Milkweed Butterfly (Anosia plexippus).

The butterfly figured on Plate 120 is brownish-orange, with black veins and margins on all the wings. White spots are arranged in double rows on the black outer margin of each wing, and there are seven other rather larger white spots on the black apical patch of the fore wings. The male has a patch of black scales, covering the scent pouch, close to vein 2 on the hind wings. The egg is long, oval in shape, with over twenty low upright ridges and many cross-lines; is of a pale green colour; and i

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The Marbled White (Melanargia galatea).

The Marbled White (Melanargia galatea).

Older English names for the butterfly figured on Plate 75 are "Our Half-mourner" (Petiver, 1717), "The Marmoris" (Wilkes), and "The Marmoress" (Harris). The ground colour is white or creamy white, and the markings are black. On the under side the markings are similar in design to those on the upper side, but much fainter: the eye spots, which are not always in evidence above, are well defined below, and especially so on the hind wings. The female is generally whiter and larger than the male, and

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The Small Mountain Ringlet (Erebia epiphron).

The Small Mountain Ringlet (Erebia epiphron).

The typical form of this butterfly, epiphron , Knock, has the tawny bands unbroken on the fore wings, and almost so on the hind wings; the black dots on the hind wings of the female are often pupilled with white, and more rarely this is so in the male also. It has been stated that specimens occur in Perthshire which exhibit these characters. All the British examples of the Small Mountain Ringlet that I have seen are referable to the form known as cassiope , Fab. (Plate 77 ). The tawny, or orange

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The Scotch Argus (Erebia æthiops = blandina).

The Scotch Argus (Erebia æthiops = blandina).

The butterfly figured on Plate 77 is deep velvety brown, appearing almost black in very fresh male specimens. There is a broad fulvous band on the outer area, but not reaching either the costa or the inner margin; it is contracted about the middle, the upper part encloses two white pupilled black spots, and the lower part has one such spot. The hind wings have a narrow fulvous band, usually enclosing three white pupilled black spots. The under side is more distinctly brown and not velvety, band

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The Grayling (Satyrus semele).

The Grayling (Satyrus semele).

On the upper side, this butterfly (Plate 78 ) is brown, more or less suffused with black, and this is especially noticeable on the outer area of the wings in the male, where it obscures the ochreous or rust-coloured bands, which in the female are almost free from the suffusion. The fore wings have two black spots, the upper one generally, and the lower often, pupilled with white. On the hind wings the bands are clear of blackish suffusion to a greater or lesser extent, and there is one black spo

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The Speckled Wood (Pararge egeria).

The Speckled Wood (Pararge egeria).

Quite early in the eighteenth century Petiver met with the butterfly shown on Plate 80 at Enfield, so he figured it as the "Enfield Eye" in that curious old book entitled "Papiliorium Britanniæ Icones." Later on, Wilkes named the butterfly the "Wood Argus," thus indicating its favourite haunts, as well as a prominent character in its ornamentation. Harris changed the name to the "Speckled Wood Butterfly," which seems even more suitable. The general colour is blackish-brown, and the spots are yel

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The Wall Butterfly (Pararge megæra).

The Wall Butterfly (Pararge megæra).

The butterfly now under consideration is figured on Plate 82. It is bright fulvous in colour, with blackish-brown veins, margins, and transverse lines. There is one white pupilled black spot on the fore wings, and four of such spots on the outer area of the hind wings; the fourth, which is generally blind, is placed at the end of the series near the anal angle. The male has a very conspicuous sexual brand on the central area. The under side of the fore wings is paler than above, but the markings

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The Meadow Brown (Epinephele ianira).

The Meadow Brown (Epinephele ianira).

The female is the jurtina of Linnæus, and as he described this sex before the male, under the impression that they were distinct species, the law of priority, we are told, must be observed and the earlier name be adopted. This fuscous-brown butterfly of the meadows is marked, especially in the female, with dull orange. The male, of which sex three specimens are shown (Plate 84, Figs. 1-3), has a broad black sexual brand on the central area of the fore wings, and a white pupilled black spot towar

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The Gatekeeper (Epinephele tithonus).

The Gatekeeper (Epinephele tithonus).

Other English names in use at the present time for this butterfly (Plate 87 ) are "Small Meadow Brown," "Hedge Brown," and "Large Heath," but the latter is more often applied to another species which will be referred to later. Petiver called it the "Hedge Eye." The general colour is brownish-orange, and the margins are fuscous-brown; there is a black spot towards the tips of the fore wings, and this, as a rule, encloses two white dots; one or both of these dots sometimes absent in the male. The

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The Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperanthus).

The Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperanthus).

The sombre-looking butterfly, of which several figures will be found on Plate 89, has been known by its present English name since 1778, the year in which Moses Harris published "The Aurelian." The Latin specific name was written hyperantus by Linnæus, but Esper corrected this to hyperanthus . It has, however, been supposed that Linnæus really intended to have written hyperanthes (a son of Darius), and this form of the name has been used, but Esper's emendation is here adopted. Fig. 27. Var. lan

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The Large Heath (Cœnonympha typhon).

The Large Heath (Cœnonympha typhon).

The butterfly now to be considered is a most variable one, both as regards colour and marking. Several of the varieties have been named, and in the time of Haworth down to Stephens, and even much later, at least three of these were regarded as distinct species. In the present day, however, it is generally accepted that all the varieties are forms of one species, although two local races are recognized. The typical form is typhon , Rottemburg, and polydama (The Marsh Ringlet) of Haworth (Plate 90

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The Small Heath (Cœnonympha pamphilus).

The Small Heath (Cœnonympha pamphilus).

To the ancient fathers the male of the butterfly on Plate 92 was known as the "Selvedged Heath Eye," and the female was called the "Golden Heath Eye." Harris figured it as "The Small Heath," or "Gatekeeper;" the latter name being now associated with another species, it may be allowed to drop out in the present connection. The wings are pale tawny, with a brownish or greyish-brown border, of variable width, on all the wings, and stronger in the male than the female; there is a black spot towards

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The Brown Hairstreak (Zephyrus betulæ).

The Brown Hairstreak (Zephyrus betulæ).

The butterfly is represented on Plate 94, Figs. 1-3. The male is blackish-brown with a faint greyish tinge, and there is a conspicuous black bar at the end of the discal cell of the fore wing, followed by a pale cloud; there are two orange marks at the anal angle of the hind wings. The female is blackish-brown, and has the black bar at end of the cell, and an orange band beyond; there are usually three orange marks on the hind wings at the anal angle, but sometimes there are only two. The under

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The Purple Hairstreak (Zephyrus quercus).

The Purple Hairstreak (Zephyrus quercus).

The butterfly (figured on Plate 96 ) has the sexes differently ornamented, as in the last species. The male is strongly tinged with purplish-blue, the veins are blackish; the outer margin of the fore wings are narrowly, and the costa and outer margin of the hind wings are broadly, bordered with black. The female is purplish-black, with two patches of bluish-purple in the discal cell and space below; often there is a smaller patch of the same colour between them, the whole forming a large blotch

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The Black Hairstreak (Thecla pruni).

The Black Hairstreak (Thecla pruni).

This butterfly is figured on Plate 96. In colour it is dark brown or, when quite fresh, brownish-black; there are some orange marks on the outer margin of the hind wings, and these are most distinct in the female, in which sex there are orange spots on the fore wings also. The male has a pale sexual mark at the end of the cell of the fore wings, but this is less distinct than in the following species. The under side is brown, with a bluish-white interrupted transverse line on each wing, that on

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The White Letter Hairstreak (Thecla w-album).

The White Letter Hairstreak (Thecla w-album).

The male of this butterfly (Plate 94 ) is blackish, with a small whitish sex mark at end of the discal cell of the fore wing; there is a small orange spot at the anal angle of the hind wings. The female agrees in colour with the male, but the tails are longer, and there is no sex mark on the fore wings. The under side is brownish, with a white line on each wing, that on the hind wings forming a W before the inner margin; the hind wings have a black-edged orange band on the outer margin which is

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The Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi).

The Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi).

Both sexes of this butterfly (Plate 96 ) are brown with a faint golden tinge above, and green on the under side. The male has a dark, or, when the plumules are dislodged, pale sexual mark, which is oval in shape, and placed at the upper corner of the discal cell in the fore wings. Occasionally there are some orange scales at the anal angle of the hind wings, and more rarely, and in the female, at the extremities of veins two and three also. On the under side of some specimens, chiefly from North

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The Large Copper (Chrysophanus dispar).

The Large Copper (Chrysophanus dispar).

The brilliant butterfly, figured on Plate 99 , is of a coppery orange colour. In the male the fore wings have two black dots in the discal cell, the outer one linear, and the outer margin is narrowly blackish; the hind wings have a linear black mark in the cell, and the outer margin is narrowly edged with blackish and dotted with black. The female is more conspicuously marked with black; there are two, sometimes three, spots in the cell of the fore wings, and a transverse series of seven or eigh

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The Small Copper (Chrysophanus phlæas).

The Small Copper (Chrysophanus phlæas).

This little butterfly is very smart, in activity as well as appearance. In colour it is very similar to the last species, but both sexes are spotted with black on the fore wings, the outer series of six spots forming a very irregular row; the hind wings are black, with a wavy orange-red band on the outer margin. There is considerable variation, and it is, therefore, deemed advisable to give a number of figures representing some of the more striking aberrations. The three figures at the top of Pl

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The Long-tailed Blue (Lampides bœticus).

The Long-tailed Blue (Lampides bœticus).

The male is purplish-blue suffused with fuscous, especially on all margins except the inner one; there are two velvety black spots encircled with pale blue at the anal angle of the hind wings, and a slender black tail, tipped with white, appears to be a continuation of vein 2. The under side is grey-brown, with numerous white wavy lines and broader streaks; there is a whitish band on each wing before the outer margin, and black spots as above, but these are ringed with metallic blue. Short-taile

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The Short-tailed or Bloxworth Blue (Cupido argiades).

The Short-tailed or Bloxworth Blue (Cupido argiades).

The interesting little butterfly represented on Plate 103 was not known to occur in Britain until 1885, when the Rev. O. Pickard Cambridge made the startling announcement that his sons had captured two specimens, a female on August 18th, and a male on August 20th of that year, the scene of capture being Bloxworth Heath, Dorset. Shortly after this fact was made public the Rev. J.S. St. John added a record of two males that he had discovered in a small collection of Lepidoptera made by Dr. Marsh,

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The Silver-studded Blue (Lycæna argus = ægon).

The Silver-studded Blue (Lycæna argus = ægon).

The male of this butterfly (Plate 105 ) is purplish-blue with a black border on the outer margins, and sometimes black dots on that of the hind wings. The female is sooty-brown, powdered to a greater or lesser extent with blue scales on the basal area; there is generally a series of orange marks forming a more or less complete band on the outer margin of the hind wings, and sometimes on the fore wings also. The under side is bluish-grey in the male, and brownish-grey in the female; the black spo

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The Brown Argus (Lycæna astrarche).

The Brown Argus (Lycæna astrarche).

Fore wings blackish or sooty-brown with a black discal spot, and a row of reddish-orange spots on the outer margin of all the wings; the fringes are white, sometimes with blackish interruptions. The under side is greyish or greyish-brown, and the black spots are distinctly ringed with white. On the fore wing there are seven of these spots, one at the end of the cell, and the others in an irregular series beyond; the last in this series is sometimes double, or it may be absent. On the hind wings

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The Common Blue (Lycæna icarus).

The Common Blue (Lycæna icarus).

The male is blue, with either a tinge of violet or mauve in its composition. Sometimes, though rarely, it assumes the brighter shade of the Adonis Blue. All the wings are very narrowly edged with black on the outer margins; the veins are generally pale, shining blue, sometimes becoming blackish towards the outer margins, and occasionally continued into the fringes, but not to their tips. The female is most often brown, with some blue scales on the basal area of all the wings; there is a black di

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The Chalk Hill Blue (Lycæna corydon).

The Chalk Hill Blue (Lycæna corydon).

On the coast of Dorsetshire a very unusual form occurs. The border of the outer margin is white instead of the usual black or blackish; the inner limit of this border is, on the fore wings, defined by a dusky shade, and the black nervules break up the border into six spots; on the hind wings four or five of the white spots are centred with black dots. The female has a similar border, but on the hind wings it is inwardly edged with orange. It has been named var. fowleri , and I have seen one exam

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The Adonis Blue (Lycæna bellargus).

The Adonis Blue (Lycæna bellargus).

The butterfly on Plate 110 is the Clifden Blue of Moses Harris (1775), so named because it was said to have been first observed at Clifden in Bucks. The male is of a beautiful bright blue colour, but as in the same sex of the previous two species, it is not quite constant in tint. In some specimens we find a distinct mauve shade, and in others, but more rarely, the blue colour is tinged with greenish (Plate 118, Fig. 11 ): the veins become distinctly black on the outer margins, and appear to run

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The Holly Blue (Cyaniris argiolus).

The Holly Blue (Cyaniris argiolus).

About the beginning of the eighteenth century this butterfly (Plate 113 ) was known as the "Blue Speckt," but Harris, in 1775, changed the name to the "Azure Blue." The male is a pretty lilac-tinged blue, with a narrow black edging on the outer margin of the fore wings, often only in evidence towards the tip, and a narrow black line on the outer margin of the hind wings. The white fringes of the fore wings are distinctly marked with black at the ends of the veins. The female is of the same shade

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The Small Blue (Zizera minima).

The Small Blue (Zizera minima).

The butterfly on Plate 115 is sometimes referred to as the "Bedford Blue" and also as the "Little Blue." Both sexes are blackish, or sooty-brown; the male is powdered, more or less, with silvery-blue scales. The under side is greyish-white with a tinge of blue at the base of each wing, but chiefly on the hind pair; the spots are black encircled with white. As will be seen on turning to the plate, there is variation in size. Fig. 5 represents a giant race occurring in some localities, and the par

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The Mazarine Blue (Nomiades semiargus).

The Mazarine Blue (Nomiades semiargus).

The male is dull purplish-blue, narrowly bordered with blackish on the outer margin; the female is dark brown. On the underside both sexes are pale greyish-brown, with a bluish tinge at the base; there is a black discal spot and a series of black spots beyond, all ringed with white. The egg is described as being white in colour and small, and round in shape. The caterpillar is of a dingy yellowish-green, with darker lines on the back and sides; there are fine hairs on the body, and the head and

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The Large Blue (Nomiades arion).

The Large Blue (Nomiades arion).

The butterfly on Plate 117 , Figs. 1-6, is the largest "Blue" found in this country. All the wings on the upper side are deep blue, and their outer margins are bordered with blackish; the discal spot, and a row of spots beyond, are black; the hind wings have a row of black dots on the outer margin, and sometimes, and especially in the female, there is a series of black dots just beyond the central area; the fringes are white. The under side is greyish tinged with blue towards the base of each wi

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The Duke of Burgundy Fritillary (Nemeobius lucina).

The Duke of Burgundy Fritillary (Nemeobius lucina).

This butterfly is figured on Plate 120 . The male is black, with three transverse tawny bands on the fore wings; these are crossed by the black veins, and so form series of irregular spots. Those on the outer margin have black centres; on the hind wings there are three or four tawny spots on the disc, and a series of black centred tawny spots on the outer area. The female is similar to the male, but the tawny markings are wider, so that the fore wings appear to be of this colour, with a black pa

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The Grizzled Skipper (Hesperia malvæ).

The Grizzled Skipper (Hesperia malvæ).

The wings of the butterfly figured on Plate 122 are blackish, ornamented with numerous white spots, which are more or less square in shape, on the fore wings. The fringes are chequered black and white. The male differs from the female in having the front edge of the fore wings folded towards the base, and these wings have scattered greyish scales on the basal area; the central series of spots on the hind wings are also more in evidence, and not infrequently unite and become band-like. Variation

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The Dingy Skipper (Thanaos tages).

The Dingy Skipper (Thanaos tages).

The wings are fuscous, with darker fuscous transverse bands on the middle third of the fore wings; the space between these is sometimes, and in both sexes, whitish; there are some whitish spots on the outer band, usually towards the costa, but occasionally on the middle also, and a series of white points on the outer margin of all the wings. The hind wings have a whitish discal dot and a band beyond the middle, which is almost parallel with the outer margin. The male has a well-marked fold on th

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The Small Skipper (Adopæa thaumas).

The Small Skipper (Adopæa thaumas).

All the wings are brownish-orange, with the veins darker and becoming black towards the outer margins, especially on the fore wings. The male has a black sexual mark (Plate 125 ). Except that the colour varies in the direction of a pale golden tint there is little in the way of aberration in this butterfly. At least one gynandrous specimen has been recorded. The following descriptions of the early stages (Plate 124 ), as well as the figures of the caterpillar and the chrysalis, are from Buckler'

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The Essex Skipper (Adopæa lineola).

The Essex Skipper (Adopæa lineola).

This butterfly is very like the Small Skipper, but may be separated from it, in both sexes, by the black under sides of the knobs of the antennæ. The black sexual mark in the male is finer, shorter, and much less oblique (Plate 125 ). The egg (Plate 124 ) is pale greenish-yellow, oval in shape, flattened above and below; the top is slightly depressed. The eggs are deposited in July or August, in dried grass seed-heads and inside the sheath of a leaf, and the caterpillars, according to Hawes, do

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The Lulworth Skipper (Adopæa actæon).

The Lulworth Skipper (Adopæa actæon).

Compared with the other two species on Plate 125 , the coloration of this butterfly is somewhat dingy; it is, however, enlivened, especially in the female, by a short dash and a curved series of orange spots in the upper half of the fore wings. The male has a black sexual mark which is very similar to that of the Small Skipper. There seems to be very little to note in variation, except that the orange markings referred to are subject to modification, and in the male may be altogether absent. An

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The Large Skipper (Augiades sylvanus).

The Large Skipper (Augiades sylvanus).

The male has the discal area of the fore wings bright fulvous, and the outer area broadly brown; the sexual mark is black; the hind wings are tinged with fulvous on the disc, and have brighter fulvous spots. The female is brown with a fulvous discal wedge on the fore wings, and an angulate series of fulvous spots beyond; hind wings as in the male, but spots rather more defined. In some examples of this sex the spots on the fore wings are confluent, and the discal area is then fulvous as in the m

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The Silver-spotted Skipper (Augiades comma).

The Silver-spotted Skipper (Augiades comma).

This butterfly is very similar on the upper side to the Large Skipper, but the spots, especially those nearest the front edge of the fore wings, are yellower. On the under side the greenish tinge of the ground colour, and the silvery spots, make the identification quite easy. The black sex mark in the male is very similar to that of the last species (Plate 126 ). The males vary a little in the width of the marginal border, and in some females there is almost as much fulvous on the discal area of

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A CLASSIFIED LIST OF THE BRITISH BUTTERFLIES

A CLASSIFIED LIST OF THE BRITISH BUTTERFLIES

* Species so marked in this Index are reputed British....

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