20^ 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



Of butterflies the number of species barely exceeds 

 thirty, and even among these we might reckon a 

 few, such as the tailed Blue (P. Bceticus), which have 

 been taken so sparingly, and at such wide intervals, 

 that they are fairly entitled to rank among the "reputed 

 species." C. Edusa is frequently seen flitting along 

 the bold, rugged cliff-sides of the south coast, and 

 C. Hyde is not rare. G. Rhamni is found, as here, 

 from early spring to late autumn, and white speci- 

 mens are occasionally met with. //. Semele is very 

 common on the cliffs, especially where grey moss- 

 covered stones occur, and on these it loves to settle 

 in the warm sun. Its peculiar habit of concealing 



Fig. 141. Clouded Yellow (Colias Edusa), Male. 



the anterior wings, combined with the striking 

 resemblance of the under side of the hind wings to 

 the grey stone, renders it exceedingly difficult to 

 detect, even at a short distance, and 1 have often 

 been puzzled to know where half a dozen of these 

 butterflies had got to, though I well knew they 

 were within twenty feet of ray very eyes. C. Cardui 

 is generally distributed throughout the island, in 

 some years abundant, while at other times only a 



Fig. 14a. Pale Clouded Yellow {Cotiaa St/ale). 



few straggling specimens are to be seen. 7^. Ata- 

 lanta is the most common of the family, and is 

 known as the " King's Butterfly." V. Vrticie is less 

 frequent, and V. lo I have rarely seen on the wing, 

 though I have reared the caterpillars. F. Poly. 

 chloros is, 1 believe, scarce; at least, I only saw 

 one living specimen, a hybernated one, which I 

 captured. The Glanville Tritillary {M. Cinxia) is 

 extremely abundant in the south. I have seen 

 scores of them in a day's ramble in June ; a sight 

 which I fancy would delight many an inland collect- 

 or's heart. I have frequently reared them from the 

 caterpillars, which are gregarious, and feed on the 



narrow-leaved plantain, under cover of a whitish 

 web. The Eev. J. P. Dawson, iu the Zoologist, 

 lSi6, p. 1271 (quoted by Stainton), gives an admir- 

 able description of the favourite haunts of this 

 species. F. Rubi frequents the banks of streams, 

 where it is common iu May ; it appears to be single- 

 brooded. 



Fig. 143. Green Hairstreak 

 (upper side). 



Fig. 144. Green Hairstreak 

 (under jide). 



The little island of Sark— the gem of the Channel 

 Islands— possesses but a meagre list of lepidoptera, 

 though some species occur in more or less abund- 

 ance which iu the larger island are exceedingly rare ; 

 for, as it has been remarked, " each of the Channel 



Fig. 145. Glanville Fritillary {Melitaeu Cinxia), (upper side cf 

 variety) . 



Fig. 140. Glanville Fritillary (under side). 



Fig. 147. Cinnabar (Euchelia Jacob<B(e}, 



Islands possesses a fauna and flora of its own." 

 Two species of butterflies, C. Jglaia and C. Pamphi- 

 lus, 1 have never met with in Guernsey, while in 

 Sark they are common ; and many a sharp spin 

 have I had through furze and fern after the former. 

 I may mention, parenthetically, that the Rose-chafer 

 {Cetonia aurata) occurs in such profusion that I 



