242 



HAIIDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



[Nov. 1, 1SG9. 



and more generally in use, and should be retained. 

 A very rare British butterfly is designated in older 

 authors the Bath White (P. Daplidice), but New- 

 man's name, the Green-chequered "White, is prefer- 

 able. That charming little species, the Orange Tip 

 (A. Cardamines), may well continue to carry that 

 English name ; it has been called the Wood Lady, 

 but there is no particular applicability in the term, 

 which has also been given by some writers to S. 

 JEgeria, and might also apply to the Wood White 

 (S. Siiiapis), another lover of the woodland glades. 

 Eor the two closely-allied species, known scientific- 

 ally as C. Edusa and C. Hyale, we cannot keep to 

 better names than the Clouded Yellow and the Pale 

 Clouded Yellow; the first has been called the 

 Clouded Saffron, and the second the Clouded 

 Sulphur ; but as sulphur varies in colour, and we 

 have already a " Brimstone " butterfly, we dismiss 

 the latter name, nor has the former any particular 

 recommendation. 



Coming to the Eritillaries, we must let pass the 

 time-honoured Queen of Spain, though its history is 

 doubtful, and the butterfly, rare as it is, has 

 nothing royal about it. We have two of the smaller 

 Eritillaries very nearly similar, — the Pearl-bordered 

 Eritillary (A. Euphrosyne) and the Small Pearl- 

 bordered (A. Selene), being only distinguished by 

 some additional silvery spots in the latter species, 

 and a slight difference in tint. In size they are 

 almost identical. In this case it is not easy to amend 

 the name; but Euphrosyne, being by far the most 

 abundant in woodlands generally, might be called 

 the " Common Pearl-bordered," and Selene simply 

 the Pearl-bordered. Or the latter species might, 

 instead of " Small," bear the adjective "Lesser," as 

 there is a very trifling difference in size. To another 

 Eritillary (M. Athalici) certain authors give the 

 singular name of the Pearl-bordered Likeness ; 

 Newman calls it the Heath Eritillary, an appropriate 

 appellation, as the species loves heaths, and woods 

 lying contiguous thereto. Of the Greasy Eritillary 

 (M. Artemis) it may be said that the name is not an 

 agreeable one to the entomologist ; grease in any 

 form, being decidedly disliked by him, as marring 

 the beauties of his cabinet ; and, indeed, to be 

 correct, this species should be called the " Seem- 

 ingly Greasy," for the appearance it presents on the 

 under side is not due to grease at all. As it has 

 also been called the Marsli Eritillary, from its oc- 

 currence in marshy meadows, the adoption of this 

 name would be advantageous. To a small butterfly, 

 not allied to the true Eritillaries, yet resembling 

 them in its markings, belongs the sonorous appella- 

 tion of the " Duke of Burgundy " ; and, with all 

 respect to the illustrious dukes of that name, we 

 think it scarcely desirable to continue to link it with 

 a butterfly. This species might be called the Little 

 Eritillary, or the Cowslip Eritillary, as the larva, in 

 this country, feeds exclusively on that plant. 



Amongst the Vanessas we have the brilliant 

 Atalanta, called vernacularly the Bed Admiral, or 

 the Alderman, because it was supposed to be garbed 

 similarly to those dignitaries when dressed on 

 special occasions. Discarding this name, we fall 

 back upon the first, which is obviously a corrup- 

 tion of the word " Admirable," because the species 

 was indeed valde admirari. No points of resemblance 

 can be traced between butterflies and admirals, to 

 our thinking. (The same reasoning applies to a 

 species belonging to a different genus— the White 

 Admiral, or Admirable Butterfly.) Eor a relative of 

 this butterfly (F. Cardui) we can hardly venture to 

 propose the displacement of the name of "Painted 

 Lady," long familiarized to us, if inappropriate; but 

 it might have been called the "Thistle Butterfly," 

 as the only British species whose larva is found 

 upon that plant. V. Antiopa is known as the 

 "Camberwell Beauty," the "White Border," and 

 the " Grand Surprise." We demur to the connec- 

 tion being perpetuated between this fine insect and 

 a London suburb, where, for a short time, 'it ap- 

 peared pretty numerously. There is little objection 

 to the name " Grand Surprise "; for from its rarity 

 the collector in this laud will always be surprised if 

 he sees it, and still more so if he catches it. 

 Amongst the Satyridce we have some singular 

 names. Cassiope, a species occurring in the North 

 of England and Scotland, has been called the 

 "Little Ringlet" and the "Mountain Binglet": 

 the latter should perhaps be adhered to, as 

 another species has been sometimes called by 

 authors the " Small Binglet." An elegant allied 

 species (S. /Egerici) is known variously as the 

 "Speckled Wood," the "Wood Argus," and the 

 "Wood Lady." We feel inclined to give the pre- 

 ference to the middle name ; though it must be 

 admitted that the first is most generally in use. 

 Another kindred species is known as the Wall or 

 the Speckled Wall (S. Ilegara), from its habits of 

 pitching on walls and palings, — a reason which 

 would not at once strike the ordinary observer. 

 That common butterfly (S. Tithonus) has three 

 English names,— the " Small Meadow Brown," the 

 " Large Heath," and the " Gatekeeper." The last, 

 being a little absurd, may at once be rejected; and, 

 between the two remaining, we should decide upon 

 the " Large Heath " as very applicable, and more 

 generally used. The "Small Heath" (JS. pampMkts) 

 has been called the " Least Meadow Brown " by 

 one or two authors ; but it is, more even than 

 Tithonns, a butterfly partial to heaths and com- 

 mons; and we may as well leave Janira, the 

 homely flutterer of our fields, the undisputed 

 ownership of the name "Meadow Brown." The 

 elegant butterfly, known in science as S. Semele, 

 is very commonly called also the " Grayling," a 

 rather inappropriate appellation, while a less 

 frequent name is the '•'Rock-eyed Underwing." 



