fVhite Butterflies of Britain. 



227 



female, the inner margin of this band is deeply shaded with 

 black. The inferior size alone appears to be sufficient to 

 distinguish this insect as a peculiar species. 



3. The small cabbage but- 

 terfly (P6nti« rapae) {J%-. 57.) 

 is very similar to the preced 

 ing, but much smaller, the 

 wings only expanding about 

 2 in. or less ; sometimes there 

 is one, sometimes two, black 

 spots on the upper disk of 

 each fore wing; and in some 

 varieties the spot is nearly 

 wanting. There are always, 

 however, two black spots on the under surface of each fore- 

 wing, as in P. ^rassicae and P. Chariclea. 



58 %^ ^ 4^ The spotless small cab- 



bage butterfly (Pontia metra 

 Steph.) {Jig. 58.) is very like 

 that variety of the preceding 

 in which the wing spots are 

 nearly wanting. It is of the 

 same size as the preceding, 

 but appears earlier. The tip 

 of the wings is acutely angled, where there is a slightly shaded 

 dusky band. The base of the wings is deep black; and the 

 black spots on the disk, which characterise the three preced- 

 ing species, are on this very faint, if not altogether wanting 



5. The green-veined white butterfly 

 (Pontic wapi) {fg. 59.) is somewhat 

 less than the two preceding species, 

 but is easily distinguished from them 

 by dilated greenish veins branching 

 over the under disk of the wings ; as 

 may be seen in the figure. The upper 

 surface of the tips of the fore wings 

 is shaded with black, and the disk, in 

 the female, marked with two large 



black spots placed transversely. Considerable variety occurs 

 in the markings. 



6. The larger green- veined white butterfly (Pontiflt Napae^se 

 Esper.) is considerably broader in the expansion of the wings 

 than the preceding. The ground colour is milk-white, with 

 the upper tips of the fore wings black, and also a black spot on 

 their disk, with two or three triangular dashes on their hinder 

 margin ; the veins below are dilated and greenish. 



