BRITISH AXD EUROPEAN BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS. 



13 



M. maturna, Linn, frequents open woods 

 in liill}- districts in Central Europe, but is not 

 a British insect. The wings are darl< brown, 

 with rows of yellow and orange spots, and an 

 orange band near the hind margin. The under 

 side is orange, with a yellow central band, 

 ■divided on the hind wings by a narrow black 

 line. Between the central band and the 

 base of the wings are several yellow spots, 

 and on the hind margins a row of small yellow 

 lunules, edged with black on their inner side. 

 The butterfly appears in May and June. 

 The larva is black, with sulphur-yellow spots, 

 arranged in rows on the back and sides, and 

 black spines. It feeds in June on young ash 

 trees, and after hibernation also on low plants. 

 The larvae, which at first live in commu- 

 nities, are found afterwards singly. 



M. aurinia, Rett. The Greasy Fritillary. 

 PI. IX. fig. I. Underside la. frequents damp 

 meadows in which the devil's-bit scabious 

 grows, and is widely distributed, though local, 

 in the British Isles. Some variations of 

 colouring exist, and Scotch specimens are 

 said to be smaller and darker than English 

 ones. The caterpillar is black, with white 

 dots, and has a white lateral stripe and yel- 

 lowish bristles, tipped with black. The head 

 is black, and the legs reddish brown. It lives 

 gregariously on the devil's-bit scabious (Scabiosa 

 succisaj in April. 



M. cinxia, Linn. The Glanville Fritillary. 

 PL IX. fig. 2. Under side 2 a. is found in 

 Europe generally, but is extremely local in 

 England, being restricted to a few localities 

 on the South coast, including the New Forest 

 and the Isle of Wight. It frequents weedy 

 places in June and August. The larva is black 

 and hairy, with white transverse dots and black 

 spines. The head and legs are reddish brown. 

 It feeds on Plantngo, Veronica, and Hieracium 

 in May and August. 



M. phoebe, Knoch. PI. IX. fig. 3. Under 

 side 3 a. is found in Southern and Central 

 Europe, except the North-West. It bears a 

 close resemblance to the last species, but is 

 larger and more reddish in colour, and without 

 the row of black dots on the hind wings. 

 It frequents open woods in July. The larva 

 is greyish black, spotted with white, and with 

 a light coloured lateral band, and black spines. 



It feeds on Cent anna and Plan f ago in May 

 and June. 



M. didyma, Ochs. is a Southern and Cen- 

 tral European species, but is not found with 

 us. The wings are reddish fulvous in the 

 male, with rows of black spots, duller in the 

 female. The black spots on the hind margins 

 are separated. The hind wings are sulphur- 

 yellow beneath, with black spots and two ful- 

 vous bands. The larva is bluish, dotted with 

 white, and has yellowish lateral stripes, and 

 white and tawny spines. It feeds in Summer 

 on Veronica and Planiago. 



M. dictynna, Esp. is found in open woods 

 and meadows in Central Europe, but like the 

 last species does not occur in Britain. In the 

 male the fore wings are dark brown above, 

 with three rows of fulvous spots, and the hind 

 wings black, with two rows of fulvous spots. 

 In the female the fore wings are fulvous, with 

 black bands, and the hind wings black, with 

 three rows of pale yellowish spots. It is found 

 from June to August. The larva is greyish 

 black, with light blue dots and reddish brown 

 spines, tipped with black. The head is black, 

 with two light blue spots. It feeds on Plan- 

 tngo and Melanipyrnm in May and June. 



M. athalia, Rott. The Heath Fritillary 

 frequents open places in woods, especially 

 where the herbage is stunted and where heath 

 grows. It is found throughout Europe, but is 

 extremely local in England and Ireland, though 

 common wherever it is found. The colour is 

 deep brownish fulvous, with three black bands, 

 and black at the base. Beneath, the fore 

 wings are tawny, with a row of black spots 

 running across the wing near the middle ; the 

 hind wings are reddish brown, with two bands 

 and some spots near the base, of a pale yellow 

 colour. The larva is black, dotted with white, 

 and has light brown spines. In feeds on 

 Planiago and Mclampyrum in May. 



M. aurelia, Nick, which is found in 

 many parts of Central Europe, closely resembles 

 the last species, but is smaller and lighter in 

 colour. The larva is black, with small white 

 dots and pale yellow lateral spots. The head 

 and spines are black. It feeds on Melampyrnm, 

 Veronica, and Planiago in June. 



M. parthenie, Borkh. is smaller than 

 athalia, with fewer black markings, and narrower 



