230 APPENDIX. No. VI. 



The Lepidoptera form the most remarkable feature. Five 

 of them (included in nearly 40 examples) are butterflies of 

 genera such as one might expect to meet with on a summer- 

 day's walk in England. One of these latter is a variety of 

 Golias Hecla, a brightly coloured ' clouded yellow,' the typical 

 form of which is a known boreal insect, but which neverthe- 

 less would hardly have been expected from so far north. 

 There are two species of Argynnis (' Fritillaries ') : A.polaris 

 (of which two examples were also found at ' Polaris ' Bay by 

 the naturalist of the American expedition, and were the first 

 butterflies brought from extreme high latitudes), and A, 

 Chariclea, the numerous examples of the latter running into 

 endless varieties, so that it is almost impossible to say if all 

 really pertain to this species. There are three examples of a 

 pretty little Chrysophanus (' copper '), which appears to be 

 a rather striking form (Feildeni) of our familiar C. phlceas. 

 Also one example of Lyccena Aquilo (a ' blue '), a known 

 Arctic insect, which is perhaps scarcely more than a form of 

 L. orbitwliis of the Alps of Europe. A peculiar smoky-looking 

 Bombyx is Dasychira groenlandica, having a large hairy 

 larva not much unlike that of a tiger-moth, but with the 

 hairs arranged in tufts on the back : this larva was found 

 abundantly almost up to the highest point reached. There 

 are two Noctuce, one of which appears to be new. One 

 species of Geometridce, described by Curtis in the Insecta of 

 Koss' voyage as Psychophora Sabini. A new species of 

 Scoparia, and three species of Tortricidce, the latter single 

 examples not in very good condition. Captain Feilden 

 assures me that, in the short summer, butterflies are on the 

 wing any time during the twenty-four hours, supposing the 

 sun's face be not obscured. One month in each year is the 

 longest period in which they can appear in the perfect state, and 

 six weeks is the period in each year in which phytophagous 

 larvae can feed ; so it appears probable that more than one 

 season is necessary, in most cases, for their full development, 

 and this may partially account for the great variability often 

 exhibited in Arctic insects. 



