Although no less than six species of Colias have been de- 

 scribed as inhabitants of Britain, they may be reduced to two : 



1. C. Hyale Linn.— Curtis Brit. Ent.pl. 242. 



This rare insect is generally found near the coast, especially 

 of Suffolk, Kent, and Sussex, from the beginning of August 

 to the first week in September. The beautiful specimens 

 figured (the central one being the male) were taken between 

 Brighton and Lewes, and erroneously called TLuropome .- they 

 were kindly transmitted to me by my friend the Rev. C. S. 

 Bird, who purchased them of Mr. Browne, the captor. I am 

 also indebted to Mr. Leplastrier for the examination of five 

 specimens taken by himself near Dover, one of which is a very 

 dark and curious variety. 



P. Eiiropome was first described and figured by Esper, and 

 since by Hiibner, and is considered by the best Lepidopterists 

 on the Continent to be synonymous with P. Palceno Linn. It 

 is not a British insect, those described and even figured as 

 such being the P. Philodice of Godart, (in the Encyclopedic 

 Methodique,) a North American species, of which there is no 

 testimony of a single specimen having been taken in Britain, 

 nor, it may be added, in Europe : the old examples in the 

 cabinets of the late Mr. Francillon, and Mr. Swainson, and 

 two in Mr. Plastead's, Avere no doubt placed there as repre- 

 sentatives of C. Hi/ale, the males of which greatly resemble 

 the females of P. Philodice; but the latter may be distinguish- 

 ed by the black margin of the superior wings being broad at 

 the posterior angle, as in the following species. 



2. C. Edusa Fah. Ha-w. Don. 7. 238. 2. /m.— Hyale Don. 2. 



43. male. — Helice Hiib. Uato. var. 



The Coliae are remarkable in this country for their perio- 

 dical appearance; it is said that C. Edtisa visits us every three 

 or five years: however this may be, it is certain that occa- 

 sionally it is abundant in various parts of the kingdom, 

 although for several years successively not a specimen will be 

 seen. 



Small varieties of C. Edusa have been described as the 

 P. ChnjsotJiome of Esper and Hiibner, of which I have au- 

 thentic specimens ; and that it is a very different insect may 

 be seen by comparing their figures with the British ones. 



C. Helice is a yellow variety of the female of C. Edusa; and 

 it is extraordinary that a corresponding one of the male should 

 never have been discovered. 



The caterj)illar of C. Hxjale in our plate is copied from 

 Hiibner ; it leeds upon Coronilla varia, and that of C. Edusa 

 upon Ci/tisus austriacus, neither of which are British plants: 

 this latter larva will however, I believe, eat Mcdicago lupidina 

 (pi. 6.), and probably other papilionaceous plants. 



