August 21, 1873 ] 



JOUBNAIi OP HOKTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENER. 



135 



The eggs are not to be found on any garden plant, but 

 solely, so it is stated, on two species of Ehamnus — namely, 

 E. catharticus and Frangula. I have on various occasions 

 taken the eggs and reared the larva; to maturity upon the 

 latter plant, and others, like myself, have failed to take the 

 insect off R. catharticus near London. But the habit of the 

 species, probably, differs with the locality. The caterpillar is 

 so much the colour of the Buckthorn leaf, that a person may 

 hold one in the hand and yet not detect it, should it be repos- 

 ing, as they often will, along the midrib. They are of sluggish 

 habit seemingly, and yet feed-up with rapidity in warm weather, 

 say in about five weeks. The wrinkled warted body of the 

 caterpillar, small head, and dull green colour, are strongly 

 suggestive of a relationship to the Pieridie, and the Khodo- 

 cerediE do with them form part of that division of our butter- 

 flies having cylindrical larvje. The pupa is totally different 

 from that of the Whites, being singularly humped ; it is very 

 carefully secured to a leaf or twig by an anal attachment and 

 a silken band. 



One of the boldest of our butterflies is the Painted Lady, 

 also designated Vanessa Cardui,' which comes to our gardens 

 during the summer, making cursory visits. Later on in the 

 season its visits are more from necessity than choice, as the 

 garden parterre yields more honey than the scattered wild 

 flowers of autumn. We may see it sometimes hovering about 



Vanessa Caidoi. 



till the end of October, by which time, if not sooner, the chilly 

 nights send it into winter quarters. This insect is unfortu- 

 nately named, inasmuch as it in no way resembles a " painted 

 lady," and though the pencilling on the under surface of the 

 wings is varied and exceedingly beautiful, it is equalled (Mr. 

 Newman thinks surpassed) by that of the Eed Admiral (Va- 

 nessa Atalauta). On the wing the species is too rapid to be 

 deemed ladylike in its movements ; perhaps it may be regarded 

 as feminine in its pertinacity, for if you drive one of these 

 insects off a flower it will come back again, and brave the net ; 

 and the same thing occurs even when an individual is settling 

 on a rut in the road. The upper surface of the Painted 

 Lady has a slight resemblance to the Admiral in the foro- 

 ■wingB, but instead of the weU-defined reds and blacks of that 

 ipecies, we have markings more intricate, and of more diver- 

 sity in colour. In certain years this butterfly is abundant 

 generally, in others it is poorly represented ; but there are 

 many places in the south where it occurs every season. To 

 the north of the metropolis, in those rural districts of Middle- 

 sex, Herts, and Essex, lying nearest to Loudon, it is, I think, 

 more scarce than formerly; in Kent and Surrey, within sound 

 of St. Paul's, the butterfly has occurred pretty steadily for 

 years past. V. Cardui is also one of those butterflies that have 

 a partiaUty for the coast. The Irish specimens are particularly 

 fine, judging from some I have received, and there the species 

 disports itself high up the mountain sides, as also in some 



* The accomptnjiiig illiutntioD is from Fignior'a " Insect World," pub- 

 liahed b7 Mesna. CoMwlL 



districts of Scotland. This insect is additionally of interest 

 as being a native of almost every country entomologists have 

 explored. 



Though specifically named from the Thistle, V. Cardui is 

 also found in the larval state upon Nettles, each individual 

 leading a solitary life, and spinning a few threads, by which 

 it draws the leaves of the food-plant slightly together. The 

 larva is spiny, like those of the Vanessa, and it is rather 

 difficult to rear in confinement. Having arrived at maturity 

 (usually in July) , it attaches itself by the tail to some pro- 

 jection, and becomes a chrysalis, meriting that appellation, 

 inasmuch as it is really adorned with golden markings. 



Just now a lively little fly, whose economy has been already 

 alluded to, is earning itself the thanks of the cultivators of 

 the Cabbage tribe. Its services, to speak in modern phrase, 

 " must be seen to be appreciated." When we consider, also, 

 how eagerly birds of several species pick up the larva; of Pieris 

 Brassicffi, it is a wonder that the caterpillar of this butterfly 

 holds its own from year to year, as we see that it docs. My 

 friend Smith thought it very odd, and quite opposed to sound 

 arithmetical calculation, that the larger insect did not disap- 

 pear before the smaller, since a strong larva of P. Brassicse 

 yields some twenty or thirty flies, which gives a great advantage 

 on the side of the parasite. But, on the other hand, it must 

 be remembered that the parasite has also its insidious enemy, 

 as observed by the Eev. J. G. Wood ; and the ichneumon-fly 

 attacking Microgaster glomeratus is considerably larger than 

 that species, which gives an advantage to its opponent ; only 

 this again is, there is very little doubt, the prey of something 

 else, according to a rather hackneyed couplet which it is not 

 needful to quote. But whereas M. glomeratus attacks the 

 butterfly caterpillar, it is evident that the fly parasitic on the 

 former would have difficulty in reaching the larvae which are 

 snugly nurtured in the caterpillar's body ; and we find that 

 this fly accordingly seeks out the cocoons of M. glomeratus, 

 and deposits its eggs amongst them. 



Observing the number of larvic which make their way out of 

 the carcase of a single caterpillar of P. Brassice, one would be 

 apt to suppose that each fly selected one only to receive her 

 brood ; but on this point we have not absolute certainty. The 

 weather in some years has much influence on the mutual 

 relations of the ichneumon and the butterfly. Heavy showers 

 just at the time when the female flies should be depositing 

 their eggs probably diminish their numbers materially, while 

 the caterpillars of Pieris Brassicai are tolerably indifferent to 

 any rain which does not entirely submerge them, though more 

 susceptible of cold. Tiny as is this Microgaster, and unat- 

 tractive to the naked eye, the microscope brings some beauty 

 out of it. A recent writer on garden insect remarks, " When 

 this insignificant little creature is placed under the microscope 

 the tiny body shines out in metalhc splendour, glittering with 

 an intensity the eye can scarcely bear ; and the wings appear 

 in all their beauty, their surface glorious with opalescent hues 

 playing upon them with every change of light, and covered with 

 minute hairs, each of which gUtters separately." — J. R. S. C. 



KOYAL HOKTICDLTUKAL SOCIETY. 



August 20th. 



This was but a very small show, but to the quality of the 

 Gladioli and Hollyhocks exhibited no exception could be taken. 



Of the Gladiolus there was a splendid display, though the 

 stands were not numerous. Messrs. Kelway & Son, Langport, 

 Somerset, took the first position in the open class for twenty- 

 four spikes. These consisted of Horace Vernet, splendid, 

 Beauty of England, Timon, Porsena, Ball of Fire, intense 

 orange scarlet, feathered with purple; Damia, very fine, white 

 and rose ; Madame Desportes, Rossini, Parsouii, Ariane, Pictum, 

 very large ; Clara, Numantia, Lulbe, Laviuia, Lady Bridport, 

 PoUis, and five seedUngs. Second came Mr. J. Douglas, gar- 

 dener to F. Whitbourn, Esq., Loxford Hall, Ilford, with an ex- 

 cellent stand, including fourteen seedlings, Orphee, Adolphe 

 Brongniart, and Octavie, fine. Third came Mr. G. Wheeler, 

 Warminster. 



In Class 2, for twelve spikes, the Rev. Lord Hawke, Willing- 

 ham Rectory, was far ahead of all others with magnificent 

 spikes of Horace Vernet, Lacf'prde, Eugene Scribe, Sir W. 

 Hooker, Shakespeare, Adolpho Brongniart, Didon, Marie Stuart, 

 and Arniide. These were distinguished from those in all the 

 other stands by the great breadth of their segments, as well as 

 by their numerous flower.s on a spike. Mr. Douglas was sccoud 

 with excellent spikes of Legouve, Meyerbeer, and several seed- 

 lings. 



For six spikes Lord Hawke was again first ; the Her. H. H. 



