SOME NOTES ON FREDERICINA CALODACTYLA (ZETTERSTEDTIl). 205 



through the deceptive mossy covering into the brown "Sumpf" of the 

 moor. I then set mj'self to watch one of the clumps of flowers, and, 

 after a few seconds, netted what I thought must be some kmd of 

 fritillary — I had noticed BrentJtis dia on the flowers before — but on 

 examination I found a strange butterfly in mj^ net — at least, it had 

 been strange to me till then^ — none other than Araschnia levana, with 

 its beautiful yellow-veined and lilac-splashed underside. Having thus 

 "had my eyes opened," I was soon able to distmguish other specimens 

 of A. levana dashing about over the meadow. They had a more sturdy 

 appearance than the fritillaries, and flew more rapidly (more like 

 Toju'ssa urticae, Pyraiiieis cardui, when travelling), but here on the 

 boggy meadows it was certainly easy to mistake them for fritillaries. 

 Presently I felt that I should like a tine M. arteiiiis that was just then 

 flying rapidly past me, in the usual way. I chased and captured it 

 after a hard run, and then, with the brown mud of the marsh gurgling 

 up higher and higher round my legs, for it was impossible to stand 

 without sinking where the chase had led me, I discovered my quarry 

 to be A. levana again. I have not been able to continue my observations 

 of levana and proraa in the natural state, and I do not know whether 

 A. levana ahcai/s haunts meadows or moors together with the fritillaries! , 

 for which it may be mistaken by its size and appearance in flight, while 

 the summer form provsa chooses the wooded parts to disport itself, where 

 Linienitis sibi/lla resembles it in facies, and even in a striking 

 peculiarity of flight, and whether, if so, " mimicry " of other species 

 comes in as an explanation, or whether the difference in facies, together 

 with the different conditions in the vegetation of spring and summer, 

 sufflces to account for the change of haunts, just as natural disposition 

 and dift'erence in temperature certainly play a chief part in bringing 

 about the change of facies." Mimicry in the case of A. prursa and 

 L. Sibylla has been upheld b}^ some, e.r/., Weismann, and denied by 

 others, e.g., Standfuss, O. Prochnow. 



Some notes on Frederlcina calodactyla (zetterstedtii) (Avitb plate). 



By EDWARD GOODWIN, F.E.S. 



Whilst spending a week-end with my friend, Mr. T. Blest of 

 Woodnesborough, I took advantage of the opportunity to try for the 

 larva of Fredevicina calodacti/la. On May 10th, therefore, we cycled 

 to the wood where the species occurs, arriving there about 2.30 p.m., 

 and at once started searching along the rides. The foodplant was not 

 very plentiful, and we carefully examined every one we found, but 

 only met with a few of my old acquaintance, Leioptilns tephradactijliis. 



We then tried where the undergrowth was one or two years old, 

 but here we found that other Aveeds had smothered the golden-rod, and 

 we returned to the rides. After about two hours' fruitless search we 

 reluctantly decided to give up what appeared to be a hopeless quest, 

 and started back to our cycles. 



On the way we had to recross a part of the wood which had 

 recently been cut down and cleared. As is usual in such cases there 

 were many small plants of Solidago virgaurea, but when going over it the 



t No, I have taken it on a dry road in the Murgthal and also sitting on the 

 leaves of bushes, when it looks, at a distance, much like a large Nemeobiiis lucina. 

 — G. W. 



* In the latter case mere " paralle m" would account for resemblance to 

 other species. — T. R. 



