34G 



JOUBNAL OF HORTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEK. 



[ April 30, 1874. 



peris matronalis ; also, as he remarks, when the caterpiUars 

 feed, as frequently they do, npon these and similar species 

 growing in meadows, the bnlk of the brood must perish, because 

 the grass is mowed just at the time they are feeding. Of course 

 we also find the caterpillars on plants along the hedgerows ; 

 Btill, the former circumstance may tend to keep down the 



Fig. 1. — AuthochariB Cardaminee.* 



numbers of this butterfly, which also does not, I believe, de- 

 posit so many eggs as some of its relatives. The caterpillars 

 rarely touch the leaves, preferring the seeds and pods of the 

 plants they frequent ; and as Mr. Newman notes with regard 

 to individuals he had in rearing, they will nibble holes in the 

 pods to obtain the seeds, leaving the pods until the supply of 

 food runs short. In general appearance this caterpillar is of 

 the " Cabbage type," green with a pale stripe, and dotted with 

 warts both black and white, each of which sends up a short 

 bristle. Having ceased to eat, about the beginning of July 

 usually, the Orange-tip caterpillars fasten themselves by a 

 band of silk to the stems of grasses or other plants, and then 

 pass into the chrysalis state. The shape of the latter is singu- 

 larly unlike the chrysalis of nearly all the British butterflies, 

 having much the form of a crescent, the wing-cases bulging 

 out towards the centre of the arch. Throughout the winter 

 months the insect continues dormant, and to hunt for the 

 chrysalis along the banks may be a diversion to some natural- 

 ists, though rather a back-aching employment. 



Entomological books have sometimes advised the beginner 

 who is in search of the Azure Blue Butterfly (Lycoena Argiolns) 

 to set to work in April, and beat with a stout stick all the 

 Holly and Ivy within his reach. It is not certain that success 

 will attend his efforts, and if he experiments in gardens he 

 will not be thanked for disfiguring Hollies by this thrashing 

 process. It seems to be a fact that the butterfly is to be dis- 

 covered in and about Holly, Ivy, and also Buckthorn in early 

 spring, and farther on in the season we see it again when it 

 visits garden flowers pretty boldly ; and it has a trick of pop- 

 ping over the nearest hedge if approached, seldom taking a 

 long flight, and frequently returning to very nearly the same 

 spot again. This species — misnamed " Azure Blue," since it is 

 not so azure as is L. Adonis and others — has long been a puzzle 

 to naturalists, owing to the difiiculty there has been in ascer- 

 taining when and upon what the larvaj feed. It is rare or 

 unknown in the north of England, but in the south not un- 

 common in most districts, where it joins sometimes in playful 

 combat with its relative the Common Blue, though that species 

 is more partial to open ground than L. Argiolus usually ap- 

 pears to be, which may arise from its having (as I fancy) a par- 



Fijj. 2. — Lycfrna Corydon.* 



ticTilar dislike to wind, as I have soon seen them cease to fly on 

 a fine morning if it becomes at all breezy. The Blues among 

 the butterfly tribes are not easy to distinguish from each other. 

 The species before us has purplish blue wings, with a broad 



* From MesBrs. CasseU'B edition of Figuier'B " Ineect "World." 



black border in the female insect, and a narrow one in the 

 male ; the latter is also superior in size to what is certainly 

 not his " better half." Underneath, both are of a silvery grey 

 tint, with black spots variously arranged, and we perceive none 

 of those orange markings so peculiar in others of the Blues. 



The caterpillar of this elegant species is of the singular 

 shape, which from its resemblance to the woodlouse has re- 

 ceived the compound epithet of "onisciform ;" and in crawl- 

 ing, the legs are pressed so closely to the body that it would 

 almost seem as if the creature glided along like a slug. It has 

 been variously described by EngUsh and continental authors, 

 and according to Prof. Westwood it is usually greenish yellow, 

 with a line of bright green down the back, and the head and 

 legs deep brown or black. I regret to say that my efforts to 

 make the personal acquaintance of this curious caterpillar 

 have been fruitless, though I have braved the stings of hosts 

 of bees by exploring the flowers of the Buckthorn in spring 

 and the Ivy in the autumn, for the flowers have until recently 

 been considered to be the special food of the larva of L. Argi- 

 olus. The latest wrinkle, however, is that some have been 

 taken devouring the tender leaves of the Holly. Mr. Newman 

 is still rather inclined to favour the notion that, supposing 

 there are two broods, the first feeds on the Holly and the 

 second npon the Ivy ; and Mr. Horley has certainly obtained 

 a larva from the latter plant in November, which individual 

 passed into the chrysalis state, and bo remained until April 

 following. Others hold to the theory that the butterfly hyber- 

 nates as a rule, and others again point to the fact that a May 

 and an August brood are occasionally found in districts where 

 only one of the supposed food-plants grows, as conflicting the 

 migration theory. As in one place the butterflies were seen 

 hovering about the Laurustinus, the idea may be entertained 

 that that plant may have some connection with the insect. 



Connoisseurs in colour have declared, however, that although 

 the Azure Blue is a beautiful butterfly, the Chalkhill Blue, L. 

 Corydon {llg. 2), in its silvery tints almost surpasses it. These 

 hues are only observable in the male insect, the female being 

 smoky brown. The work of maternity, which chiefly engrosses 

 her attention, does not take her far away from the place where 

 she was reared, and where she in her turn deposits her eggs 

 on Trefoils or Vetches. The male butterfly takes a wider 

 range, and visits gardens in the chalky districts, though seldom 

 compared with L. Argiolns or the lively and common L. Icarus. 

 On the Bird's-foot Trefoil (Ornithopus perpusiUus) have beea 

 reared the caterpillars of the 

 Silver-studded Blue (L. J5gon), a 

 smaller species, recognised by 

 silvery spots on the under side. 

 (See fig. 3). From its diminutive 

 size this is often unnoticed. It 

 used to occur near London, on. 

 the Surrey commons, but has ol 

 late years taken its departure. — 

 J. R. S. C. 



P.S. — From some indications 

 of favourable, or rather unfavour- 

 able increase, already noticeable, 

 it is possible that we may have, 

 as I fear, a plentiful supply of 

 aphides in 1874, though some 

 heavy showers in May would 

 " turn the tables " on them. A 

 friend of ours, who has more belief 

 in the natural enemies of destructive insects than in the man- 

 devised means of diminishing them, has invented what he at first 

 termed the " Lady-bird Kouser ;" but aware ol the importance of 

 a fine name to render an article saleable, he now terms it the 

 " Coccinellid-Stimulator." He had often observed with vexation 

 how languidly these beetles crawled about in the spring, when 

 they should have been devouring aphides or depositing eggs 

 amongst them ; and hence set himself to invent a compound 

 which should diffuse a vapour that might rouse them to high 

 activity. I am bound to say that the first experiments were 

 not favourable, for after a brief spell of spasmodic briskness 

 the lady-birds seemed to be dead ; but I am told that the reason 

 was that the fumes were a little too stimulating, and the dis- 

 coverer still hopes to perfect his invention and extend its ap- 

 phcation. — J. E. S. C. 



•■i/i^ 



^ /// ■^<r'-~ 



Fig. 3. — LycffiDft .Egon.* 



Live Scorpion in London. — The animal found alive clinging 

 to a boot is a small real scorpion of the slender form not 



