The Brimstone-Butterfly. 



20^ 



that is contemporarv ^\ ith it in the spring. The primrose-butterfly would certainly 

 have been a more poetic name than brimstone-butterfly/ whilst giving an equally 

 explicit idea of colour. 



It is, perhaps, not correct to speak of the brimstone-butterflv as a spring Insect, 

 because it emerges from the chrysalis about the beginning of August ; but though 

 it is then abundant it does not attract public attention so strongly as it does in 

 spring, for the reason that, tluis early, it has the field practically to itself. Early in 

 autumn it goes into hibernation and, though on a mild sunny winter day it ma}' 

 wake up and indulge in a flight, it waits until April before becoming continuously 

 active. Then when the copses and hollow lanes are full of primroses, one may 

 sometimes enjoy the sight of seeing this butterfly sipping nectar from the flower 

 it matches so well in tint. Such a sight, how^ever, is not so frequent as to 

 justify an\- suggestion that the similarity of colouring is due to such an 

 association. 



The brimstone is one of the most distinct of our butterflies, not only in point 

 of colour, but also in the shape of the wings. The fore-wings are sharply angled 

 at the tip, and the hind-wings have a similar angle suggestive of a tail in the middle 

 of the outer margin. Near the middle of all the wings there is a spot of orange. 

 Several minute dots of the same colour occur on the \'ery margin of all the wings. 

 The antennae are red ; and the fore-body is thickly clothed with long, silky, 

 whitish hairs. The sexes may be discriminated at a glance, for whilst the male 



Photo by] 



Two C"ii.\NT Ichneumons. 



[£. sup, F.L.S. 



Most of the ichneumon -wasps arc small, some very minute; but these are shown of the actual size. .As may be supposed their 

 victims are caterpillars or grubs of largo size. They both attack wood-boring Insects, and they are said to pierce bark and solid 

 timber with their hind-bodies. In the case of rhyssa (left) the piercing implement is composed of the three hair-like appendages, 

 of which the finest is perforated for the passage of the eggs. In pelecinus (right) the boring instrument is the body itself, which 

 is drawn out to great length. 



' Goneptcryx rlianini. 



