Akgy.vxis. 21 



they are pale greenish-yellow, and almost lost in the ground colour, the centres of the small 

 round spots only being silvery. Expands from if to 2|- inches. Common in most parts of 

 Europe (includir.j,- England) and Western Asia in Jul}-, but it is a rarer and less generally- 

 distributed insect on the Continent than A. Niobe. It frequents woods and heaths, especially 

 in hilly districts. Larva dark grey, with interrupted whitish lines on the back, under which are 

 blackish transverse stripes. Spines rusty brown. Feeds on violet and wild pansy from May to 

 July. The butterfly is figured at PI. 9, Fig. 3. 



* 14. A. Aglaia (Linn.), {Dark Green Fritillarj). — Hind-wings beneath green, mixed with pale 

 yellow towards the hind margins, with silvery spots at the base, two rows across the middle of 

 the wing, and another marginal row of silvery spots. There are no reddish spots with silvery 

 centres, as in the last two species ; and there are no silvery spots on tlie under side of the fore- 

 wings. E.xpands from 2\ to 2} inches. It is the commonest of the large Fritillaries throughout 

 Europe (including the British Isles) and Northern and Western Asia, frequenting meadows and 

 heaths in July and August. Some of the Californian species of Argynnis are very closely allied 

 to this, and may perhaps prove identical with it when the variations of A. Aglaia have been 

 traced round throughout Northern Asia. The larva is yellow, with a double white line on the 

 back, and red spots on the sides ; the spines are black. It lives on dog-violet in May and June. 

 The insect is figured in all stages on PI. 9, Fig. 4, a — d. 



(A. Elisa, Godt., which occurs in the mountains of Corsica and Sardinia, is allied to this, 

 but has fewer and smaller black spots above, and smaller and more numerous silvery spots below. 

 A. Alexandra, Menetr., from the Caucasus, is another allied species, but the marginal spots of 

 the under side of the hind-wings are green, and not silvery. These species are both rather smaller 

 than A. Aglaia. Two American species, A. Cybele, Fabr., and A. Aphrodite, Fabr., have been 

 introduced into some works on British Lepidoptcra as having been taken in England. The former 

 is much larger than A. Aglaia, and the latter about the same size. A. Cybele is darker above and 

 paler below than A. Aphrodite. The under side of the hind-wings of Aphrodite is dull reddish, 

 where that o^ Aglaia is green; the silvery spots are similar, and the marginal row is edged within 

 with pale yellow.) 



* 15. A. Lathonia (Linn.), {Queen of Spain Fritillary). —Wmd-wmgs beneath brownish-yellow, 

 with very large oval silvery spots, between ^\'hich are some small ones. Within the marginal 

 spots is a row of seven small brown spots with silvery centres. There are also several silvery 

 spots at the tip of the fore-wings beneath. Expands from if to a little over 2 inches. Found 

 throughout Europe, Northern and Western Asia to the Himalayas (the Indian variety has been 

 named Issira, Gray, but hardly differs from the European), and North Africa. It frequents 

 lanes and roads in woods, and its flight resembles that of Hipparchia Megcsra, but is more rapid. 

 It sometimes settles on the pathway, and has also been seen in clover-fields. It is found in early 

 summer, and rgain in autumn. It is very rare in the south of England, and has once been 

 taken at Killarney. The larva lives on heartsease, &c., in April and Jul}- ; it is blackish-grey, 

 with a whitish stripe on the back, and brownish-yellow lines on the sides. The spines are short 

 and brick-red. The butterfly is figured at PI. 9, Fig. 5. {A. Eugenia, Eversm., should not be 

 included among European butterflies ; it is a Siberian species.) 



* 16. A. Paphia (Linn), (Silver-washed Fritillary). — Hind-wings beneath green, with a silvery 

 streak across the middle, and two shorter ones running from the costa nearer the base ; the hind 

 margin is also bordered with silvery. The male is brighter coloured than the female, and has 

 four nervures of the fore-wings rather broadly black in the middle. There is a variety of the 

 female, Valesina (Esp.), which is greenish-brown above, with some pale spots towards the costa 



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