4o LEPIDOPTERA. 



Nortli of Englaud — Durham pai'ticularly — fre([ueutly liave 

 the costal stripe reddish and the stigmata obscured. A 

 specimen taken by Mr. W. Holland near lieading has the 

 fore wings and thorax of a brilliant deep purple, except the 

 costal stripe, which is contracted and shaded with purple. 

 Mr. Sydney Webb has another such. One in Mr. W. H. B. 

 Fletcher's collection hardly shows a trace of the two 

 stigmata. 



On the wing at the end of May and in June, July, and even 

 August ; on the extreme south coast it has even been met 

 with in April. Possibly a second generation may appear at 

 the end of July, in August and the beginning of September ; 

 this, however, is irregular and uncertain — probably only 

 partial. Mr. Fenn assures me that there is probably only one 

 generation appearing over the whole season. 



Larva stout, slightly attenuated in front; head small, 

 rounded, shining brown, shaded and reticulated with darker. 

 General colour yellowish -brown irrorated with paler, sometimes 

 with a reddish or greenish tinge ; dorsal and subdorsal lines 

 inconspicuous, threadlike, whitish, interrupted and shaded on 

 each side with grey, a very broad and distinct yellowish- 

 ochreous or whitish spiracular stripe, its upper edge bounded 

 by a dark brown line joining the spiracles, which are whitish, 

 surrounded with dark brown ; usual spots distinct, black ; 

 undersurface paler than the ground colour. When young 

 greyish-brown with a very broad, white, conspicuous spira- 

 cular line. (0. Fenn.) A variety of this larva figured by 

 Mr. Buckler is pea-green, more yellow-green at the sides, 

 dorsal line paler, edged on each side with light brown ; sub- 

 dorsal line slender, light brown ; spiracles black. Another 

 variety (younger) has a dorsal and subdorsal row of white 

 dots, and the colour above the spiracular stripe purplish- 

 brown. 



June, and possibly as a partial second generation, in August, 

 September aud (Jctuber. On low plants only, plantain, dock, 



