36 I.EPIDOPTERA. 



Hind wings dusky orange, with a large clear orange central 

 spot, and an indented black band round the hind margin. 

 Female similar, except that the marginal black bands of the 

 fore and hind wings contain broad yellow spots instead of 

 yellow lines. These bands are also broader, and the hind 

 wings uniformly more dusky. Cilia in both sexes reddish. 



Under side of fore wings orange, with greenish costa and 

 hind margin, and a black central spot and row of submarginal 

 spots. Hind wings yellow-green, central spot silvery, double, 

 ringed with chocolate, a chocolate spot on the costal margin, 

 and a row of similar smaller spots before the hind margin. 

 Extreme edges of wings reddish. Head, antennas, and front of 

 thorax reddish ; body clothed with silvery hairs. 



Variation very great in both sexes, and ceitaiiily developed 

 in the Dover district and along the Kentish coast, where the 

 insect is abundant, far more than in any distant and more 

 inclement locality. It occurs more particularly in the size of 

 the central black spot — which also is occasionally distorted, 

 extended, or yellow-centred — in the breadth of the marginal 

 bands, and in the number of yellow lines they contain in the 

 male, or of yellow spots in the female. In this last case the 

 usual number in the fore wings is from three to six, but occa- 

 sionally there is a complete series of eight or nine yellow spots 

 through the band ; while in other cases the number diminishes 

 until not the faintest suspicion of a pale spot exists in the black 

 border. The colour of the spots also occasionally varies to 

 orange. There is considerable variation in the ground colour 

 of the males — from lemon, to the deepest orange with a 

 brilliant flush of shot purple or lilac ; while in the female the 

 transition is through every shade of orange, yellow, primrose, 

 creamy, and white. The whiter forms are known by the 

 varietal name of Helice, and are never found in the male, 

 though of frequent occurrence in the other sex. The lemon- 

 coloured form, which occurs in both sexes, was formerly 

 supposed to be the allied chrysotheme. Very pretty specimens 

 of this are in the collections of Mr. S. Stevens and Mr. G. C, 



