S8 LEPIDOPTERA. 



the larvse. They appeared to be very local, and most 

 numerous where their food plant — the water-dock- — was 

 most abundant. The larva3 were collected by all persons, 

 young and old. I bought two dozen of an old woman for 

 ninepence, from which I bred some fine specimens, and sold 

 them at one shilling each. Mr. Cole, at Holme Fen, took a 

 large number of them. His backyard was close to their 

 locality. The last time I was there Mr. Cole said he had 

 not seen one for some years. There was the food plant in 

 plenty on the same spot, but no larvae. They had been too 

 closely hunted for." 



In 1859, in a letter to Mr. H. T. Stain ton (which appeared 

 in the Intdligcnccr for that year), the Rev. E. C. F. 

 Jenkins says : " I proceed to give you some account of my 

 own acquaintance with that beautiful insect, which some 

 thirty years ago was so abundant in the unreclaimed fens 

 about Whittlesea Mere that I never expected to hear of its 

 utter extermination. Its brilliant appearance on the wing in 

 the sunshine I shall never forget, and to watch it sitting on 

 the flower of Eupatorium cannabinum, and showing the under 

 side of its wings, was something ever to be remembered. I 

 once took sixteen in about half an hour on one particular 

 spot, where the above-mentioned plant was very plentiful ; 

 but unless the sun was very bright, they were difficult to 

 find. In those days the larva was unknown, and I attribute 

 the disappearance of the butterfly to the discovery of the 

 larva, to the unceasing attacks of collectors, and to the 

 burning, of the surface growth of the fens, which is done 

 in dry weather when they are to be reclaimed." 



This letter was followed a week later by one from Mr. 

 J. W. Douglas, in which he says : " I believe that neither 

 to collectors nor to the burning of surface growth is the 

 extinction of this butterfly due. Up to a certain date — of 

 which I am not certain, but I think it was fourteen or fifteen 

 years ago— the species had survived all adverse influences and 

 was not at all rare, for almost any quantity could be bought 



