98 LEPIDOPTERA. 



pointed out that the eggs of this butterfly were known to 

 be round, rather flattened on the top, and pale blue, and 

 suggested that Mr. Dembski had been misled by the eggs 

 of some other insect. From his description of tlie larvae this 

 appears extremely probable — moreover, no further notice as 

 to the rearing of these larvae is to be found. Mr. W. Buckler 

 made repeated attempts to rear it, obtaining eggs from 

 Messrs. Marsden and Merrin, of Gloucester, but with no 

 success. The most detailed record appears to be that by 

 Mr. Porritt, who obtained larvte from ova, and kept them 

 feeding for a fortnight, at the end of which time he describes 

 them as one-sixth of an inch long, stout, but with a very 

 small head, which was shining bi'own ; general colour dirty 

 pink ; second segment with a dull black, dorsal, plate-like 

 mark ; dorsal line broad and conspicuous, rust-coloured ; body 

 sparingly clothed with light brown hairs. At this age, after 

 the first moult, they died. The Eev. J. Hellius also obtained 

 larvae from eggs, and reported them to be looking like very 

 small pinkish-brown maggots, but had no further success, and 

 Mr. C. W. Dale's experience appears to have been similar, 

 except that he describes the larva as being at first of a dull 

 green colour. The eggs are hatched in July or August, the 

 young larvfe feed in the blossoms of the thyme, which would 

 soon fade, and the probability is that they naturally cease 

 to feed after the first moult, settling down for hybernation in 

 August, and feeding up in tlie spring. 



The Pita appears to be quite unknown. 



This also is a rapidly disappearing species in this country. 

 Formerly it was widely distributed, and is recorded from the 

 cliffs near Dover, from Winchester, Bedford, and even North 

 Wales ; also from Marlborough Downs, and other localities in 

 Wiltshire, and from the hills near Bath. Its most noted 

 locality for many years, however, was at Barnwell Wold, and 

 in the adjoining parts of Northamptonshire, where it was dis- 

 covered by the Rev.W.Bree, of Polebrook, before the year 1840. 



