AND THEIR TRANSFORMATIONS. 93 
DESCRIPTION OF PLATE XXVIII. 
Insects.—Fig. 1. Chrysophanus Chryseis (the purple-edged Copper Butterfly), 2. The Female. 3. Showing the under side. 
se Fig. 4. Chrysophanus Phiwas (the common Copper Butterfly). 5. Showing the under side. 6. The Caterpillar. 7. The 
Chrysalis. 
Prants.—Fig. 9 and 10. Rumex acetosella (the Sorrel). 
The most brilliant though perhaps not the most beautiful of this genus is here figured with the most common and least striking of its family, 
the well-known little Meadow Copper. I have not given the female, as, unlike the rest of the genus, it docs not differ from the male; but, instead, 
have figured a beautiful variety described by Hiibner, in which all the dark brown and black marks are extracted, leaving x milky white in their 
place, whilst the orange marks remain perfect. This beautiful variety of the common Copper has been taken in England, and it might be worth 
the experiment of collectors to rear a number of broods for the chance of obtaining a specimen. The Caterpillar and Chrysalis are from 
Godart.—H. N. H. 

SPECIES 1.—CHRYSOPHANUS PHLZAS. THE COMMON COPPER BUTTERFLY. 
Plate xxviii. fig. 4—8. 
Syvonymes.— Papilio Phileas, Linneus; Haworth ; Lewin, pl. 41; } Curtis; Duncan, Brit. Butterflies, pl. 30, fig. 3; Wood, Ind, Euto m. 
Donovan, vol. 13, pl. 466; Harris, Aurelian, pl. 34. t. 2, fig. 56. 
Lycena Phileas, Fabricius; Ochsenhcimer; Leach ; Stephens ; Chrysophanus Phileas, Hiibner (Verz. bek. Schmett.) 
Polyommatus Phileas, Boisduval. 
This very pretty, and, at the same, abundant species varies in the expanse of its wings from 1 to 14 inches. 
The fore wings on the upper side are of a shining fiery copper colour, ornamented on the disk with from eight to 
ten black spots of unequal size and dissimilar shape, of which the three or four nearest the extremity of the wing are 
placed transversely, and more or less confluent, and are preceded by a detached spot which is larger than the rest. 
The front margin of the wing is narrowly, and the hind margin broadly edged with brown ; the hind wings above 
are dark brown, powdered at the base with copper, with several nearly obsolete black marks on the dise; near 
the hind margin is a bar of copper of variable breadth, edged above and beneath with black spots so as to cause 
the bar to appear as if formed of five confluent patches. The upper row of these black spots is often preceded by 
blue irrorations. Beneath, the fore wings are of a fulvous colour without any gloss, the black spots being more 
distinct, and slightly edged with buff, one near the base of the wings, and a minute one on the costa near the 
tip, being on this side quite distinct ; the hind margin is drab-coloured, with several dark-coloured crescents next 
the anal angle ; the under wings on this side are also drab-coloured, with numerous minute, nearly obsolete brown 
marks placed transversely, and with an obscure narrow orange band parallel with the hind margin. The tails 
in this species are longer than in the others of the genus. The body above is black, with tawny hairs about the 
head and thorax, and drab-coloured beneath. There is no difference in the colour and markings of the 
two sexes. 
The perfect insect is distributed throughout the country, and appears at the beginning of April, June, and 
August: thus there are several broods in the course of the year. The caterpillar is green, with a pale dorsal and 
lateral line, and feeds on the sorrel. I have received specimens from North America *. It also occurs 
throughout Europe and in Asia. 

spotting of the under side of the hind wings, the bright red 
«he A : F a oes 2 racters can scarcely be he constitute 
streak near their hind margin, and in wanting the minute spot on the costa of the fore wings; but these characters can scarcely be held to constitute 
* It is proper to observe, that my American specimen differs in the decided black 
a distinct species. 
oO 
