AND THEIR TRANSFORJIATIONS. 93 



DESCRIPTION OF PLATE XXVIII. 



Insects.— Fig. 1. Chrysojihanus Cliryscis (the purplc-cilgcd Cojipcr Euttcrfly). 2. The Female. 3. Sliowinj; the under side. 



" Fig. 4. Cluysophinus riil;p.as (the commoa Copper Butteilly). 5. Sliowing tlie under side. fi. The Caterpillar. 7. Tlie 



Chrysalis. 

 Plants. — Fig. and 10. Rumex acctosella (the Surrel). 



The most biilliant thougli 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 Iliibner, in which all tlic dark brown and black marks are extracted, leaving a milky white in their 

 place, whilst the orange marks remain perfect. This beautiful variety of the common Copper has been taken in Ennland, and it mi^'ht 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.— II. N. 11. 



SPECIES 1.— CHRYSOPHANUS PHLiEAS. THE COMMON COPPER BUTTERFLY. 



Plate xxviii. fig. 4— R. 



SvNONVMEs. — Papilio Phliens, Linnreus; Ilaworth ; Lewin, pi. 41 ; 

 Donovan, vol. 13, pi. 4Gtj ; Harris, Aurelian, pi. 34. 



Lycisna Phlceas^ Fabricius ; Ochsenhcimcr ; Leach ; Stephens ; 



Curtis; Duncan, Brit. Butterflies, ]il. 30, fig. 3 : Wood, Ind. Ento m. 



t. '3. fig. .56. 



Chrysophanus Phlceas^ HUbner (Verz. bck. Schmett.) 

 Pohjommatus PhlcBas, Boisduval. 



This fery pretty, and, at the same, abundant species varies in the expanse of its wings from 1 to li 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 copjier, with several nearly obsolete black marks on the disc ; 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 

 bine 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 tlie 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 arc 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 difierence in the colour and markings of the 

 two sexes. 



The perfect insect is distributed throughout the country, and ajipcars 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 doi-sal and 

 lateral line, and feeds on the sorrel. I have received specimens from North America '. It also occurs 

 throughout Europe and in Asia. 



* It is proper to observe, that my American specimen difl-crs in the decided black spotting of the under side of the hind wings, the bright red 

 streak near their hind margin, and in wanting the minute spot on the costa of the fore wings; hut these characters can scarcely be held to constitute 

 a distinct species. 



