14 THE GENERA AND SPECIES OF BRITISH BUTTERFLIES. 
which they feed. The perfect insect appears in July, and though rather local, is by no means 
rare. The neighbourhoods of Brighton, Bristol, Exeter, Plymouth, and Teignmouth, are cited 
as localities where it may be taken abundantly ; and in many others it is very far from uncom- 
mon, even as far north as Edinburgh. 
Hipparchia Janira (the Meadow Brown, No. 6) is perhaps the commonest of all our native 
Butterflies, not even excepting the ‘Garden Whites.” The meadows, in May and June, are 
quite alive with this abundant insect, and no variety of season appears to influence its time of 
appearance or its numbers. The male (No. 6) is entirely of one unbroken tone of rich dark 
brown on the upper surface, with the exception of a small and somewhat obscure circlet of black 
and orange, having a white speck in the centre, which speck is sometimes double. Singular 
varieties occur, however, in which the central portions of the wings are nearly denuded of the 
feather-like scales, and are thereby rendered partially transparent. I have also seen a variety in 
which the whole upper surface of the wings was but very slightly clothed, and of a pale drab 
colour, instead of the usual rich brown. The female (No. 7) has the black circlet of the anterior 
wings surrounded with a fine orange patch, more or less mottled, and a distinct and broad 
border of a deeper colour round the hind wings. Deceived by this difference of markings, 
Linneus mistook the sexes for distinct species (as in many other similar instances), calling the 
male Papilio Janira, and the female Papilio Jurtina. In such cases, when the error is discovered, 
it is the specific name of the male that is preserved, so that, although Linneus’s great genus or 
class Papilio has been subdivided into numerous families, sub-families, and genera, we have still 
his original name Janira, preserved in the denomination of this species, as Hipparchia Janira. 
The under side (No. 8) is nearly alike in both sexes. The Caterpillar (No. 9) feeds on grasses, 
and suspends itself by the tail to undergo the change to the chrysalis stage. The Chrysalis 
(No. 10) is double-pointed at the head. The perfect insect appears throughout the Summer, 
and is common everywhere. 
Hipparchia Tithonus (the Gate Keeper, No. 11) is nearly as common as the preceding. The 
male (No. 11) is much smaller than the female, but more richly coloured, some being much 
darker, and generally of a richer tone than the one represented, which is a medium specimen, 
The female (No. 12) scarcely varies at all in its colour or markings, but the dark border of the 
wings is sometimes rather paler and narrower than in the specimen represented. On the under 
side (No. 13) the sexes closely resemble each other, the males being sometimes rather darker. 
The Caterpillar (No. 14) is found feeding on grasses early in June, and when full fed it suspends 
itself by the tail to undergo its change. The Chrysalis (No. 15) is of short, thick form, the 
back being of a dark olive, but beneath, to the extent of the wing-cases, of a much paler colour, 
The perfect insect appears in July. It is very common, though becoming somewhat more rare 
in the northern counties, and not being found at all in Scotland. 
