BltlMSTONE. 9 



mouth: W. P. Cocks, Esq. has, liowcvcr, taken it there in 1845, 

 and also in 1850. In Scothand it appears to be unknown. 



There arc two broods, one in May, the other in the autumn. 

 ^lany of the autumnal brood live through the winter, and are 

 to be seen in the spring even so early sometimes as February 

 and March, called forth from their retreats by the heat of the 

 returning sun. 



The IJrinistone is a very discursive insect, and is to be found 

 in gardens, lanes, and fields, especially in those in which clover 

 is grown. 



The caterpillar feeds on the buckthorn, fRhammis cathar- 

 ticus; ) the berry-bearing alder, f llhamnus fraiujnlus; ) and the 

 Hh anin us alatern us . 



The expanse of the wings in this species varies from rather 

 more than two inches to three inches and a half. In the male 

 the whole of the upper wings is of a splendid sulphur yellow 

 colour, M'ith an orange spot above the centre of the fore wings, 

 and a larger one similarly on the hinder wings. A line of the 

 same colour, enlarged here and there into a minute dot, 

 borders the upper corners of the fore wings; underneath the 

 colour is much fainter, with a cast of green in it: the spot is 

 replaced by a ferruginous dot, whitish in the centre, between 

 which and the margin spoken of is a row of brownish dots. 



The female is much paler in colour, resembling more that of 

 the under side of the male. 



The caterpillar is green, dotted on the back with black ; there 

 is a pale green or whitish line on each side, shading off on 

 the upper edge into the green of the rest of the body. 



The chrysalis is green, with several reddish dots. It is 

 thickest in the middle, tapering off in front. It is suspended 

 by the tail in an upright position, and retained by a silken 

 thread round the middle of the body. The chrysalis state lasts 

 about a fortnight. 



A variety, described as a separate species, by the name of 

 'Goncptcryx Cleopatra,' has the upper wings more or less varie- 

 gated with orange. 



The engraving is from specimens in my own collection. 



