119 



SMALL COPPER. 



COMMON COPPKR. COMMON SMALL COPPER. 



PLATE LV. 



Lycana Phlaas, 

 ii (< 



Papilio Phlaas, 



Chrysophanus Pklaas, 

 Polyominalus Phlceas, 



Fabricius. Ochsenheimer. Leach. 

 Stephens. Curtis Duncan. Wood. 

 LiNN^us. Haworth. Lewin. 

 Donovan. Harris. 



HUBNER. WeSTWOOD. 



Boisduval. 



This butterfly occurs throughout Europe, and in Asia, and also, or- 

 a closely allied species, in America. 



It is a common insect with us, and fjeuerally distributed throughout 

 the country. It is au exceedingly elegant object on the wing, as it 

 flits from flower to flower, its showy colour, though it is so small, 

 attracting the eye. It seems to be fond of attacking and fighting with 

 any of its fellows that approaches, but the difference may be more 

 apparent than real — a mere "jjassage of arms" essayed in the exuber- 

 ance of the happiness of the ephemeral little creature. 



There are two or three broods in the year, and they appear early 

 in April and May, in June, and in August. 



The caterpillar feeds on the sorrel, {Oxalis acetosella.) 



The fore wings, which expand from a little over an inch to a little 

 over one and a quarter, are of a resplendent copper colour, with from 

 eight to ten black spots of different sizes and shapes on their central 

 part; of these, the two or three nearest to the base of the wing are 

 placed transversely. The front edge of the wing is narrowly margined 

 with brown, and the outer edge broadly so; the fringe is buff. The 

 hind wings are dark blackish brown, with a copper bar at the lower 

 side, edged on its lower part with black crescent-shaped spots; the 

 fringe is buff. 



