176 PAINTED LADY. 



nind these, and the extreme margin is brownish-yel- 

 low. The body is clothed with reddish-brown hairs 

 above, and with white beneath. 



The caterpillar is very spiny, of a brownish-grey 

 colour, with interrupted yellow lines along the sides. 

 It is solitary, in this respect differing from all those 

 of the genus Vanessa except V. atalanta, and feeds 

 on different species of thistle, also on the nettle, mal- 

 low, artichoke, and several other plants. The chry- 

 salis is nearly of the same hue as the larvae, and 

 thickly spotted with gold. 



This species is generally scarce, but appears in 

 certain indefinite periods in considerable numbers. 

 It was veiy abundant near London in 1826, but has 

 been less frequently met with since. " Near Dur- 

 ham, but not common,'* G. Andrews, Esq. In Scot- 

 land it is seen occasionally throughout the southern 

 division of the country ; and we once saw several 

 individuals in the Edinburgh Botanical Garden, in 

 the end of March, which had evidently just issued 

 from their winter retreat. It is very widely spread, 

 being found in America, the two extremities of 

 Africa, and in Java. 



