40 THE BOOK OF BRITISH BUTTERFLIES. 



times been placed in the genus Pieris with the Large 

 White (P. brassica\ which, on a cursory glance, it 

 somewhat resembles. But a second glance will shew 

 many points of difference, the most noticeable being 

 the presence of characteristic black spots on the wings 

 of P. brassicce and their absence from those of A. cratagi ; 

 and on the other hand, the presence of black nervures 

 on the wings of the latter, and their absence from those 

 of the former. 



A. crataegi, Linn. (Black-veined White, or Butterfly 

 of the Hawthorn as the specific name indicates) (Figs. 

 17 to 20), is now so scarce in this country, if not quite 

 extinct, that the date of its capture may be marked as 

 a red-letter day in the fortunate naturalist's diary. In 

 some places on the Continent, on the other hand, it is 

 so abundant that its larvae are looked upon as pests, and 

 justly so, for besides the Hawthorn they affect other trees 

 of the Rose family the apple, pear, and so on. 



This butterfly was confined to the southern half of 

 England, and there was very local, but it occasionally 

 appeared in abundance at a few places, notably in Kent 

 and Hereford. That it should have died out is to be 

 wondered at, considering that its food-plants are so very 

 common. It might once have been met with in Mon- 

 mouth, Worcester, Gloucester, Somerset, Hants, Berks, 

 Sussex, Huntingdon, Northants, Isle of Wight, &c. 

 apparently a wide enough range ; but, though it was 

 found in all of these districts at least, yet the specimens 

 were as a rule few. The last well-authenticated capture 

 was made on June 9, 1888, at Ramsgate.* 



In June the eggs are laid on the Hawthorn (Cratcegus 

 Oxyacantha) or else on the Sloe (Prunus spinosa), and 



r A note appeared in Science Gossip of January, 1893, mentioning the 

 occurrence of specimens in Cornwall as late as 1891. 



