PIERIS BRASSICVE. 45 



If we except the butterflies that hibernate during the 

 winter, the Pierides are the first to appear upon the wing, 

 coming with the primrose, whose pale tints they borrow, 

 and, like it, proclaiming to the world the glad return of 

 spring. The first two species of the genus are those 

 with which a beginner will probably make an early 

 acquaintance, for they are particularly homely creatures, 

 being found plentifully in the gardens, and even streets, 

 of our towns, and moreover falling an easy prey to the 

 hunter in consequence of their slow, uncertain flight. 



P. brassicae, Linn. (Large Garden White, Garden 

 White, Large White, or, as its specific name implies, 

 the Cabbage White) (Figs. 22 to 26), is not only the 

 largest species of the genus but also shares with its 

 smaller relative (P. rafce) the rather doubtful honour of 

 being one of the commonest of British butterflies. 



In May and again in August the yellowish, sculptured 

 eggs are laid in clusters on Cabbages and other Cructfera, 

 Nasturtiums (properly Tropaeolums), &c. They hatch in 

 ten days or a little more or less, and after four moults 

 are full-fed towards the end of June and beginning of 

 September. The imago of the first brood leaves the 

 chrysalis in July ; but the September chrysalides remain 

 unbroken till near the end of the following April, and 

 produce the spring flight of butterflies. 



The cylindrical, downy caterpillar (Fig. 26), which is 

 only too well known to many people, often reaches as 

 much as 2in. in length. The divisions between the 

 segments are not very distinct, and each segment is 

 divided into four sections. There is a medio-dorsal yellow 

 stripe as well as two lateral ones. Above these latter 

 stripes, the four sections of each segment are marked 

 with large transverse, somewhat warty blotches, which 

 in the second segment seem to have coalesced. Below 



