144 THR BOOK OF BRITISH BUTTERFLIES. 



and it seems to have a special liking for bits of broken 

 limestone country. It is a fairly common butterfly 

 throughout England and Wales. 



Megcera is double-brooded ; the eggs are laid on grass 

 for the first brood about the end of May. The larvae 

 resulting therefrom are full-fed about mid-July, in which 

 month the pupae are to be found, and the butterflies 

 in August. These butterflies lay eggs again, but the 

 larvae, after feeding for a time, hibernate, and re- 

 commence feeding in early spring ; the chrysalis may 

 be found in April, and the perfect insect is out in 

 May. 



The caterpillar (Fig. 150), which is slightly stouter in 

 the middle, has the anal extremity bifid. The segments 

 are transversely divided into six sections on the dorsal 

 surface. The head and body are covered with tiny 

 warts, each emitting a short hair. The colour is bright 

 green, the head being of a slightly darker shade. There 

 is generally a medio-dorsal stripe a little darker than the 

 body-colour ; below this on each side is an indistinct 

 stripe, and below this again a pale stripe. The claspers 

 are green, the legs almost colourless, and the tips of 

 the anal points pink. 



The pupa (Fig. 151), which is suspended by the anal 

 extremity, is stout. It is slightly angled, both dorsally 

 and laterally, and there is a double series of six points 

 on the dorsal surface. The ground-colour is bright 

 green, the angles and points being white, tinged with 

 yellow. The pupa is sometimes dark brown. 



The imago (Figs. 152 and 154) has the costal margin 

 convex and the hind-margin of the fore-wings nearly 

 straight. The hind-wings are slightly scalloped. The 

 ground-colour of the upper surface is a rich orange- 

 brown, sometimes darker in the male. All the wings 



