226 THE BOOK OF BRITISH BUTTERFLIES. 



Imagines. 



Colias hyale Vanessa urticce 



edusa io 



Gonopteryx rhamni antiopa 



Vanessa C-album atalanta 



polychloros cardui 



[Danals erippus\ 



Nothing is known of the state of hibernation of Lyccena 

 aa'Sj while there is considerable doubt about that of 

 Hesperia comma, Pararge egeria, P. megcera, Ccenonympha 

 pamphilus^.Lyccena arion, Carterocephalus palcemon, Colias 

 hyale, and C, edusa. 



Occasionally a few butterflies may be found on the 

 wing, having been deceived as to the time of the year 

 by an exceptionally warm and bright day. The butterflies 

 so deceived will belong to the group that hibernates in the 

 imago stage, or will be one of the common Whites, Pieris 

 brassicce, P. rapcz, or possibly P. napi, P. rapes being the 

 earliest of the three upon the wing. 



March. 



Though we are able to say that the winter's sleep of 

 the butterfly-world is beginning to get a little disturbed, 

 yet during March very few advances are made from the 

 state of affairs at the end of February. No new butter- 

 flies enter the pupa state (except, perhaps, Polyommatus 

 phlczas) ; but, should the weather be open, we may 

 expect some of the hibernating larvae to commence 

 feeding. Amongst them we might perhaps find Melitcea 

 aurinia, M. cinxia, M. athalia, Argynnis euphrosyne, 

 A. selene, Pararge egeria, P. megcera, Polyommatus phl&as, 

 and Theda rubi. Hesperia comma may be expected to 

 leave the egg this month. 



