The British Butterflies Described 



supply, but that there are other and important elements 

 to be considered is beyond dispute. The Small Tortoise- 

 shell is a hibernating species, but why does it not 

 deposit its eggs in the autumn, and go the way of all flesh 

 and butterflies? Could it not evolve a method of 

 securing its eggs so that the young caterpillars might 

 have a fair chance of survival when ushered into the 

 world ? Or has it found it easier and safer to take care 

 of these eggs itself during the long winter months, 

 and then, when returning spring once more brings 

 the Nettle-shoots above ground, launch forth upon the 

 wing once more, to seek and to find a home and a 

 larder for its numerous children to be ? What would 

 be the fate of these eggs if laid in the autumn ? Who can 

 tell ? Various enemies and agencies would be constantly 

 at work seeking to destroy them. The Nettles have all 

 died down and left hardly a trace behind. And what 

 the rain and wind had not scattered far and wide, the 

 ants and beetles would account for. 



The Small Tortoiseshell is perhaps the best known of 

 all our coloured butterflies, occurring, as it does, all over 

 the country from Land's End to John o' Groats. It is 

 very like the last species, though smaller and brighter ; 

 but as I pointed out the various distinguishing marks in 

 describing Polychloros, I need not go into them again. 



The caterpillars feed in companies when young, 

 spreading themselves over the Nettles as they grow 

 older. They are black on the back with a checkered 

 double line along the sides ; across each segment is a 

 row of branched spines with numerous small simple 

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