The British Butterflies Described 



species as abundant as its food would warrant, it could 

 not possibly do any harm to anyone, either gardener or 

 farmer. v The ground colour might be called Fritillary 

 brown, relieved with the usual black bands and spots ; 

 the hind-wings show a distinct row of black spots on a 

 light ground running round near the outer margin. 

 But the under side (Plate X., Fig. 4) is more striking 

 and unmistakable, especially that of the hind-wing. 

 The fringe itself is dotted at intervals with black ; then 

 follows a line of crescent spots on a cream-coloured 

 ground ; a fulvous band scalloped with a black outline 

 traverses the wing, and on this band are dark spots 

 edged with red. Then there is a cream band with 

 black spots, and a broken-up band of fulvous spots 

 edged with black. There is cream again next the 

 body, with a few more black spots. The under side of 

 the upper wing is a light orange-brown, and cream 

 towards the tip, and bears a few black spots. 



The caterpillar is black, with dark red between the 

 segments ; head and pro-legs red ; spines short, 

 crowded, black. The chrysalis is stout, yellowish- 

 grey, dotted with black, and is sometimes enclosed in a 

 loose web. The chrysalids I have reared always 

 adopted this mode of concealment and protection. I 

 have also been much impressed with the strong resem- 

 blance of the caterpillar to the flower-heads of the 

 Narrow-leaved Plantain, amongst which it lives. The 

 Isle of Wight appears to be the headquarters of the 

 species, and it is found in a few other localities on the 

 mainland. It appears in May and June. 

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