The British Butterflies Described 



ordinarily like a dry, withered leaf, the more so on 

 account of its ragged outline. In the middle of the 

 hind-wing is a very clear comma-shaped mark ; from 

 this the insect takes its name. 



The caterpillar is yellowish on the back for the first 

 five segments, then white to the tail ; under side 

 brown. The spines are shorter than in others of this 

 group. It feeds on Hop, Elm, Gooseberry, Nettle, 

 Willow, and Sloe. The chrysalis is brown, with gilt 

 points. The butterfly appears in July and is rather 

 local, being found mostly in the Midlands and Wales. 

 It has been recorded for Scotland, but not of late years. 



THE LARGE TORTOISESHELL BUTTERFLY (Vanessa 

 Polychloros), Plate V., Fig. 5. The ground colour of 

 this handsome species is a tawny yellow, marked with 

 three large black patches along the costa of the fore- 

 wing ; between these patches the colour is somewhat 

 lighter. There are four other black spots occupying 

 the centre of the wing, which also has a black border 

 dotted with brown ; hind- wing tawny, with one black 

 patch on the upper margin, but not extending inward to 

 the body as a similar spot does in the next species 

 (Urtic*). The dark border is continued along this 

 wing, and is studded with blue spots edged with a paler 

 line. This species might be confused by the novice 

 with the next, but not if the two .were together for 

 comparison ; then the points in which they differ are 

 seen to be distinct and permanent. In Urtic* the light 

 ground between the costal blotches is yellow and the 

 outer spot blue-white ; there are only three black spots 



