The British Butterflies Described 



will generally find it hiding within a curled Nettle-leat 

 during the day. The chrysalis is grey, with a few 

 shining points. 



THE PAINTED LADY (Vanessa cardui}, Plate VIII., 

 Fig. 2, is quite a suitable companion for a " Red 

 Admiral," and they are often seen in company, although 

 cardui is the earlier on the wing by at least a fort- 

 night, and often a month. The ground colour of the 

 upper surface is a rosy orange, varied with black and 

 brown markings, while the white spots near the tip of 

 the fore-wing are almost similar to those of the Red 

 Admiral. Here, too, the under side is an exquisite bit 

 of painting. It reminds one of a frosted window done 

 in harmonious secondary colours. No doubt this 

 subtle pattern must be protective, for you will notice 

 that when the insect is at rest with the wings shut, the 

 bright portion of the under side of the fore-wing is con- 

 cealed. This is decidedly a migratory species, and it is 

 an open question whether it hibernates in Britain. In 

 Scotland we never see it until the autumn, and occa- 

 sionally it arrives in fair numbers. We had one extra- 

 ordinary swarm about the year 1880; I remember 

 being on holiday at the time on the Island of Cumbrae, 

 in the Firth of Clyde. Cardui was everywhere, and 

 even fighting for possession of the Thistle-tops. In 

 1911 I had to be content with the sight of two 

 specimens in Arran, but I heard of several more. 



Like the other Vanessa caterpillars, the larva of 

 this species is thorny, brown, and bears lines and 

 spots of yellow. It may be found on Thistles and 

 c8 



