DESCRIPTIVE NOTICES OF CONSPICUOUS SPECIES 111 



black ; on the underside of the hind-wings we see several 

 large silvery spots. In the closely allied Argynnis Eu- 

 phrosyne, which frequents the same localities, and ap- 

 pears about a week earlier in the season, there is only 

 one silvery spot on the underside of the hind-wings. 



The spiny larva is black, the spines paler ; it feeds 

 on the dog-violet in September. 



The perfect insect appears the first week in June, and 

 keeps out for several weeks. 



The three species of Melitsea (Cinxia, Athalia, and 

 Artemis) have all very similar uppersides, deep fulvous, 

 tessellated with brownish-black (Artemis inclines more 

 to a reddish-fulvous) ; they are distinguished at a glance 

 from Argynnis Selene and A. Euphrosyne by the total 

 absence of any silvery spots on the underside of the 

 hind- wings. 



Athalia frequents heaths and woods in the south; 

 Artemis prefers moist meadows, and occurs as far north 

 as York and Carlisle, and Cinxia is almost exclusively 

 confined to the undercliff at Sandown, in the Isle of 

 Wight. All are on the wing in June, the larvae feeding 

 in April and May. The larvae of Athalia and Cinxia 

 feed on the rib-wort plantain (Plantago lanceolata) ; 

 the larva of Artemis feeds on scabious, plantain, fox- 

 glove, etc. ; all are spiny, with seven rows of spines. 



FAMILY III. ERYCINID.E. 



NEMEOBIUS LUC IN A. THE BUKGUNDY 

 FKITILLABY. 



Not uncommon in woods in the south of England. 

 The expansion of the wings is from 1 to 1J inches. 

 From its resemblance to a miniature Melitsea, it has 



