J54 



BRITISH BUTTERFLIES. 



where they unite with the hind margin, are 

 tinged with smoky black in the type, but not 

 in the variety, which is apparently the 

 Dirtiensis of Continental entomologists. 



LIFE HISTORY. At page 210 of the third 

 volume of the "Entomologists' Monthly 

 Magazine," Mr. Hellins has published the 

 following " Notes on the Transformations of 

 Leucophasia Sinapis " ; and although I cannot 

 do otherwise than feel regret that I have never 



53. Wood White (LeucopTiasia Sinapis). Upper side. 

 The upper figure is the Male : the middle figure 

 the variety Diniensis : and the lower figure the 

 Female. 



Under tide of Male. 



had the good fortune to possess materials for 

 a life-history of the species from nature, that 

 regret is more than compensated by the plea- 

 sure and advantage of obtaining the details 

 from so trustworthy an authority : " The 

 EGGS seem to be deposited singly ; in shape 

 they are cylindrical, very long, standing erect 

 on one end, the upper end coming to a point, 



which is curved a little on one side (reminding 

 one somewhat of the shape of a cucumber), 

 ribbed longitudinally, about four ribs appear- 

 ing in any one view : colour, a glistening 

 yellowish white. The CATERPILLAR, when full 

 grown, is about three-quarters of an inch in 

 length ; the head is globular, and rather 

 smaller than the second' segment ; the body is 

 cylindrical, tolerably uniform In bulk, but 

 tapering very gradually towards the tail, the 

 anal flap terminating squarely, and beneath it 

 there are two very small blunt points ; the 

 skin is wrinkled, with six folds to each seg- 

 ment, covered uniformly, but not densely, 

 with very fine short whitish down. The 

 colour is a beautiful green, the anterior 

 segments being minutely dotted with black ; 

 the medio-dorsal stripe is dark green, edged 

 with yellowish green : the spiracular stripe 

 is distinct, and of a fine clear yellow, edged 

 above with darker green ; the spiracles arc 

 undistinguishable, the ventral surface and 

 legs are translucent green. When the cater- 

 pillar is about to spin, it fastens itself, with 

 the head upwards, to a stem of its food- 

 plant by a little webbing at the head and the 

 tail, and a thread round the fore part of the 

 body, and at first it rests quite flat on the 

 stem : after some hours, it raises its back and 

 bends itself into a bow, the head and tail still 

 fastened to the stem, and the thread round the 

 body being much stretched ; in this position 

 it remains about two days, when it casts its 

 skin for the last time (the threads which fasten 

 down the head apparently being attached only 

 to the caterpillar skin), and becomes a chry- 

 salis. The CHRYSALIS, when arrived at its 

 full celour, is very beautiful. In shape it is 

 slender, very acutely pointed at the head, not 

 so acutely at the tail, the wing-cases projecting 

 in a swelling-curve to nearly twice the width 

 of the body, and meeting in a blunt ridge ; 

 the head is thrown back, and the chrysalis 

 rests with the wing-cases touching the stem, 

 fastened by the tail and the thread round the 

 body. The skin is semi-transparent, the colour 

 a lovely delicate green, the abdomen rather 

 yellowish ; just in the spiracular region there 

 runs all round the body a stout pink rib, 



