78 BUTTERFLIES OF THE RIVIERA 



nibbling a circular piece out of the shell in such a 

 way as to leave a kind of lid appended. 



The first thing they do after birth, is to set to at 

 once devouring their quondam cradle. 



Their appearance when first hatched is brownish. 



The following is a correct description, when twelve 

 days old. 



Length 2'". Pale green with darker dorsal stripe, and 

 white lateral line ; head lighter. 



Three days previous to this they had retained their 

 brown colour. The early stages of the Erebiae, which 

 are very little known are worthy of a closer attention 

 than they have hitherto received. 



OBSERVATION. Neoridas is variable in size and 

 markings, some species appearing so different from 

 the usual form, as to sometimes lead even experienced 

 lepidopterists to believe they have met with a totally 

 distinct species. I take occasion to mention this here, 

 as the same thing is observeable in the case of many 

 butterflies, but some insects more than others, and 

 will save my alluding to it, in the future. These 

 aberrant forms would well repay study, in view of a 

 correct discrimination between accepted forms and 

 occasional varieties. 



JB. Aetliiops. 



TIMES OF APPEARANCE. July to September. 



HABITAT. " Thorenc and Taulanne valleys, where 

 it is common." Mil. 



I am not aware that it is taken at Saint -Martin 

 itself, though it has a very extensive European distri- 

 bution. 



