150 BRITISH BUTTERFLIES 



A very large black blotch, broken by indefinite patches of the 

 ground colour, fills up the tip of each fore wing, and extends to the 

 anal angle, becoming narrower as it approaches this point. A black 

 oval spot lies just above the middle of this wing. 



The hind wings are bordered with black, and a conspicuous spot 

 of deep yellow lies very near the centre of each. 



The antennae are rather short, compared with those of the pre- 

 ceding members of this family, and are distinguished by their 

 reddish-brown colour. 



The male and female of this species are similarly marked, but 

 the ground colour of the latter is commonly paler. 



This is not by any means a very common butterfly with us, 

 though it is very plentiful on the other side of the Channel ; but it 

 has a way of taking us by surprise in certain seasons, and then 

 almost neglecting us for several years together. 



Its head quarters are certainly the coasts of Kent and Sussex, 

 but it has been taken in considerable numbers as far west as Corn- 

 wall, and also to a less extent in some of the midland and northern 

 counties. It is particularly fond of lucerne and clover fields, 

 especially those that are situated close to the sea cliffs ; and often 

 it may be seen flying over the beach, sometimes even flitting over 

 the breakers away from land till at last it disappears in the dis- 

 tance. This maritime tendency of Hyale makes it probable that a 

 large number of those that are seen on our south-east coasts have 

 made a passage across the narrow end of the Channel. 



The eggs are laid in spring, by females that have hybernated 

 throughout the winter, on various leguminous plants, including the 

 lucerne (Medicago sativa), black medick (M. lupulina), purple and 

 Dutch clovers (Trifolium pratense and T. repens), and the bird's- 

 foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), and on these plants you may search 

 for the larva, though it can scarcely be. said that you are likely to 

 find it. 



The caterpillar is green, with black dots, and a yellowish stripe 

 on each side. When fully grown it ascends a stem of its food plant 

 and changes to a green chrysalis with yellow stripes. 



Hyale is single-brooded in England, although two broods 

 regularly appear on the Continent. In our country the perfect in- 

 sects emerge during July and August. Many of these die before 

 the approach of winter ; but, as we have already observed, some 

 hybernate and deposit their eggs in the following spring. 



