7 8 LLOYD'S NATURAL HISTORY. 



egg towards the end of autumn, and pass the winter before they 

 undergo their final metamorphosis. To protect themselves 

 against the weather, they assemble in little colonies, and form 

 a kind of tent by drawing together some of the leaves of the 

 plant on which they feed, and covering the whole with a web 

 of silk. 



THE PEARL-BORDERED LIKENESS FRITILLARY. MELIT/EA 



ATHALIA. 



(Plate XIV., Figs. 3, 4.) 

 Papilio athalia, Rott, Naturf., vi., p. 5 (1775) ; Esper, Schmett, 



i- W> P- 377, Pl- 47 (i777). 



Melitcea athalia, Steph., 111. Brit. Ent. Haust.,i., p. 30 (1827) ; 

 Kirby, Eur. Butterflies and Moths, p. 16, pl. 8, figs. 7, a-c 

 (1878); Lang, Butterflies Eur., p. 121, pl. 45, fig. 3 (1883); 

 Buckler, Larvae Brit. Butterflies and Moths, i , p. 81, pl. 

 12, fig. i (1886); Barrett, Lepid. Brit. Isl., i., p. 185, 

 pl. 2, 2a-e (1892). 



Var., Melitcea tessellata. 



Melitcea tessellata^ Stephens, I.e. i., p. 31, pl. 5, figs, i, 2 



(1827). 



This Butterfly is the commonest of the whole genus on the 

 Continent, being abundant everywhere in woods and meadows ; 

 but it is a very local insect in the south of England, though 

 widely distributed ; it is met with in May and June, like the 

 other small Fritillaries. It represents the group of Melitcea^ 

 wherein the species are characterised by being fulvous and 

 black above, in varying proportions (but with no paler spots), 

 and in having the hind-wings below yellow, with black lines 

 and markings, but with no distinct black spots. It was for- 

 merly a much more abundant insect in England than at present, 

 and was common even on Hampstead Heath, 



