8o LLOYD'S NATURAL HISTORY. 



each segment, and with tubercles of the same colour on the 

 sides. It feeds on different species of plantain in May. 



This is a Butterfly which is liable to many varieties, and the 

 central figure on the previous page nearly corresponds to the 

 form called M. tessellata (Steph.). 



THE STRAW MAY FRITILLARY. MELIT^EA PYRONIA. 

 (Plate XV., Figs. $,6.) 



Papilio pyronia, Hiibner, Eur. Schmett, i., figs. 585, 586 



(c. 1800). 



Papilio eos, Haworth, Lepid. Brit, p. 35, no. 43 (1803). 

 Mcliteapyronia, Steph., 111. Brit. Ent. Haust, i., p. 31, pi. iv., 



figS. I, 2 (1827). 



Very dark varieties, or rather aberrations, of several genera of 

 Nymphalina are not uncommon, and that represented on our 

 plate is a sport of M. athalia. A specimen like the one figured 

 is said to have been taken at Peckham in 1803; and similar 

 examples have also been met with occasionally both in England 

 and on the Continent. 



This insect, which measures a little more than an inch and 

 a half across the wings, has tawny fore-wings, with the nervures, 

 as well as some confluent markings towards the base, and a 

 sub-marginal line, black ; the fringes of all the wings are spotted 

 with black and white. The hind-wings are black, with a tawny 

 spot near the base, and a sub-marginal row of tawny spots. On 

 the under side the fore-wings are tawny with the tip and hind- 

 margin yellow, and showing numerous large black spots towards 

 the base ; the fringes have a black line at the base, and are 

 spotted with black, and there is also a sub-marginal row of nearly 

 connected black spots. The hind-wings are reddish below, 

 towards the base, with black blotches ; the basal area is bordered 

 by a black line, beyond which is a very broad whitish band, 

 followed by a row of reddish lunules bordered on both sides 



