FRITILLARIES. 187 



in and near our Southern coasts. It is found in best 

 condition at the end of summer, and through the 

 autumn ; but, as it is a hibernator, individuals are 

 seen in the early spring, somewhat shabby and worn 

 in appearance and lacking the brilliancy which 

 distinguishes the newly- developed insect. 



The larva is grass-green in colour, and is covered 

 with a great number of tiny bristle-bearing warts. 

 It feeds on the clover, and consequently clover fields 

 are much haunted by the perfect insect. The eggs 

 are long and narrow, and have been compared to nine- 

 pins in shape. They are affixed to the leaf by one of 

 the ends, so that they stand upright. The larvae are 

 hatched about Midsummer. The chrysalis, or pupa, 

 is attached by its tail and a belt, like that of the 

 Cabbage Butterfly, and does not seem to be very 

 particular as to its position, generally being upright, 

 but sometimes horizontal. 



WE now come to the beautiful family of the 

 Vanessidae, which includes some of our handsomest 

 and best-known Butterflies. Among other distinc- 

 tions, in all these insects, the first pair of legs are very 

 small, and not used in walking. 



Our first example is the DARK GREEN FRITIL- 

 LARY (Argynnis aglaia). The Butterflies belonging 

 to this genus are popularly known as 'Fritillaries, and 

 all of them have the under surface of the lower wings 

 adorned with metallic spots and markings which look 

 as if made of burnished silver. The generic name 

 Argynnis, which is taken from the Greek, signifies 

 ' brilliant ' or ' shining,' and is given to the insects in 



