MAY. 



COPPER- SPOT. 



(Calosoma Calidum.) 



hollow dots,, which shine like 

 new copper. A strong odour 

 proceeds from it, resembling 

 that of prussic acid, or al- 

 mond kernels. It is not un- 

 common throughout the year, 

 in meadows and ploughed 

 fields. I also saw two new 

 butterflies, the Grey-veined 

 White (Pontia Oleracea), 

 and the beautiful little Spring 

 Azure (Polyommatus Lu- 

 cia) ; these last were quite 

 numerous, but confined to a small space of the road, and a part 

 of the field adjacent : they are exceedingly playful ; chasing 

 each other through the air, and though often alighting on the 

 ground, remaining scarcely an instant before they are in 

 flight again, flitting about over one particular spot, which 

 they seem reluctant to leave. Notwithstanding they are so 

 restless, they are not difficult of approach, and are easily 

 caught. The colour of their wings, a delicate azure blue, is 

 exceedingly brilliant. 



C. In the hard- woods, I observed several plants springing 

 up through the fallen leaves of autumn, many of them having, 

 in growing up, pierced through a dead leaf. They generally 

 consist of one leaf, hollow or sheathed at the bottom, but 

 some have another smaller leaf, appearing in the sheath of 

 the first. Their colour is peculiar ; they are of a polished 

 green, with more or fewer brown spots, many of which run 

 into each other, and cover a large part of the surface. A 

 single stem springs from the leaf, surmounted by a very ele- 

 gant drooping flower, of a bright yellow. 



F. It is the Yellow Dog-tooth Violet (Erythronium Ame-< 

 ricanum), which blooms abundantly in the beech woods. 



G 2 



