MARBLED WHITE. 71 



distinguished by having only four walking legs (instead 

 of the six which all our other white butterflies possess), 

 and also by the eye-like spots most visible on the under 

 side. 



The colouring may be described as consisting of 

 nearly equal quantities of black and creamy-white, or 

 pale yellow, so arranged as to form a marbled pattern of 

 great richness. This description applies to the upper 

 surface ; on the under, the pale tint very much pre- 

 ponderates, many of the black masses of the upper side 

 being here reduced to mere lines. 



Many an entomologist, whose hunting ground has 

 been limited to a small district, has collected for years 

 without once seeing this pretty creature on the wing ; 

 and then visiting another neighbourhood, perhaps not 

 far distant, he will suddenly find it in profusion. I 

 well remember the feelings of surprised delight with 

 which, under these circumstances, I first made its 

 acquaintance. The scene of the event was a grassy 

 opening in a wooded hill-side in Kent, and here were 

 literally hundreds visible at once, making the air all 

 alive as they fluttered about in sportive groups : it was 

 a sight not to be forgotten ; while a hundred yards 

 from this spot not a solitary one was to be seen, so 

 closely limited is the local range of this species. 



The caterpillar, which feeds on grasses, like the rest 

 of its tribe, is green, with yellowish stripes on each 

 side, and has a reddish head and tail. The form is 

 shown at fig. 3, Plate I. a form common to all the 

 tribe to which this species belongs. 



July and August are the months when we should 

 look for this charming butterfly, in wood clearings and 

 meadows near woods. 



Some of the localities in which it has been observed 

 are: Isle of Wight, Surrey Hills, EastweU Park 

 (Kent), Dover, Lewes, Brighton, Epping, Gloucester- 

 shire, Kingsbury, Darenth Wood, New Forest, Eock- 

 ingham Park, Teignmouth, York, Barnwell Wold, 

 South Wales. Not known in Scotland. 



