92 BRITISH BUTTERFLIES. 



more than a hundred of the accompanying butterflies 

 ( V. Urticce). I commenced at once collecting them, and 

 succeeded in securing more than sixty. These I have 

 fed on sugar spread over cabbage-leaves and bran until 

 now, and, to all appearances, those which still survive 

 (more than forty in number) are thriving well, and in 

 good condition." 



THE COMMA BUTTEBFLY. 

 (Qrapta C. Album.) (Plate IX. fig 3.) 



THE singularly jagged outline of this butterfly at once 

 distinguishes it from every other native species, though, 

 did we not know it as a distinct species, it might have 

 been taken for one of the two previous species very 

 much stunted, deformed, and torn, so similar is it in 

 colour and the plan of its markings. 



The upper surface is deep fulvous, or rusty orange, 

 and marked with black and dark brown. In different 

 individuals, the under side varies greatly in its tints 

 and markings, especially near the border of the wings, 

 which are sometimes of a deep rich olive brown, some- 

 times pale tawny. They all agree, however, in bearing 

 in the centre of the hind wings the character from 

 which the insect takes its specific name, viz. a white 

 mark in form of the letter C, which has also been 

 likened with less justice to a ? whence its English name 

 of " Comma." 



The female is of a paler tint than the male, and the 

 edges of the wings are less deeply scalloped and cut. 

 The figure is that of a male. 



The caterpillar is tawny-coloured ; but the back, for 

 about the hinder half its length, is whitish ; head black. 

 The body is armed with short spines, and there are two 

 ear-like tubercles projecting from the side of the head. 

 It has been found feeding on the elm, willow, sloe, 

 currant, nettle, and hop. 



The chrysalis is of the curious shape shown at fig. 24, 

 Plate I. ; of a brownish tint, with gold spots. 



