COMMA SILVER-WASHED FBITILLARY. 93 



The butterfly appears in July and August, and hy- 

 bernated individuals in the spring, up till May. Its 

 range seems to be nearly confined to the Midland and 

 Western districts. It was formerly found near London, 

 and in other places, whence it has now disappeared. 



The following localities are given for it : Carlisle 

 and the Lake district, York, Green Hammer ton (York- 

 shire), Doncaster, Broomsgrove (Worcestershire), War- 

 wickshire, Peterborough, Scarborough, Barnwell Wold 

 (Northamptonshire), Bristol, Gloucester, Dorchester. 

 I found it very plentiful on the banks of the Wye, in 

 1858 ; and in the following May I took one in South 

 Wales, at Pont-y-Pridd. In Scotland, Fifeshire has 

 been mentioned as a locality. 



This is a rapid flyer, and not very easily caught when 

 fresh on the wing. 



THE SILVER- WASHED FRITILLARY. 



(Argynnis Paphia.) 

 (Plate IX. fig. 4, Male ; 4 a, Female.) 



THE beautiful genus to which this butterfly belongs is 

 distinguished by the adornment of silvery spots and 

 streaks with which the under side of the hind wings is 

 bedight; while the upper surface is chequered with 

 black, upon a rich golden-brown ground, the device 

 reminding one of those old-fashioned chequered flowers 

 called " fritillaries," whence the common name of these 

 butterflies. 



Of all the British Fritillaries, this is, perhaps, the 

 loveliest, from the exquisite softness and harmony of 

 the silvery pencillings on the iridescent green of the 

 under side ; though some of the others with bright 

 silver spots are gayer and more sparkling. 



The two sexes differ considerably on the upper sur- 

 face ; the mate being marked with blaok (as in the 

 engraving) upon a bright orange-brown ground, while 

 the female is without the broad black borders to the 



