FIELD NOTES ON BUTTERFLIES 



mentioned are known to do. In North America this 

 butterfly, there known as the mourning cloak, is very 

 common. In Europe it seems to be most at home in 

 Scandinavia and Germany, but it occurs in many other 

 countries, although its appearance in some parts of the 

 continent is almost as uncertain as in our own islands. 

 If eggs are obtained from abroad the butterflies can 

 be reared quite easily. The caterpillars, which live 

 together in companies, will eat the foliage of various 

 willows, poplars, and the birch. The specimens that 

 come to us generally arrive in the autumn, and as it is 

 the habit of this species to pass the winter as a butterfly 

 and to pair and lay eggs in the following spring, the 

 chance of these things taking place in this country are 

 very small. There is very little doubt that specimens 

 do occasionally hibernate here, but these are pretty 

 sure to fall to the net of some collector when they come 

 forth in the spring. Even if they escaped capture the 

 odds would be against the sexes meeting with each 

 other. The brambles alongside the quiet lanes are 

 in full flower, and as we pass quite a cloud of meadow 

 brown butterflies fly up and flutter away. Stand 

 perfectly still awhile and they will return to feast 

 again on the nectar of the blossom which is so attractive 

 to them. Although when on the wing these butter- 

 flies appear to be all alike, dingy brown and uninterest- 

 ing, this method of observation will enable us to note 



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