FIELD NOTES ON SOME ENGLISH BUTTERFLIES 235 



parsley, and various other early bloom- done by putting the stems of the cress 

 ing Umbelliferce, the wings are so in damp sand. Both sand and food- 

 arranged that only this surface and plant will have to be renewed from 

 just the extreme blackish tips of the time to time, and if the cress can be 

 forewings can be seen. Unless we supplied in flower it will be more to the 

 carefully note the exact spot upon liking of the caterpillars, as well as 

 which the butterfly pitched, we shall to the butterfly when she is egg-laying, 

 have some trouble in detecting it on Whether undertaken with a view to 

 its resting-place. The markings of deeper study, or merely as a practical 

 the underside so beautifully correspond life-history lesson, the experiment of 

 with the insect's surroundings that, rearing a butterfly from its first stage 

 although we may really be looking at as an egg, through the subsequent 

 it, we shall fail to recognize it as a forms of caterpillar and chrysalis to 

 butterfly. After a little practice, how- perfect insect, is certain to be highly 

 ever, the eye becomes accustomed to interesting. 



the work required of it, and will locate Eggs of the large or the small white 



the butterflies easily enough. The butterflies, for example, are very insig- 



orange-tip delights in sunshine, and nificant objects that may often be seen 



few will be seen on the wing on dull in dozens when looked for. They will 



days, but they may then be sought be found standing upright on either 



for among the blossoms. If eggs or surface of a leaf of the familiar cabbage 



caterpillars are desired, the former growing in the garden. Place one of 



may be obtained by searching the these eggs, which are more or less 



flower-heads of the lady's smock or skittle-shaped, under the microscope, 



of the garlic-mustard ; the latter on and it will be seen to have several ribs 



the seed-pods of the same plants. Or extending from the blunt apex to the 



a female butterfly may be captured, base, and a number of finer lines 



and afterwards enclosed with a spray around its circumference. Probably 



or two of water-cress in a receptacle when first noticed the eggs may be 



that admits both air and sunshine, greenish or yellowish-green, but if kept 



She will deposit eggs, and the cater- under observation for a few days they 



pillars that hatch from these will feed will be found to turn greyish. The 



upon the water-cress if this is kept in last change in colour indicates that 



a suitable condition, which may be the caterpillars will soon emerge from 



