LARGE TORTOISESHELL. 123 



On the Continent this is a common butterfly, in 

 many places being the most abundant of all the 



THE LAEGE TOETOISESHELL BUTTEEELY. 

 (Vanessa Polychloros.) (Plate IX. fig. 1.) 



THE beginner often has a slight difficulty in finding 

 a good and permanent distinction between this species 

 and the next (V. Urticce). At the first blush, the 

 superior size of this seems to be a sufficient mark, and 

 then the orange of the wings has usually a much 

 browner, or more tawny hue, than that of Urticce ; but 

 as I have seen specimens of Polychloros absolutely 

 smaller than some very large Urticce 's, and as the colour 

 of both occasionally varies, so that they approach each 

 other in this respect also, it is evident we must look for 

 some better mark of distinction ; and here is one. In 

 Polychloros, all the light markings between the black 

 spots on the upper edge of the front wing are yellow, 

 whereas in Urticce the outer one next the blue and black 

 border is pure pearly WHITE. The two other marks on 

 the front edge are yellow. Polychloros has also, near 

 the lower corner of the front wing, an extra black spot, 

 not found in Urticce. 



The blue spots on the border are in this species 

 almost confined to the hind wings. 



