56 AUTUMN AND WINTER 



increased by Continental emigrants, and gradually decline 

 in succeeding seasons. In September 1903 there was a 

 great inrush, and multitudes of this species were seen over 

 the greater part of the country. But the wet weather of the 

 later autumn apparently destroyed the vast majority ; at any 

 rate the painted lady was not a common species in the 

 following summer. 



Comma butterflies also vary greatly in numbers in 

 different years; but this is due to the character of the 



seasons alone, without the 

 changes and chances of mi- 

 gration from abroad. The 

 headquarters of this curious 

 species is now in the western 

 midlands ; it seldom now 

 appears in the south and 

 COMMA east of England, where it 



used to be fairly common in 



favourable years. It is like a miniature and richly coloured 

 small tortoiseshell, with wings of a deeply jagged outline, 

 like that of some thorny shell. It is named from a con- 

 spicuous light comma-like mark on the dark under side ; 

 but it might well be called the ragged robin, for any one 

 unacquainted with the existence of the species might well 

 suppose that a specimen flying in front of him had been 

 torn and battered through a whole season by wind and 

 thorns and birds. Then the exact symmetry of the apparently 

 mangled wings would strike him with delighted surprise ; 

 for it is always beautiful and curious to see the comma 

 butterfly settle on a September marigold, or on the trunk of 

 a sun-warmed tree in early spring, and make the thorny 

 outlines meet above its back. 



Most characteristic of all the autumn butterflies is the red 



