BRITISH BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS 



terminate in a " tail," hence the popular name. The 

 female is the larger of the two sexes. 



Large White. — {Pieris brassicce.) This familiar species 

 is commonly distributed, although in some years it is 

 much more noticeable than others, due to the fact that it 

 is a migratory insect. It haunts gardens, highways, 

 lanes, and other places, and first appears on the wing in 

 the late days of Spring. The eggs are laid in clusters, 

 as the grower of cabbages knows to his cost, a favourite 

 food-plant being the vegetable mentioned. The green 

 larva is tinged with blue or grey on the upper parts, but 

 is more self-coloured below. It emits a by no means 

 pleasant odour. The grey and peppered pupa has a 

 profuse array of black spots and yellow streaks, and as a 

 rule, is well hidden. The imago is so well known that 

 detailed description is almost superfluous, but it may be 

 pointed out that, whilst both sexes have black-tipped 

 margins on the upper edges of the fore wings, the female 

 is distinguished by having two black spots and a line of 

 the same in addition. The under-surface is much more 

 brimstone-coloured, and both sexes have a black spot on 

 the front margin of the hindwings. 



Small White. — {Pieris rapce.) Even more commonly 

 distributed than its larger cousin, the Small White 

 Butterfly is known by sight to almost every one in town 

 and country. Its haunts are similar to those of Pieris 

 brassicce y but it is particularly fond of roadways, especially 

 in a dry Summer after a water-cart has passed along. 

 In the memorable drought of 1921 I counted over 50 

 of these insects drinking together at one spot, one of the 



prettiest sights I have ever witnessed in the realm of 



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