LEUCOPHASIA SINAPIS. 



Wood White. 



SINAPIS, Linn. Sina'pis, named after the Mustard (Sinapis nigra), for- 

 merly supposed to be its food- plant. 



The wings, which vary from one inch five lines, to one inch and seven lines 

 in expanse, are white, with an ash-coloured blotch at the tip of the fore-wings, 

 this blotch is of a much fainter shade in the female than in the male. The 

 underside of the hind-wings has some obscure dull-green markings. 



Var. b. Has the blotch of a deep black colour. 



Var. c. (Summer brood) differs from the type in being of a more creamy 

 white. 



Var. d. (Diniensis, Boisd.) differs from the type in wanting the green 

 markings on the under surface of the hind-wings; and the blotch at the tip 

 of the fore-wings is smaller, and sometimes surrounded with white. 



Var. e. (Erysimi, Bork.) of the female has the wings of an immaculate 

 white without the blotch. 



This variety has occurred in the New Forest. 



The egg is of a glistening yellowish-white colour, and resembles a cucum- 

 ber in shape. 



The caterpillar, which feeds on the vetch ( Ficia cracca) and other Legumi- 

 nocas in June and July, and also in September, is of a lovely delicate green, 

 with a darker green dorsal line, and a distinct yellow spiracular line. 



The chrysalis is very beautiful. In shape it is slender, very acutely pointed 

 at the head, but not so much so at the tail. It has a yellow streak on both 

 sides and white spots, otherwise it is green. 



This is the most delicate butterfly we have, and the slenderness of its 

 abdomen reminds one of the exotic genus Leptalis. It has a wide range on 

 the Continent of Europe, being only wanting in the Polar regions. It also 

 occurs in the North-west of Asia. The first brood is on the wing in May 

 and the beginning of June, and the second in the end of July and in August. 

 On a wet day it may be found settled on the underside of a leaf, in a shady 

 lane, with its long wings pointed towards the ground. 



Although found in most of the English and Welsh counties, and abundantly 

 at Galway and Killarney in Ireland ; it is a local species, frequenting the 

 shady pathways and outskirts of woods, and flitting along with an undulating 

 motion. Its extreme whiteness, combined with slow flight is as much an 

 emblem of purity and innocence, as an ordinary butterfly is of the human 

 soul. In 1865 and 1866 it occurred rather commonly in Dorsetshire and 

 Devonshire, but in some years it is very scarce. 



