145 



In Harris* "Aurelian," 1775, we read "These flies are not very common, 

 the reason of which is, all weathers do not agree with them, yet there are 

 particular seasons when they are very plentiful, which happens once in about 

 ten or twelve years. They are then often seen in town flying in the streets. 

 There are various colours of the caterpillars, some appearing dark or nearly 

 black, and others brighter and more of a yellowish cast. They are found 

 covered with a thin spinning web on the upperside of the leaves, to secure 

 themselves from the weather and other accidents. Within this web the cater- 

 pillar feeds, leaving the thin membraneous part to support it in its habitation; 

 so that the leaf appears to be eaten but half-way through. It forsakes its 

 web when fit for its transformation, which happens about the middle of July, 

 and finding a convenient place in the shade, fastens itself by the tail with a 

 small but very strong web, and changes into a chrysalis, in which state the 

 male and female may be easily distinguished from each other. The male is 

 of a dark brown, embellished with gold. The female is rather brighter and 

 ornamented with silver. The fly appears in about fourteen days." 



Lewin, in his " Insects of Great Britain," 1795, informs us "that the female 

 lays her eggs about the middle of June, carefully depositing them singly on a 

 leaf, so that the stock of eggs the parent lays is sufficient for a number of 

 plants in various places/' 



Donovan, in his "Natural History of British Insects," Vol. IX., writes, 

 " The Painted Lady Butterflies, in some seasons, appear in considerable num- 

 bers, and then again are not seen for several years. They were taken in 

 abundance in the summer of 1795, in many parts of the kingdom, and par- 

 ticularly in Manchester ; but since that time, few if any, have been met with." 



Mr. J, F. Stephen's, in his "Illustrations of British Entomology," 1828, 

 writes, " Cardid is eminently conspicuous for the irregularity of its appear- 

 ance in particular districts of the country : in the metropolitan district it 

 occurs about every third or fourth year most copiously, breeding even in the 

 metropolis itself; during the season of 1826 it was very abundant, and a few 

 appeared last spring. Dr. Leach informed me that he used constantly to see 

 it in Devonshire, and Mr. Dale that he took it in the Isle of Bute, and on 

 Arthur's Seat near Edinburgh." 



The author of the " Journal of a Naturalist," published 1829, mentions 

 some interesting instances of its irregular appearance, " owing to causes in- 

 finitely beyond the comprehension of the entomologist, seeming to require a 

 succession and variety of seasons, and their change, and their springing into 

 life we know not how. This was particularly obvious in the summer of 1815, 

 and the two following, which were almost unceasingly cold and rainy, scarcely 

 a moth or butterfly appeared, And in the early part of 1818, the season was 



