147 



October, 1865, was in full blossom; but the flowers were about hidden from 

 sight by a countless multitude of butterflies and moths; it was one of the 

 most beautiful sights I ever beheld. The multitudinous host only comprised 

 two species of butterfly, Vanessa atalanta and cardui ; scores of the former, 

 but hundreds of the latter. The majority of them appeared to be over- 

 powered by imbibing the nectar of the ivy blossom, and I had no difficulty 

 in taking specimens between my fingers." 



Vanessa Cardui was common all over England in 1868, and most abundant 

 in 1879, and was also very common in 1884. In referring to the last 

 mentioned year, Miss Hinchcliff (see "Young Naturalist," Yol. V., p. 263), 

 writes, " At Instow in North Devon, three insects have appeared this autumn, 

 in most uncommon proportions, viz. : V. atalanta, cardui, and P. gamma. 

 they swarm everywhere. V. cardui and P. gamma appeared together in 

 1879, in similar profusion and neither have been seen in any quantity since, 

 Cardui especially, has hardly appeared at all. Now what can be the reason 

 for two insects, apparently so dissimilar, suddenly re-appearing in large num- 

 bers, again in company, after a lapse of five years ! The two seasons have cer- 

 tainly not been alike, 1879 was very wet and this as dry. They are all freshly 

 hatched and very fine specimens." Another correspondent records Atalanta 

 as appearing in unprecedented abundance in the neighbourhood of Glasgow, 

 and Cardui as being also very plentiful. On reviewing the preceding pages we 

 find that Vanessa cardui was common in England in 1795 and 1808, abun- 

 dant in 1818, a cold and rainy season ; common in 1826, 1833, 1849, 1851, 

 and 1865, a fine hot year, most abundant in 1879, a cold wet year, and 

 common in 1884, a fine dry season. In certain years it is very scarce, in 

 1887 for instance, I never saw a single specimen, and only half-a-dozen of 

 Atalanta, whilst V. urtica occurred in profusion. 



An allied species, Virginiensis, Drury, is sometimes included among the 

 British butterflies under the name of Huntera, Fabricius, or the Scarce 

 Painted Lady. It is very like Cardui, but the black markings are less exten- 

 sive, and the underside of the hind-wings is reticulated with brown or green, 

 with yellow lateral line and two dorsal lines formed alternately of white and 

 red points. It is a common species in North America and the Sandwich 

 Islands, appearing about once in five or six years in very great abundance, 

 and has become naturalised in the Azores and Madeira. 



An instance of the capture of this butterfly in England is recorded in 

 London's "Magazine of Natural History," Yol. III., p. 332, thus, "I beg 

 to announce the capture of Vanessa Huntera, for the first time in Britain, by 

 Captain Blower, at Withybush, near Haverfordwest, South Wales, about ten 

 miles from a seaport, in July or August, 1828; which was, till, yery lately, 



