THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 103 
ft 
a number reared in confinement during the summer of 1864, a yellow 
Jemale made her appearance, smaller than usual, but of as dark a colour 
as any that I have seen of the other sex. It may happen, therefore, that 
the variety may become a permanent one, and, at some future time, be 
regarded as a distinct species. Who knows how soon favorable circum- 
stances may develope a new (and yellow) species of Pieris, to be called 
novanglie or canadensis ! 
We cannot, however, claim this variety as the effect of a change of 
habitat and climate on P. rape, as (with all due deference to Mr.Stainton) 
it has been met with in England. Curtis, in his work on “ Farm Insects,” 
(quoted in my paper before referred to), speaks of having in his collection 
a male P. rape ‘taken near Oldham, in Lancashire, which has all the 
wings of a bright yellow colour.” From Mr. Stainton’s assurance to Mr. 
Scudder, however, that it was unknown in Europe, its occurrence on that 
continent must be extremely rare; very different from Canada, and. 
especially the neighbourhood of Quebec, where I should say that, at a low 
estimate, one male P. rape out of five hundred is of a yellow colour, more 
_ or less intense. This estimate would allow for many specimens in a 
season, as, of all Quebec butterflies, our friend is decidedly the most 
abundant and prolific. I have seen them by hundreds, at one time, 
hovering over the fields of cabbages, to the dismay of the cultivators of this 
useful vegetable. It is curious that this variety should be comparatively 
common in America, and almost unknown in Europe. ‘The fact would 
lead us to think that though it cannot have originated here, yet the 
tendency to diverge from the normal colour of the species has been 
increased by the transfer to this continent. 
The Canadian Picris rape (and, I expect, the New England as well), 
is, in common with some other species of the genus, subject to great 
variation in colour and intensity of markings, apart from the yellow variety 
under consideration. The spring brood is of a much purer white than 
those produced later in the season, and has the blackish markings less 
in size and paler in colour. I have often seen spring males without the 
spot on the upper side of the fore wings, and having the blotch on the 
apex so much obliterated, that I have supposed them, before examination, 
to be P. oleracea. ‘The spot, however, is generally present beneath, and 
can be faintly seen through the wing. As the summer passes, the mark- 
ings of the successive broods become more intense, until in the autumn, 
individuals (particularly females), are met with which have a greyish 
appearance, from the number of black scales sprinkled on the wings, 
