﻿NOTES ON THE RHOPALOCERA OP WEST NORFOLK. 359 



close of that month. The only specimen observed in ] 890 was 

 on August 7th, one of the few warm days of the summer up to 

 that date. Years preceding 1888 this insect did not appear at 

 all. Hybernators are to be seen chiefly in June ; I noticed one 

 specimen as late as July 24th, 1890. Never seen in preliminary 

 stage. 



1888 : August 9th— September 27th. 1889 : August 6th— 

 September 12th. 1890 : August 7th. 



V. atalanta. — While dealing with the genus Vanessa, two 

 things strike the observer: first, that it suffers least when 

 compared with its exotic congeners of warmer climes ; and the 

 second, that such handsome species should be so easily obtained. 

 As nettles do not thrive so well apart from cultivation, this again 

 tends to make the species the more familiar. This handsome 

 species is, perhaps, the most gorgeous of all the British butter- 

 flies, being most bold and fearless in its habits. I once carried a 

 specimen, that chose to locate itself on my arm, a distance of some 

 fifty yards and into the house. The butterfly never appears till 

 August; and even in this last late season I did not notice it in 

 October. As autumn is the perfection of the farmer's year, so 

 the red admiral, painted lady, peacock, &c, crown the butterfly 

 season. Have never observed a hybernator of this species, nor 

 discovered the larva. 



1888 : August 29th— September 19th. 1889 : August 16th— 

 September 10th. 1890 : September 28th. 



V. io. — Like the orange-tip, this species introduces itself to 

 the observer, and is very common in the fens, being much more 

 abundant in some seasons than others. In 1887 I reared a hat- 

 box full of larvae, turning off a hundred of this species and twenty- 

 eight of the small tortoisehell ; but this bore no effect upon the 

 succeeding wet season of 1888, when it was rather scarce and 

 late. Since 1887 it was most numerous in 1889. The perfect fly 

 is never seen till August, but lingers with us till late in the 

 autumn, the specimens occurring at this time being often much 

 bleached, and I always consider it a brittle species. Hybernators 

 plentiful in the spring, abroad as early as April 4th. 



1888: August 31st— October 2nd. 18H9 : August 5th— 

 November 8th. 1890: August 7th— October 10th. 



V. urticoe. — By far the most abundant of the genus, abounding 

 everywhere on pastures, waste corners, &c, where nettles most 

 abound. In three years I have only seen the butterfly out once 

 in June. Half of July is gone before it is general ; from that 

 time it is common enough, generally out-lingering the other 

 species, being often the only one to cheer the month of 

 October. I have noticed some fine specimens of this insect, but 

 the large tortoiseshell has never turned up. Was most abundant 

 in 1890. Hybernators are out as early as March 17th. Patches of 

 nettles are sometimes black with the larvae of this and the peacock. 



