194 POPULAR ENTOMOLOGY. 



says : '' How greatly was my astonisliment increased when, 

 after I had withdrawn it a little way, I saw its skin burst, 

 and a head as black as ink, with large staring eyes, and an- 

 tennse consisting of two branches, break forth and move 

 itself briskly from side to side : it looked like a little imp 

 of darkness." Mr. Dale, who seems to have attentively 

 watched these little insects, found several in Anclrena harhi- 

 lahris, a species of Wild Bee, and caught one flying over a 

 hedge ; he says, " It looked milk-white on the wing, with 

 a jet-black body, and totally unlike anything else : it flew 

 with an undulating motion.''^ There is much relative to the 

 natural history of these singular creatures, which still re- 

 mains unascertained or doubtful. There are several species 

 of the genus Sti/loj)s in England ; and North America and 

 the Mauritius have also furnished specimens of the order. 



LEPIDOPTERA. NYMPHALIDiE. 



MELIT.EA. 



Gene7nc Distinctions. — See page 97. 



MELiTiEA SiLENE, Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, greatly 

 resembles M. 3ii/pliro8yne described in May, but it is much 

 smaller; the surface is similar, and the difference on the 



