THE WHITE ADMIRAL ii 



The butterfly emerges in June ; from the end 

 of that month to the middle of July (roughly) 

 the egg is laid on honeysuckle. The larva 

 hatches in July and feeds up slowly until the 

 honeysuckle leaves are about to fall. By this 

 time the creature has only attained about 

 one-third or less of its full size. But as winter 

 is approaching it must needs prepare accord- 

 ingly. Judging the time to a nicety, this 

 minute creature stops feeding, and after 

 selecting a suitable leaf proceeds to make a 

 shelter for itself by pulUng over the edge of 

 the leaf and rolling it up by means of silken 

 stays. But before taking up residence in the 

 hibemaculum (and this is the point to which 

 I would draw attention) the caterpillar travels 

 up the stem and deliberately splices the joint 

 with silk. The intention of this act is obvious. 

 When the leaf falls from the plant, this 

 particular leaf does not fall but remains in 

 situ throughout the winter, where faded and 

 shrunken it appears no more than a fragment 

 of dead leaf, here and there, which has become 

 entangled in spider's web. Nevertheless, there 

 hangs a precious casket containing the time- 

 being representative of one of the most beau- 

 tiful British butterflies ; certainly the one 

 displa5dng the most exquisite form of flight. 

 The act of binding the stem of the leaf to the 



