THE WOOD WHITE. /\J 



The caterpillar when full grown is, according to Hellins, 

 "a beautiful green, the front segments minutely dotted with 

 black ; dorsal line darker green, edged with yellowish- 

 green ; spiracular line distinct, of a fine clear yellow, edged 

 above with darker green ; spiracles indistinguishable." The 

 chrysalis in shape is something like that of the last species, 

 but the back is not curved, and the ends are less tapered. 

 The colour is a " lovely delicate green ; the abdomen rather 

 yellowish ; just in the spiracular region there runs all round 

 the body a stout pink rib, enclosing the greenish spiracles ; 

 from this a strong pink line branches off, bordering the outer 

 edge of the wing-case, and the nervures of the wings themselves 

 are delicately outlined in pink" (Hellins). Sometimes the 

 chrysalids are green without marking. 



Mr. A. M. Montgomery, who on one occasion had four 

 batches of eggs, and the subsequent caterpillars, under observa- 

 tion, states that the caterpillars hatched about June 2 from 

 eggs laid about May 22. Pupation took place about July 3, 

 and, except from one batch that remained for the winter in the 

 chrysalids, the butterflies emerged between July 16 and 22. 

 The food-plant in this case was bird's-foot trefoil {Lotus cornicu- 

 latus). The yellow pea (Lathyrus praie7tsis) is a favourite 

 pabulum, but the caterpillar will also eat a vetch (Vicia 

 craccd), and probably many other plants belonging to the order 

 Leguminosas. Caterpillars from the July 'butterflies would feed 

 in August and September. 



This fragile-looking little species is somewhat local, but 

 is not altogether uncommon in some of its particular haunts. 

 As its English name implies, the butterfly is fond of the woods, 

 or, perhaps, is rather more partial to their shady rides and 

 margins. On dull or wet days, it settles on the under side of 

 a leaf. The first brood is on the wing in May, and the second 

 — when this occurs, which is not every year — in July and 

 August. In Ireland, where it is abundant in the south and 



