THE BRIMSTONE. 55 



specks. There is a pale line on each side below the spiracles. 

 It feeds in June and July on both kinds of buckthorn, and will 

 generally be found resting along the main rib of a leaf. 



The chrysalis is bluish-green in colour and of a curious 

 shape. The sharp yellowish and brown beak-like projection 

 in front and raised brownish bases of the wing-covers, to- 

 gether with the humped thorax, somewhat resemble a bird's 

 head when seen from the front. . Then, again, the enlarged 

 wing-cases, which are rather greener than the other parts, in 

 conjunction with the general outline, give a very good imitation 

 of a curled leaf. 



The butterfly is very constant as regards colour and marking, 

 but occasionally the fore wings may be more or less suffused 

 with orange, and in this respect assumes the coloration of the 

 South European species known as G. cleopatra. The attempt 

 has been made to establish the last-named butterfly in Ireland, 

 but the experiment seems to have been only partially successful. 

 Sometimes female specimens are found to have splashes of the 

 male colour on their wings. Occasionally their colour is inter- 

 mediate between their own proper tint and that of the male, 

 and more rarely the wings on one side may be yellow, as in the 

 male, while those on the other side are greenish, as in the female. 

 Such specimens are termed gynandrous examples, and some- 

 times hermaphrodites. The latter, however, is not correct. 



An unusual variation of the butterfly is shown on Plate 27. 

 This has large oval pale brownish-orange marks on the under 

 side of the wings. It was taken in the New Forest. 



The Brimstone butterfly enjoys a longer existence in the 

 perfect state than any of the other British species, with the 

 exception, perhaps, of the Tortoiseshells and their allies. It 

 leaves the chrysalis at the end of July or beginning of August, 

 and is usually quite common during the latter month. After 

 this it takes up its winter quarters, from which, however, it 

 may be tempted to come out whenever the day is sufficiently 



