THE WHITE ADMIRAL 59 



Although most certainly not so common or so generally 

 distributed as in former times, the butterfly still occurs in 

 the larger oak woods in most of the midland, western, and 

 southern counties of England, but is, perhaps, most frequent 

 in Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire. In Wales it is found 

 in Monmouthshire. It has not been recorded from Scotland, 

 and only doubtfully from Ireland. 



In Central Europe it is often abundant, and its range extends 

 eastward into Amurland, Central and Western China. 



Now follow seventeen butterflies of the sub -family Nympha- 

 linae. 



, fr^ ij«J^ The White Admiral (Limenitis sibylla). 



lit 



The " White Admirable Butterfly," as it was called by some 

 of the older English entomologists, needs only to be seen 

 to be at once recognized (Plate 33). The white markings on 

 its blackish wings are somewhat similar to those of the Purple 

 Emperor. As in that butterfly, so, too, in this, the most beautiful 

 ornamentation is found on the under side. The shape of the 

 wing is, however, very different in the two butterflies, and there 

 is no probability of confusing one with the other. A somewhat 

 uncommon form is shown on Plate 31 (also kindly loaned by 

 Mr. Sabine) ; this is var. nigrina. Intermediates also occur, 

 but these, too, are also rather rare. The eggs, which I have 

 not seen, are stated to hatch in about fourteen days, and are 

 laid in July. They have been described as pale green in 

 colour, and of the shape of an orange, but flatter at the base 

 and top. 



The caterpillar (Plate 30) when full grown is dark green 

 on the back and lighter on the sides, roughened with yellow 

 dots, and with a yellow-marked white line above the feet. The 

 bristly spines are reddish with pinkish tips, and those on the 

 second, third, fifth, tenth, and eleventh rings are longer than 



