THE LARGE TORTOISESHELL. 65 



The chrysalis is brownish tinged with pink ; the wing-cases 

 and the rings of the body are edged with blackish ; there is 

 a greyish line along the back of the body and a brownish 

 stripe along the spiracles ; at the point where the body joins 

 the thorax there are some silvery or golden spots. The figures 

 of caterpillar and chrysalis on Plate 32 are after Buckler. 



This butterfly seems to have disappeared from many localities 

 in England where it formerly flourished. About seventy or 

 eighty years ago, for example, it was plentiful in Epping Forest, 

 in Herts, and in Dorset. During the last half-century or so it 

 has been common in certain parts of many of the counties from 

 Somerset to Durham and Cumberland, but seems to have 

 occurred only sparingly or singly in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, 

 Kent, Sussex, Hants, Wilts, and Devon. It still occurs now 

 and then in the Dover district, the most recent record being of 

 one taken in October, 1894 ; and it was reported from North 

 Staffordshire in 1893. Probably it is now almost entirely con- 

 fined to favoured districts embraced within the area represented 

 by the counties of Herefordshire, Worcestershire, and Mon- 

 mouthshire, whence it may occasionally stray into the adjoining 

 counties, or even further afield. 



This butterfly is often associated with hop gardens, but it is 

 by no means restricted to such places. The usual food-plants 

 of the caterpillars are hop (Humulus lupuhis), nettle (Urtica 

 dioica), and currant {Ribes), but it is reported to eat gooseberry 

 (R. grossularia) and elm (Ulmus). 



Abroad it has a very wide distribution in Europe, and extends 

 through Asia to Japan. 



The Large Tortoiseshell {Vanessa polychloros). 



Apart from its larger size, and somewhat different outline, 

 this butterfly may be known from the Small Tortoiseshell by 

 its duller colour, which is brownish-orange ; on the fore wing 



