98 THE BUTTERFLIES OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



It seems, however, to be commoner in Scotland than the Pearl- 

 bordered, and has been recorded at least once from Ireland. 

 Its range abroad extends farther east, as it is found in Corea. 



The Heath Fritillary (Melitea athalia). 



The ground colour of this butterfly, sometimes called the 

 " Pearl-bordered Likeness " or " May Fritillary," is brownish- 

 orange, and the markings are black or blackish ; the bases of 

 the wings are clouded with blackish, and the fringes are white 

 checkered with black. 



The ground colour varies in tint, and may be pale tawny or 

 deep reddish. The black markings are subject to modification 

 in two directions ; in one leading up to almost complete dis- 

 appearance from the central area, and in the other they are 

 much intensified and greatly obscure the ground colour. Some- 

 times the whole of the wings, with the exception of a series of 

 orange spots on the outer area, are blackish. This form is known 

 as var. navarina. The left-hand figure at the bottom of 

 Plate 68 shows an aberration approaching this form, whilst the 

 right-hand figure comes close to var. corythalia. Specimens 

 with all the wings thinly marked with black, as in the fore wing 

 of the variety last referred to, w r ould be referable to var. obsoleta. 



According to Barrett, specimens from Essex have the ground 

 colour on the under side of the hind wing much yellower than 

 are the same parts in specimens from Sussex. I have not 

 noticed this, but some Essex examples that I have seen were 

 much darker and more heavily marked with black on the upper 

 side, and especially on the hind wings, than any that I have 

 seen from other parts of England, except, perhaps, a few indi- 

 viduals from North Devonshire. These Essex specimens 

 reminded me very much of M. dirty nna, a Continental species, 

 with which, it appears, the Heath Fritillary was confounded by 

 some of the old authors. 



