IOO THE BUTTERFLIES OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



The chrysalis is pale whitish-ochreous, the markings on the 

 wing-cases are black, and those on the other parts are orange 

 and black. 



Cow- wheat appears to be the chief food of the caterpillar, but 

 it will also eat, and has been found on, foxglove {Digitalis 

 purpurea) and woodsage {Teucrium scorodonia). Plantain is 

 also said to be a food-plant, but Buckler says that his cater- 

 pillars would not eat this. The caterpillars are rather shy in 

 their habits, and, except when the sun is shining brightly, 

 require to be carefully looked for among their food-plant and 

 the dead leaves, etc., around. They hatch from the egg in July, 

 feed for a few weeks, and then hibernate in companies under a 

 web. In April and May they become active again, feed up 

 quickly, and appear as butterflies in June and early July. 



The species is, unfortunately, becoming scarcer in England 

 than it used to be. It seems quite to have disappeared from 

 some of the districts in which it was formerly common. No 

 doubt in one or two of its old and well-known localities the 

 butterflies, and perhaps the caterpillars also, have been too 

 freely taken, and its natural enemies have probably completed 

 the business. Clearings in woods or heathy borders of woods 

 are the kind of places this species appear to prefer. Its head- 

 quarters in any given locality seems to be changed from time to 

 time, so that the exact spot where it will occur next year cannot 

 be predicted from this year's observations. 



The butterfly seems to be unknown in Scotland, and has only 

 been recorded from Killarney in Ireland. In England it is 

 to be found in the counties of Essex, Kent, Surrey, and 

 Devonshire. 



Its geographical distribution extends through Europe into 

 Asia Minor, East Siberia, and Northern Amurland. In Corea 

 and Japan it is represented by a larger form known as var. 

 niphona. 



