114 THE BUTTERFLIES OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



velvety, band of fore wings similar to above ; the hind wings 

 have a greyish band beyond the middle, with three small white 

 pupilled black spots on its outer edge ; the basal area is often 

 greyish also. The female is generally less dark and velvety, 

 the bands are rather wider, more orange in colour, and the 

 white pupils of the spots are more conspicuous ; on the under 

 side the alternate dark and pale bands are more striking, and 

 sometimes the grey colour is replaced by ochreous, which seems 

 to constitute the aberration named ochracea, Tutt. The spots 

 on the fore wings, upper side, are often increased to four by 

 the addition of a small one between those previously mentioned. 

 More rarely there is an extra spot above the upper pair, and 

 still less frequently, and in the female sex, an additional pair 

 is found below the usual lower spot, thus making six in all. 

 On the other hand, the only spots in evidence may be the 

 pair in the upper part of the band. The spots on the hind 

 wings range in number from two to five, but occasionally all 

 are absent. The fulvous bands on the fore wings may be 

 reduced to rings around the upper and lower spots respectively, 

 and altogether wanting on the hind wings. Such an aberra- 

 tion would be referable to obsoleta, Tutt, which is considered 

 to be very rare. There are many other modifications, but these 

 mentioned will serve to show the variable character of this local 

 butterfly. 



The egg is ochreous white, or bone colour, finely freckled with 

 pale brown or pinkish-brown ; it has a number of ribs, and is 

 also reticulated. 



The caterpillar in its last skin is pale drab, the warts pale 

 whitish-brown, emitting short tapering bristles ; dorsal stripe 

 blackish-brown, enclosed by two paler drab lines ; subdorsal 

 stripe paler drab, becoming narrow towards the anal point, 

 edged above with a greenish -brown thread, and below with 

 blackish or brownish dashes, that almost form a continuous 

 line ; below this come two thin pale lines, above the lower of 



