THE LARGE COPPER. 151 



Norfolk, unless the account of its capture in Wales by Hudson 

 be admitted ; but this may probably be the following species 

 \_hippothoe\ which may, moreover, eventually prove synonymous 

 with Ly. dispar. In the first two localities it appears to occur 

 in great profusion, as several hundred specimens have been 

 captured within these last ten years by the London collectors, 

 who have visited Whittlesea and Yaxley Meres, during the 

 month of July, for the sole purpose of obtaining specimens of 

 this insect." 



Dale states that " the latest capture, consisting of five speci- 

 mens, appears to have been made in Holme Fen, by Mr. 

 Stretton either in 1847 or 1848." 



There is evidence that floods, which were not uncommon 

 in the home of the Large Copper, were not really injurious 

 to the butterfly, and therefore the occasional submergence of 

 its feeding grounds can hardly have been the cause, of its 

 almost sudden destruction. It seems more probable that its 

 disappearance was due to the draining of the fens, and at least 

 it is significant that the two events were almost coincident. 



There are records of the butterfly having been taken in 

 various odd localities since it was last seen in fenland, but the 

 latest of those dates back to the year 1865. There seems to be 

 no question that the butterfly is now extinct in England, and, 

 lamentable to relate, the chief locality where we can hope to 

 secure a specimen or two for our collection is in the neighbour- 

 hood of Covent Garden, where the only requirement for the 

 capture will be a well-lined purse. 



The continental form rutilus is found in Germany, France, 

 Northern Italy, South-Eastern Europe (except Greece), 

 Northern Asia Minor, Armenia, and the Altai. The Asian 

 form auratus occurs in South-Eastern Siberia, Amurland, 

 Corea, Northern China, and Amdo. 



Four other kinds of " Coppers " have been reported as 



