162 THE BUTTERFLIES OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



white discal spot on the fore wings, and the spots on the under 

 side are white, and rarely centred with black. In var. qiiadri- 

 puncta, Tutt, all four wings have a white discal spot above. 

 Occasionally an odd specimen with white discal spots is found 

 in the south. 



Figures of the butterfly will be found on Plate 105, and of its 

 life-history on Plate 104 ; the upper egg is that from a typical 

 female, and the lower one was laid by a female artaxerxes. 



The egg, which is whitish, with a faint greyish tinge, is 

 laid on the upper side of a young leaf of the rock-rose 

 (Helianthemum chamcEcistits). The caterpillar has a black 

 shining head ; the body is green with whitish hairs, a pinkish 

 line along the back, a whitish one bordered with pinkish along 

 the sides ; the green colour becomes dingy as the caterpillar 

 matures. The chrysalis is obscure yellowish-green, the front 

 of the thorax is edged with pinkish, and there are bands of the 

 same colour on the back and sides of the body ; the thorax 

 and the wing-cases are rather glossy. Held in position by a 

 few silken threads between leaves of the food-plant. 



The ordinary form of the butterfly is on the wing in M ay 

 and June, and again in August. It is widely distributed 

 throughout the southern half of England, and also in Wales. 



Although chiefly associated with rock-rose, especially in 

 chalky districts, it occurs too among stork's-bill (E? odium 

 cicutariuni), upon which plant the caterpillar also feeds, in 

 sandy places inland as well as on the coast. 



Caterpillars from the first flight of butterflies may be found 

 in July, and those from the second flight hibernate and feed up 

 in April. 



The butterfly has a marked liking for roosting on the flower- 

 stems of long grasses, and quite a number may often be found 

 resting together towards sundown, or on dull days, in sheltered 

 hollows. Sometimes several specimens of this species and of 

 the Common Blue may be found on the same perch. It is 



