178 THE BUTTERFLIES OF THE BRITISH ISLES- 



tinge at the base ; there is a black discal spot and a series of 

 black spots beyond, all ringed with white. 



The tgg is described as being white in colour and small, and 

 round in shape. 



The caterpillar is of a dingy yellowish-green, with darker 

 lines on the back and sides ; there are fine hairs on the body, 

 and the head and spiracles are dark brown (Riihl). 



It feeds in July and August on the flowers and seeds of thrift 

 (Anneria vulgaris), kidney-vetch (Anthyllis vuhieraria), and 

 melilot {Melilotus officinalis). 



The chrysalis is rather oval in shape, pale olive-green in 

 colour when first formed, in September, but olive-brown later ; 

 it is attached by the tail to a stalk of the food-plant and has 

 a silken girdle (Riihl). 



This butterfly (Plate 115) is the cymon of Lewin, who, writing 

 in 1795, considered it very rare. In 1828 Stephens refers to it as 

 scarce and local, " found in chalky districts in Norfolk, Cambridge, 

 Yorkshire, and Dorsetshire ; also near Brockenhurst and Ames- 

 bury, Hants ; and on Windlesham Heath, Surrey, towards the 

 end of May and of July." Newman (1871) adds Warwickshire, 

 Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, Monmouthshire, Glamorgan- 

 shire, Somersetshire, and Lincolnshire. Curtis gives Leicester- 

 shire and Worcestershire. It seems to have been fairly common, 

 and even plentiful in some years around Glanville's Wotton, 

 Dorset, but has not been seen in that district since 1841 ; at 

 Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucester, it was not uncommon up to 

 1858 ; as late as 1864 it occurred at Epworth, North Lincoln- 

 shire. Probab ljrthejatest captures in Britain were the specimens 

 taken in Glamorganshire in the years i874~77» _ Tutt mentions 

 that the butterfly was taken near Cuxton in Kent, some thirty- 

 five years ago, but it has not since been seen in that locality. 



Occurs in May and June and again in July and August 

 over the greater part of Europe ; its range extends to Asia 

 Minor, and eastward to Siberia, Mongolia, and Amurland. 



