Z BRITISH BUTTERFLIES. 



ing volume, pp. 56-7) and Callophryid (pp. 62-3) larvae. Whether 

 the statement of Linne, that the larva of Heodes virgaureae feeds on 

 Solidago, or that of Ochsenheimer, that the larva of this species 

 feeds on Solidago virgaurea and Rumex acutus (Die Schmett., i., pt. 2, 

 p. 86), be correct or not, it is quite certain that the species feeds freely 

 naturally on Rumex acetosa (Selzer, Ent. Record, xx., pp. 212-213). Eiihl 

 notes the food of Loweia amphidamas as Polygonum, bistorta, and not 

 sorrel, as stated by some authors. 'The Nearctic species, Chrysophanus 

 gorgon, feeds on a long-stemmed species of Eriogonum that grows on 

 the very dry hillsides of California. Berce and Macker (teste Lam- 

 billion) give broom and other papilionaceous plants as the food of 

 Loweia dorilis, but we doubt these plants as foods greatly, and the 

 records require confirmation. 



"With hardly an exception, then, the Chrysophanid larvae appear to 

 be restricted to plants of the natural order, Polygonaceae, for food, and 

 the Palaearctic species almost entirely to the genus Rumex. Thus 

 Rumicia phlaeas is noted as feeding on Rumex acetosa, R. acetosella, R. 

 obtusifolius, R. pnlcher, R. crispus, R. scutatus (see Nat. Hist. Brit. 

 Butts., i.,pp. 391-2), although many observers insist that, in nature, R. 

 acetosa and R. acetosella, the acid sorrels, alone are usually selected. 

 Prideaux compares (Ent. Rec, xviii., p. 246) the larva of Loweia 

 alciphron (gordius) with that of Rumicia phlaeas and observes that it, 

 too, feeds on Rumex acetosa, an acid species of the genus, R. acetosella, 

 being added by Gillmer (Int. Ent. Zeits., ii., p. 65.) Chrysophanus 

 dispar, on the other hand, selects the non-acid species — Rumex hydro- 

 lapathiim, R. obtusifolius, R. sanguineus and R. aquaticus being mentioned 

 with certainty, whilst Sich adds that larvae he was rearing would not 

 touch the leaves of Rumex acetosa with which he sometimes supplied 

 them (Nat. Hist. Brit. Butts., i., p. 448) ; Aigner, however, gives 

 Polygonum bistorta. The Nearctic Chrysophanus thoe is stated by 

 Scudder (Butts. New Engl., ii., p. 981) to feed also on a non-acid dock, 

 Rum ex crispus. According to Riihl, the larva of Chrysophanus hippothoe 

 feeds on Rumex acetosa, but de Joannis notes it as feeding on R. hydro- 

 lapathum. Prideaux supports Riihl, and observes that the larvae feed 

 indiscriminately on R. acetosa and R. acetosella ; the food-habit of this 

 species closely resembling that of Loweia alciphron var. gordius. 



The sluggish habits of the larvae of the Chrysophanids are most 

 marked, and they last throughout larval life. Chapman observes 

 that the larva of Rumicia phlaeas, when newly-batched, is prepared to 

 do some travelling to find a suitable feeding-place, though the eggs are 

 usually so placed as to render this unnecessary; the young larva, how- 

 ever, is noticed to leave its furrow and make a fresh one one or more times, 

 whilst in the first instar, probably because the furrow runs up against 

 a rib or some other difficult or less palatable portion of the leaf. A leaf, 

 with a few larvae in the first instar, often shows a good number of 

 abandoned furrows. The young larva of Heodes virgaureae, whose eggs 

 are laid on dead material, and so remain during the winter, may have 

 to make a considerable journey as soon as hatched, in order to find 

 food. Prideaux states (Ent. Record, xviii., p. 246) that the green larvae of 

 Loweia alciphron (gordius) are exceedingly sluggish, feeding and resting on 

 the underside of the leaves of Rumex acetosa. He observes, however, that, 

 except during the moulting process, the least touch is sufficient to dis- 

 lodge the larva from its foodplant, and, should it fall upon its back, the 

 leisurely manner in which it twists itself back on its feefc characterises 



