THYMELICUS ACTEON. 125 



which it lies wholly free towards its extremity. Its colouring at first, 

 and up to within four days of the advent of the imago, closely 

 resembles that of the last larval period, viz., a very pale and delicate 

 yellowish-green, on which all the lines of the larva, though faint, are 

 distinctly to be seen. The first indication of its approaching change 

 is a gradual suffusion of pink over the thorax, which, with the wing- 

 covers, in 24 hours, becomes of a dingy greyish-purple hue, the back 

 of the abdomen a light brownish-olive tint, the divisions appearing as 

 paler rings, the beak and tail purplish-grey. In this advanced stage, 

 the change of colour is considerable even in an hour or two ; it grows 

 by degrees deeper olive on the back of the abdomen, with a dingy 

 purple dorsal stripe ; as the body and thorax darken to purplish-black, 

 so, in proportion, do the frontal and caudal projections fade away to a 

 greyish-ashy paleness, and become semitransparent, as though empty ; 

 finally, the surface becomes as though covered generally with a misty 

 reddish-grey bloom (Buckler). [The pupa is figured by Buckler 

 (Larvae, etc., i., pi. xxii., figs. 26-2c.)] 



Time of appearance. — Although this species is on the wing for a 

 considerable period every year, it appears to be everywhere throughout 

 its range single-brooded. In Tunis, it is recorded as appearing as early 

 as March and April, in the Bey rout district early in May, in Greece 

 and Sicily at the end of May and June, in southern France and Spain 

 in June, rarely in May, in Crete in June, yet its time of appearance in 

 Central Europe is much as in England, varying from June to August, 

 according to the season, and lasting over from six to eight weeks each 

 year, the average time being the last three weeks in July and the first 

 week of August for fine specimens. The idea that the species is 

 double-brooded in Britain" is erroneous; in early seasons, e.g., 1893, 

 the species is out by the last week of May (May 31st, 1893, in Purbeck), 

 and lasts well into July ; in late seasons, e.g., 1888, it was not out until 

 August and lasted well into September (September 8th, in Purbeck). 

 We have not been able to collect many actual dates, but those we have 

 exhibit considerable variation. Amongst others we note : Continental 

 records — In 1893, first seen on June 29th at Nice (Bromilow), a month 

 after its appearance in England the same year (Bankes), and six weeks 

 later than its appearance at Hyeres, May 17th, 1905 (Sheldon) ; July 

 28th, 1894, at Courmayeur (Tutt) ; June 6th, 1897, at Canea, in Crete 

 (Mathew) ; June 12th and 13th, 1898, at Blagaj, about eight miles east 

 of Mostar (Mrs. Nicholl) ; August 17th, 1898, between Morgex and 

 Aosta, worn (Tutt) ; first week in September, 1898, a good deal worn, 

 at Brigue (Wheeler) ; June 3rd-18th, 1899, at Digne ; June 23rd, 1899, 

 at Susa (Rowland-Brown) ; July 19th, 1899, at Sierre (Wheeler) ; 

 common, July 12th-20th, 1900, at Herculesbad (Lang) ; May 3rd, 

 1900, in the Beyrout district (Nicholl) ; common, June 2nd, 1900, in 

 Crete (Fletcher) ; in June, 1900, at Mesolonghi (Fountaine) ; August 

 19th, 1900, at Gresy-sur-Aix, worn (Tutt) ; July 29th, 1901, at Mende 

 (Rowland-Brown) ; June 6th, 1902, May 30th-June 14th, 1903, 

 at Hyeres, June 21st, 1902, at Ste. Maxime (Powell) ; July 29th- 

 31st, 1902, at Chavoire (Tutt) ; June 23rd, 1903, at Guethary 



* This idea originated with Hearder (Ent. Mo. Mag., xx., p. 227) and Dale 

 (Ent. Mo. Mag., xxviii., p. 164), but all the evidence is against the assumption, and 

 the latter's account of the life-history in two broods (Hist. Brit. Butts., p. 218) 

 is quite imaginary (see Ent. Mo. Mag., xxix., p. 214). 



