RUMICIA PHLiEAS. 341 



orange band of the under surface of the hindwings is broader ; while, 

 in the later broods, the markings are less vivid and less distinctly 

 marked, and there is a longer tooth on the margin of the hindwings. ' r 

 Scudder's detailed account of the American insect (together with 

 Boisduval's original description) is given later. Frohawk observes (Ent., 

 xxvi., p. 294) that, in 1893, at Balham, among a large number captured, 

 were specimens varying from fan. to If in., thus differing in size more 

 than -|in. The colour of all was very brilliant, varying from light 

 golden-copper to deep fiery-copper, whilst two approached var. schmidtii, 

 one having the left forewing pale silvery-gold, shading into copper at 

 the base, the other with the right forewing silvery-white. The size of 

 the spots in different specimens varied from small dots to bold blotches. 

 Two examples, he says, are exceptionally fine aberrations, having the 

 copper bands of the secondaries replaced by a black band formed by the 

 enlargement of the submarginal velvety- black spots, and the ground 

 colour of these wings lustrous steel-grey ; in one, a few of the nervures 

 show coppery scales, whilst the other has only the merest trace of 

 copper on one or two nervures ; both are females. In the other speci- 

 mens, the coppery band varies in width ; in one, the copper is extended 

 along the nervures, and the rest of the wing is sprinkled with copper 

 scales. The blue spots, which sometimes occur on the secondaries, are, 

 in one of the specimens under consideration, conspicuously shown, and 

 are five in number on each wing ; these spots are also present, but less 

 apparent, in two other examples. He then goes on to argue that the 

 specimens present facts that are adverse to Merrifield's views on the effects 

 of temperature on the colouring of R. phlaeas (Trans. Ent. Soc. London, 

 1893, p. 62), etc., as he quite expected to find the majority of specimens 

 with the copper colouring dull and the black markings pale, corresponding 

 with Merrifield's high temperature forms, because (considering the 

 vast numbers he saw on the same piece of ground at the same 

 time, all having evidently been bred close by) they must necessarily 

 have all been subjected to high temperatures during their various. 

 stages, and especially while in the pupa, as the temperature, both day 

 and night, remained very high for weeks previous to, and at the time of r 

 emergence, yet he found his expectation exactly reversed, as all the insects 

 he examined were of brilliant colouring, the copper being rich and bright, 

 and the black deep ; in most cases, indeed, they closely resembled his 

 low temperature forms. Merrifield observes {Ent., xxvi., pp. 333 et seq.)> 

 that the specimens obtained by Frohaw T k are quite consistent with his 

 recorded experiments, and points out that, although the summer of 

 1893 was a very hot one, yet, during the time that the captured 

 specimens were in pupa, the average mean daily temperature of the 

 southeast of England was less than 65°, and, during the critical 

 twelve days only about 60°, and that the recorded temperature of the 

 time they were pupae in no sense approached the 80° and upwards to 

 which the pupae dealt with in his "high temperature" experiments 

 were subjected. Merrifield adds that Frohawk's specimens corres- 

 ponded very well with those reared in his experiments at low tempera- 

 ture, e.g., 56°-58°, etc. 



The North American forms. 



The North American race of this species has been variously known 

 as hyjwphlaeas and americanus, and appears to be, on the whole, little 



