348 



BRITISH BUTTERFLIES. 



7. var. feildeni, McLach., " Jn. Linn. Soc," xiv., p. Ill (1878); Dyar, "List 

 Nth. Amer. Lep.," p. 41 (1903). — 28mm. -29mm. ; differs from typical phlaeas (and 

 also from americanua) in the brilliant copper colour of the anterior wings being- 

 much less fiery and more subdued and with brassy reflections (especially in the 

 <?), so that the colour might almost be termed brassy rather than coppery; the 

 spots, normal in number and position, but smaller ; the dark border narrow and 

 silky greyish-black with grey fringe, the dark costal margin scarcely indicated ; on 

 the posterior wings, the ground is of the same silky greyish-black as in the border 

 of the anterior, the pale submarginal band pale orange, with occasionally the 

 faintest indications of bluish spots above it. Beneath, the anterior wings are 

 greyish-orange (with the ordinary spots), the border and the posterior wings pale 

 cinereous ; on the latter wings, the dark dots are very faintly indicated, and there 

 is also only the faintest indication of the red submarginal band. Three examples 

 (two <? , one ? ) from lat. 81° 45' (McLachlan). 



McLachlan adds that he was at first inclined to place this very distinct 

 variety as a form of americanus, but the posterior wings are more tailed 

 than in any examples he had seen of that species, although scarcely so 

 much so as in ordinary phlaeas. The common origin, he says, of both 

 species can scarcely be doubted. No species of Rumex was found in 

 these high latitudes, but Oxyria reniformis occurred at all the stations, 

 and in all probability serves as the foodplant. 



The central and eastern Asiatic forms. 



The variation of the eastern forms combines that of the north and 

 south of Europe, often in a greatly enhanced and very extreme manner. 

 This variation has already been referred to (anteci, p. 832) where we 

 quote Weismann's remarks on the eastern examples in his collection. 

 Speaking of examples taken in Sehol, in Tartary, Lucas says : " They 

 are larger than those found in Europe, for their expanse is about 

 32mm., further, the shining coppery-tawny of the forewings above is 

 often very bright and inclined to reddish ; the black spots, which are 

 also very large, have their edges of a yellowish-white. The blackish- 

 brown of the hindwings above is very deep, whilst beneath, these same 

 wings are of a clear ashy, with the spots more strikingly developed, 

 larger, and of a deeper black ; one also notes that all these 

 spots are surrounded by an edging of a paler ashy than the ground 

 colour of the wings ; the wavy " briquetee " line, corresponding with the 

 tawny band of the upperside, is much wider than in European speci- 

 mens, more strongly developed, and of a bright reddish-tawny." 

 Baker notes (in lift.) that two specimens in his possession from 

 Turkestan are ''the largest he has seen, both bright, but the $ slightly 

 suffused ; the hindwings with broad red bands and with a row 

 of blue spots ; beneath, the hindwings are very pale ochreous-grey, 

 with small distinct black points." Pryer, in his remarks on this 

 species in Japan, says (Ehop. Nihonica, p. 16) that it " varies 

 greatly in size and coloration, according to the time of year that 

 it emerges in the imaginal state, early spring forms being small 

 and brightly coloured, often with a row of blue spots towards the outer 

 margin of the hindwing, but, as the temperature increases, the examples 

 become larger and darker, until they reach a size nearly twice that of 

 English specimens. During the hot months, the $ s are often quite 

 black, and this continues until the last brood in November. A 

 difference of 20 miles is, however, sufficient to account for small light 

 coloured $ s occurring in one locality, and black $ s in another, e.g., 

 some years ago, in November, I collected the small light coloured $ s 



