THE SMALL COPPER 17 



PLATE IX 



THE SMALL COPPER (1) 



This is a very pretty little butterfly indeed, for 

 the upper surface of its front wings is of the 

 richest and most glossy reddish-brown, just like 

 the colour of burnished copper, with nine black 

 spots in the middle, and a narrow blackish border. 

 The hind wings are dark brown, with a broad 

 band of copper running along the margin. It 

 is very plentiful indeed, and you may see it in 

 hundreds by the roadside, or on heaths and in 

 waste places, darting to and fro in the hot sun- 

 shine, gambolling with the pretty little "blue" 

 butterflies, or resting on the lilac blossoms of 

 scabious plants. And it has no less than three 

 broods in each year, the first appearing in April, 

 the second in June, and the third in August and 

 September. 



The caterpillar of this pretty little butterfly is 

 bright green in colour, with a red stripe running 

 along each side, and another along its back. It 

 feeds on the leaves of sorrel plants, and turns into 

 a whitish chrysalis speckled with black and brown. 



Perhaps you may wonder why this insect is 

 called the "Small" Copper. The reason is that 

 there used to be a much larger butterfly, which 

 was very much like it, and which was called 

 the " Large Copper." But this has not been taken 

 for a great many years. 



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