THE PAINTED LADY 7 



yellowish-grey in colour with black markings, and 

 with light yellow lines on each side, may be found 

 feeding on nettle leaves, though not in large com- 

 panies like those of peacocks and small tortoise- 

 shells. The chrysalids are brown, with gold spots. 



PLATE IV 



THE PAINTED LADY(i) 



In days of old this was not at all a common 

 insect. But in the year 1877 a vast swarm of 

 Painted Ladies came flying across the Straits of 

 Dover, and spread to almost all parts of Eng- 

 land. And since then this pretty butterfly has 

 been a good deal more plentiful. But it is much 

 commoner in some years than it is in others. If 

 you want to find it, the very best place to look 

 is a field of red clover in full blossom. The next 

 best place is a field of lucerne. And the next best 

 place to that is a good steep railway bank covered 

 with flowers. But you may often see it resting 

 on thistles and teasels with peacocks and small 

 tortoiseshells. 



The caterpillar of this pretty butterfly feeds 

 upon thistle leaves ; and for the first fortnight of 

 its life it lives in a sort of little chamber, which 

 it makes by fastening the tips of several leaves 

 together by means of silken threads. It is covered 

 all over with thorny bristles and is brown in 



