THE GREAT WI1ITE BUTTERFLY. 157 



face of the posterior wings deeper and more con- 

 spicuously freckled with minute black specks. The 

 black markings of the Caterpillar are somewhat less 

 distinct than in the large kind. 



Other kinds of White Butterflies are, however, 

 of a much more distinct character, though formerly 

 considered the same. There can, however, be no 

 doubt of their forming entirely distinct species, and 

 the student would find it interesting to obtain a 

 thorough knoAvledgc of all the species of the whole 

 genus Pier is in his first season, as an exercise of his 

 powers of accurate discrimination. 



First, there is Pieris Rapce, once thought by 

 ignorant collectors to be the young of the Great 

 White Butterfly, while it is now well known that 

 insects having once attained their perfect state 

 never grow. It is, however, certainly very like the 

 " Large White," but still, having very obvious marks 

 of distinction, quite unmistakable when once de- 

 tected ; the male, for instance, instead of having 

 the centre of the anterior wings quite immaculate, 

 has one bright black spot on the upper surface, and 

 two, less conspicuous, on the under surface; the 

 female having two small spots like the female of the 

 larger kind. The Caterpillar is still more distinct 

 than the perfect insect. It is dusky yellow under- 



