70 



The Butterflies 



13. — Epinephele Janira. (Meadow Brown). This is the 

 commonest of our butterflies in all the islands, frequenting 

 every meadow when the grass is ready for cutting. It is of a 

 smoky brown colour with a brighter patch in the centre of the 

 anterior wings, most conspicuous in the female. It has always a 

 black spot on each of the fore wings with a white centre to the 

 spot in the female. 



Newman says: — " This species is exceedingly subject to 

 variation in one particular manner, namely in the presence of 

 large blotches or sometimes of an entire wing having the 

 appearance of being bleached, the usual brown colour being 

 absent and a kind of dingy white appearing in its place." 

 I have a specimen of this curious aberration. 



14. — Epenephele Tithonus. (Large Heath). The colour of 

 the anterior wings is bright rust colour with a marginal band of 

 dark umber brown. There is a conspicuous circular black spot 

 with two white pupils near the tip of each of the anterior wings. 

 This is a common species in Guernsey and Sark, swarming on 

 the blackberry blossoms in July. 



15. — Csenonympha Pamphilus. (The Small Heath). This 

 is a small butterfly of a delicate fulvous colour, the hinder wings 

 being slightly darker than the fore wings. I have found it 

 during the whole of the summer in Sark very abundantly, and 

 have taken it in Herni ; but have never taken it in Guernsey. 



16. — Thecla Rubi. (Green Hair Streak). The colour of 

 the upper surface of the wings is dark-brown, the under 

 surface bright green. It is one of the earliest of our butter- 

 flies, being tolerably common in May and June in both 

 Guernsey and Sark. The caterpillar feeds upon the bramble. 



17. — Polyommatus Phlceas. (The Smaller Copper.) The 

 colour of the anterior wings is a coppery red, they have a series 

 of black spots forming a zigzag line. The hinder wings are 

 black brown with a copper coloured band on the margin. There 

 are two or three broods in a year, and it is very abundant in 

 both Guernsey and Sark. 



