146 



THE YOUNG NATUEALIST. 



which give it a slight resemblance to Apatura iris, although it is a much 

 smaller insect, and the wings are blackish brown instead of the beautiful 

 purple tint of the Emperor butterfly. It made its appearance at the latter 

 end of last month, and may be met with until nearly August. 



Not only these but many other species are out now, or will appear within 

 the next week or so ; in fact this is the most favourable time of the year for 

 observing or collecting butterflies. Tithonus is fluttering about the flowers 

 growing on the hedge banks, and giving animation to the road sides ; and 

 every now and then as we walk along, we see Janira and Hyperanthus fly 

 over from the meadow or corn-field on the other side of the hedge. JEgeria 

 is flying in woods and shady lanes ; the Swallow- tailed is on the wing in the 

 fens of Cambridgeshire ; and a grand looking insect Papilio Machaon is when 

 flying, as I can personally testify. May the day be far distant when it be- 

 comes numbered among the extinct British butterflies, 



Arge galathea, or the M arbled White butterfly, appears about the middle 

 of the month, and keeps out till about the third week in August. Of course, 

 description of such a well-marked insect is superflous. It is a local species, 

 and seems to be commonest in the south, where it flies about the meadows. 

 The Grayling (Satyrus Semele) and the northern Scotch Argus (Erebia 

 Medea or Blandina of Doubleday and Stainton) come out about the same 

 time, and nearer the end of the month the Painted Lady (Pyrameis cardui) 

 and the Large Tortoise-shell or elm butterfly ( Vanessa polyckloros) appear ; 

 and besides these the second brood of the Heath fritillary {Melitaa Athalia) 

 comes out this month. 



Even these do not by any means exhaust the list of the butterflies of July. 

 So numerous are they now that they make a most conspicuous feature in the 

 entomology of the month. It must have been of this time of the year that 

 Mrs. Barbauld wrote — 



So the bright train their radiant wings unfold, 

 With silver fringed and freckled o'er with gold. 

 On the gay bosom of some fragrant flower 

 They, idly fluttering, live their little hour ; 

 Their life all pleasure and their task all play ; 

 All spring their age, and sunshine all their day. 



The poetess, however, who has so pleasantly written about them, is not 

 quite correct, I think, when she accuses them of " idly fluttering." Nothing 

 is " idle " in the economy of nature ; all have their uses. The Creator has 

 made nothing in vain ; every living thing has its appointed work to do. As 

 for the butterflies (and it may be added the night-flying lepidoptera also), 

 they perform an important part in the fertilisation of those flowers on whose 

 " gay bosoms " they flutter. 



