114 



from the grassy sides of the mountains in the vicinity of Ambleside. The 

 discovery, of the female is, however, due to an indefatigable collector — and 

 one who disposes of the insects he collects— Mr. Weaver, of Birmingham, who 

 found several of each sex, in different localities in the counties of Westmore- 

 land and Cumberland, during the month of July." 



It was next turned up by Mr. Weaver, in 1844, on one of the Scottish 

 mountains near Eannoch, in Perthshire. The butterflies appeared confined 

 to a spot of level and rather marshy ground, about 150 yards in length and 

 50 yards in breadth; it was grassy but without heath, and although there 

 was heath all round the neighbourhood, Mr. Weaver did not see a single 

 specimen settle on it. The locality is among rocky mountains, some of which 

 attain an altitude of 4000 feet above the sea, and the spot where the butter- 

 flies were found is at least 3000 feet. — " Zoologist." It also occurs on Ben 

 Nevis and on Ben Lomond, but is not found at a less elevation than 1600 

 feet. 



Mr. Birchall captured a fine series in June, 1854, on Croagh Patrick, near 

 Westport. in Ireland. The locality is about half-way up the mountain on the 

 Westport side, in a grassy hollow, where a little hut is erected for the shelter 

 of pilgrims. 



Family DANAIBJE. 



This cannot, strictly speaking,be called a British family at all, as only a few 

 wanderers of a single species, and that an American one, have been taken in 

 England. One other species, Danais chrysippus, occurs in the extreme 

 South-east of Europe. 



The front pair of legs are rudimentary in both sexes ; and the caterpillars 

 possess one or more pairs of long, slender, fleshy filaments. 



Although representatives of the family are found on all the Continents, the 

 islands of the Indian Archidelago, and the Pacific Ocean, are most productive 

 of the species. 



Genus XV. — DANAIS. 



Boisduval. 



Danais, a King of the Argines, and brother of iEgyptus ; who sailed into 

 Greece, and having expelled King Sthenelus, fixed his habitation at Argos, 

 whence the Grecians were called Danai. — Yirg. Mu. 2, 5. 



All the species of this genus are large, and are generally of pale colours 

 (often fulvous), with black borders, which are often spotted with white. The 

 fore- wings are longer than the hind-wing, and the costa is arched. These 



