184 



shaded. From the eggs, which the butterfly began to lay on the 10th of 

 June, the first caterpillars appeared on the 18th. They were of a yellowish 

 grey colour, with black heads ; and their bodies were covered with fine short 

 hairs. On the 27th, they changed their skins for the first time, and then acquired 

 spines, beset with long hairs ; the colour of the caterpillars was now nearly 

 black, with a light stripe on the back. On the 7th of July they changed 

 their skins a second time, on the 15th a third time, and on the 24th or 25th 

 the fourth and last time. The spines, which after the first change appeared 

 with fine and long hairs, acquired their stiff ones after the last change. In a few 

 days after the fourth change, the caterpillars had attained their full growth/ 11 



Haworth, in his " Lepidoptera Britannica, 1803, writes : " Habitat Imago 

 prope Cantabrigiam, etiam prope Londinum, et etiam prope Wisbeach, f. 

 Mai. : Sept. sed rarissime." 



In the Preface to the above work, Haworth also writes : " Since the body 

 of this work was printed, my friend the Rev. Dr. Abbott, of Bedford, has 

 informed me that he took in May last, near Clapham Park Wood, in Bedford- 

 shire, a specimen of Papilla podalirius in the winged state ; and that he also 

 took in June last, in White Wood near Gamlingay, Cambridgeshire, the 

 Papilio daplidice (in a faded state), and likewise Papilio lathonia. These 

 are three extremely interesting species, and there is not a British specimen 

 of any of them now extant, except the above. (All now belong to J. C. Dale.) 



"As to the Gamlingay Lathonia (the Queen of Spain Fritillary), it is, in 

 my estimation, the most interesting insect we have in the whole genus ; be- 

 cause it is not only extremely rare and beautiful, but, if it is the same as our 

 London Lathonia, it is likewise double-brooded, and that in a very singular 

 and unusual manner : that is, a brood of it flies in May at Gamlingay, but 

 not near London ; and another separate brood of it flies in September near 

 London, but not at Gamlingay ; and never contrarywise. And this is still 

 further extraordinary, as no other Fritillary we possess in Great Britain, was 

 ever known to breed more than once in the same season, and that in the 

 months of May, June, or July. 



" Lathonia was not very rare in Gamlingay Wood, Cambridgeshire, in the 

 days of Petiver. It has also been taken at Wisbeach, and my friend, Dr. F, 

 Skrimshire, assures me he has seen a specimen of it in some picture, which 

 was taken many years since in his father's garden at that place. 



"My friend Mr. Hatchett, of Kingsland, knew an old London Aurelian, 

 of the name of Shelfred (nume inter beatos), who was so much attached to 

 Aurelian amusements, and so much enamoured of the beautiful and rare 

 Lathonia, that he absolutely determined upon, and accompanied by his 

 daughter, successfully performed (in postchaises) a journey to Gamlingay, in 



