in 



north as Rosshire, and is more widely distributed. Dr. Buchanan White 

 observes it is a common species throughout Perthshire in marshy places, in 

 woods, and on the hill sides, holding the same place as Euphrosyne does in 

 England. 



The first record we have of it as being a British species is in Ray's 

 "Historia Insectorurn," published in 1710, under the name of the May 

 Fritillary. 



Petiver, in his " Papilionum Britannica Icones," published in 1717, writes, 

 " Frequent in Cain Wood." 



Lewin, in his "Insects of Great Britain," 1795, writes, "Euphrasia, Linn. 

 Small Pearl-bordered Eritillary. This butterfly is to be taken in woods about 

 the middle of May, flying with the above ; and indeed they are so like each 

 other, that a person not well aquainted with them would suppose them to be 

 the same species. The difference of the markings on the upperside is scarcely 

 discernable : however, the under- wing on the underside is distinctly different, 

 so that there is not in reality any doubt of their being distinct species. The 

 caterpillar is unknown. These are common insects, and both species of flies 

 may be easily taken, when feeding on the different flowers that bloom at the 

 time they are on the wing." 



Newman, in his " British Butterflies," 1871, writes, " In the Kentish 

 woods, I have always found that this butterfly makes its appearance from ten 

 to twenty days later than Euphrosyne. I have taken it on the 1st of June, 

 but it is more abundant about the 8th or 10th. Dorsetshire : Glanvilles 

 Wootton (but rare of late years) Puby, &c— J. C. Dale. Essex : Colchester, 

 but not so common now as formerly. — W. H. Harwood." 



In June, 1887 and 1888, Selene occurred in profusion in the Glanvilles 

 Wootton copses, and in 1887, I took a fresh specimen on the 15th of August, 

 which is about half the usual size. 



In 1818, B. Standish met with one or two in Middlesex, during the month 

 of September. 



An allied species, Argynnis dia, Linn,, is figured in Loudon's Magazine 

 of Natural History," Vol. V. p. 751, published in 1832, by the Rev. W. 

 Bree, who writes, " Mr. Weaver possesses two specimens, both of which were 

 taken in Sutton Park, Birmingham ; one about ten years ago, the other not 

 more than five or six. It differs from Selene in being rather smaller, and 

 having the black spots and characters on the upperside of both pair of wings 

 larger and stronger, so that the whole assumes a darker appearance than that 

 insect ; but the principal difference consists in the underside of the posterior 

 wings, which are of a brownish purple, interspersed with darker markings of 

 the same colour, and numerous irregular semi-metallic spots ; a row of which 



