THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



119 



BRITISH BUTTERFLIES. 



By J. E. Robson ; with figures from life by 

 S. L. Mosley. 

 (Assisted by Contributors to the Y. X.) 



Genus V, Limenitis, F, 

 " Limenitis, F., Limeni'tis, harbour keep- j 

 ing. an epithet applied to several divinities." 

 —A. L. 



A genus of about 30 species, some of 

 which are of considerable size. " The species 

 are natives of Europe, Asia, the Indian 

 Islands, and North America." Seven are 

 named in Dr. Staudinger's catalogue, but only 

 three occur in Europe, and but one in Britain, 



like processes. It is not large for the size of 

 the butterfly. 



Pood Plant. — Honeysuckle ( Lonicera 

 pcriclymenum ). 



Time of Appearance.— The butterfly 

 appears at the end of June, and continues on 

 the wing during July. The eggs are deposited 

 singly on the upper surface of the leaf, and 

 the larva hatches in about a fortnight. It 

 grows slowly, and after a time draws down, 

 the uneaten portion of the leaf making a 

 ; secure retreat for the winter. The leaf is 

 then carefully fastened to the stem from which 

 it grew, so that when it falls, it shall still re 

 main attached to the food plant. In this the 

 ' larva passes the winter, and when spring 

 I arrives, it wakes up, feeds more rapidly, 

 ! and by the end of May is full fed. We are 

 I indebted for much of the foregoing to Mr. 

 j Newman's graphic account of the 

 I species. A very detailed description of the 

 ; shedding of its last skin will be found in the 

 fourth volume of the Entomologists' Monthly 

 1 Magazine, from the able pen of Mr. W. 

 , Buckler. The final stage lasts about three 

 weeks. 



Habitat.— Woods in the south of Eng- 

 \ land. It does not occur in either Scotland or 

 or Ireland, and in England scarcely extends 

 1 to the Midlands. It is distinguished for its 

 exceedingly graceful flight, which is only 

 excelled by that of the Purple Emperor 

 ! (Apatura Iris J. It occurs throughout Central 

 j Europe, but is always local, and is also found 

 in Northern Asia. 



Variation. — This species has no named 

 varieties, and is tolerably constant to the 

 type, except that the central band is more or 

 less broken by the darker ground colour. We 

 have one in which very little of the band is 

 left ; but there are specimens in the rich collec- 

 tion of Mr. Bond, and others, in which not a 



28, SIBYLLA, Linn. PI. 12, fig. 4. 

 The White Admiral. 



" Sibylla, F., Sibylla, a Sibyl." — A.L. 



Imago.— El- 12, Fig. 4. Rusty black with 

 a row of white spots commencing on the 

 costa of the fore wing and continuing with 

 more or less interruption across the central part 

 of both wings. The fore wing has also a disc J 

 spot, often indistinct, two or three others near 

 the tip and one on the hind margin. There is 1 

 also a row of indistinct black spots near the hind I 

 margin of both wings. The markings on the 

 underside are similar in character but varied in 

 colour, the base of the wings being pale blue ' 

 and a good deal of yellowish brown beyond 

 the white band. The row of black spots is 

 more distinct by being on a paler ground. 



Larva.— PI- 12, fig. 4a. Bluish green, j 

 paler on the sides. Spinacular line very nar- j 

 row, white, spines, pale reddish brown, pinker : 

 at the tips, branched. Head and pro-legs 

 reddish brown. The larva is rather stouter j 

 in proportion than those of previous j 

 genera ; the head and second segments are 

 much narrower than the others. 



Pupa. — PI. 12, fig. 4b. Green with brown j 

 markings, and metallic blotches, both gold trace of it remains, the entire surface of all the 



and silvery in hue. In shape it is very much 

 angulated. the wing cases projecting on the 

 back, and on the ^other side are two very 

 prominent projections, the head, has two ear- 



wings being rusty black, with only the outer 

 row of darker spots traceable. 



Parasites. — We have not heard of any 

 being reared from this species yet. 



