150 



THE YOUNG NATURALIST 



rarer form in which there are three distinct 

 degrees of length in the styles in different 

 plants is called trimorphic, and is found in 

 the purple loose strifes (Lythrum saMearia /, a 

 tall, handsome, showy plant, growing on the 

 margins of lakes and rivers, and flowering in 

 August. Primroses and cowslips are so well 

 known to every child, as to require no 

 description. The primrose comes into flower 

 several weeks earlier than the cowslip. In 

 southern England it may be found blooming 

 in February and March. As we go north- 

 ward it opens more tardily. There is usually 

 about a week's difference in blooming for 

 each degree of latitude. In the north of 

 Scotland it is looked for in May, and is 

 known as " May spinks." It loves to grow 

 on rather damp shady banks, and will thrive 

 where the sun never shines. It attains its 

 greatest luxuriance where the soil has an ad- 

 mixture of peat, and is most abundant in 

 woods. Whereas the cowslip prefers open 

 ground, such as old meadows and pastures, 

 and seems to be most prolific on a limestone 

 formation, where the fields are sometimes 

 yellow with its countless umbels of drooping 

 dark-eyed flowers. It is much less frequent 

 in Scotland than in England. 



(To be continued.) 



BRITISH BUTTERFLIES. 



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

 S. L. Mosley. 



(Assisted by Contributors to the Y. N.) 



Sub-Family II, Satyrinae. 



Imago.- -Generally dull colored insects, 

 most of them being various shades of brown, 

 but the members of one genus are black and 

 white. The hind margin is occasionally of 

 irregular outline, but not so much so as in 

 the first sub-family. One or both wings have 

 nearly always ocellated or eyed spots, one at 

 the tip of the fore wing, and one at the anal 

 angle of the hind wing, being most frequent. 



| In some genera there is a paler colored banc 

 ; or patch containing them. Sometimes the) 

 ' are bi-pupilled. These spots are mos 

 J numerous and most distinct on the unde: 

 side of the wings. The hind wing alway 

 j has a groove for the abdomen. They are no 

 j strong flyers, and many of the species ar 

 I found in woods and shady places. 



Larva.— Generally attenuated toward 

 j each end, but always tapering to. the tail 

 which terminates in two points. They fee< 

 I almost exclusively on grasses, and concea 

 : themselves during the day ; hence they ar 

 little seen, and those even of the mos 

 abundant species are known to few en to 

 mologists. They are not spiny, but clothe 

 with a fine pubescence. 



Pupa.— Stumpy, and scarcely angulated y 



: 



[ 



Sometimes suspended by the tail, in othe 

 cases, loose on the surface of the earth, o 

 ! among the grass stems. A few retire beneat 

 the surface, and form an earthy cocoon. 

 About sixty genera are recognised, of whic 

 I six or seven are found in Europe. Th 

 j number of genera depending on the impori 

 | ance attached to various characteristics. W 

 follow the arrangement of Mr. Doubleday a| 

 best known in this country, though we ce 

 tainly think the hairy eyes of JEgeria an 

 Megcera is a characteristic sufficiently distinc 

 to warrant them being placed in a separat 

 genus as many writers have done. 



They are not very easy to tabulate a 

 j except the genus Arge, they are all ver 

 ; similar in general character. The fe 

 j British species will be easily made out froi 

 I the descriptions, aided by the figures. 



Genus I, Arge. 



"Arge, Esp., Ar'ge, argos, white." — A.L 

 This genus includes those species th^ ( 

 have the ground colour of the wings whit 

 with black markings, which vary greatly i 

 extent. This makes the determination ( 

 closely allied species extremely difficul 

 Hence Doubleday and Westwood give i 

 species in the genus, and Kirby's late?) 

 catalogue only gives S, some of D. and YV 



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