8 



Of the white butterflies found in England, next to Daplidice, this is the 

 rarest. It is a delicate, and by no means inelegant insect, though altogether 

 plain in its appearance, and may readily be distinguished from the other 

 analogous species, by the extreme blackness of the veinings both of the upper 

 and lower wings. From being very sparingly coated with scales, the wings 

 are semi-transparent, differing much in this respect from the Large Cabbage 

 White, which it equals in size, and might be mistaken for on the wing. It 

 will be observed, that instead of the feathered fringe that surrounds the wings 

 of most butterflies, they are bordered in this species by a stout nervure, form- 

 ing a sharp outline, and giving a peculiarly chaste finish. The underside 

 differs in no mentionable respect from the upper, which is a very rare cir- 

 cumstance amongst the butterflies. The female has a small smoke-coloured 

 marking at the disc of the fore wings, which are generally of a browner tint 

 than in the males. 



The eggs are, according to Kollar, cylindrical, rather thinner at the ends 

 than in the middle, longitudinally ribbed, and of a shining yellow colour. 

 They lie exposed on the leaf, without being covered in any way, sometimes 

 lying in rows one against another, sometimes in an upright position, to the 

 number of one hundred and fifty. In a fortnight after being first laid, they 

 change to a silvery colour, and look more deeply ribbed, and as if covered 

 with beads at both ends. 



The caterpillar feeds on the hawthorn, sloe, and various kinds of fruit trees. 

 When young it is black, but becomes afterwards thickly covered with whitish 

 hairs, and on the sides and underneath is of a dark grey colour, with two 

 longitudinal stripes of red or yellow. 



That accurate observer of Nature, accomplished scholar, and highly pleas- 

 ing poet, the late Rev. Dr. Hurdis, has thus minutely described the birth and 

 habits of the caterpillar : — 



" Hatch'd by the sunbeam from continuous cells, 

 Around the slender apple-twig combin'd 

 In circuit orderly, egg glued to egg, 

 Issue the caterpillar swarm minute. 

 There left, oviparous, her half-born brood, 

 Ere summer clos'd, the parent left and died. 

 There have they still endur'd, and still surviv'd 

 y^V • M(7^\ Sharp winter's tyranny ; the bitter frost 



<Qy . 20 i That slew the myrtle, and the lasting leaf 



Of the screen'd laurel chang'd, no death to them : 

 s^l/A^V^/^ 1 Now busily convened, upon the bud 



^i-Lu That crown their genial .branch, they feast sublime, 

 And spread their muslin canopy around, 

 Pavillion'd richer than the proudest king. 



Favorite Village, B. 4, p. 175. 



