THE SMALL PEARL-BORDERED FRITILLARY 
9i 
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (ab. 
captured at St. Osyth, Farn. coll). 
As a rule A. selene is single 
brooded, but sometimes, especi¬ 
ally in fine warm summers, a 
few larvae in a brood continue 
feeding (while the remainder 
cease doing so preparatory to 
hibernation) and pupate ; these 
produce butterflies in August, 
resulting in a partial second 
brood. 
Hibernation. A. selcnc passes the winter in the larval state. 
The period of hibernation extends from the end of August 
until March. 
Egg Laying. The eggs are laid singly, chiefly on the under 
side of the leaves of the Dog Violet (Viola canina) in June, and 
remain in the egg state from ten to twelve days. 
Egg. The egg measures in height 0-65 mm., is of a conical 
shape, with from eighteen to twenty longitudinal keels, 
irregular in form and varying in length. About half of these 
run from the crown to the base, the others start at different 
distances from the crown ; the spaces between the keels are 
concave and are ribbed transversely by about twenty in 
number. When first laid, the egg is greenish-orange, gradually 
becoming paler and finally changing to pale ochreous, with 
a dull slate-grey crown caused by the dark head of the larva 
showing through the shell. 
Larva. In normal seasons the larva hatches from the egg 
at the end of June. After feeding for two months, and 
moulting three times, it enters into hibernation at the end 
of August. It selects for its hibernaculum a dead, withered 
violet leaf and hides up in the curled-up portion, which is 
the same colour as the larva and forms both shelter and 
protective colouring to the larva during its long winter’s 
sleep. 
When fully grown, after its fourth moult and 310 days old, 
the larva measures 21 mm. long. The body tapers at each 
end. There are twelve longitudinal rows of short, conical, 
ochreous-coloured tubercles, each bearing a number of stiff, 
short, black bristles. The ground colour is sienna-brown, 
freckled with minute white spots. The larva feeds mostly by 
