QUEEN OF SPAIN FRITILLARY 
99 
fields, rough uncultivated land where Thistles, Scabious and 
other attractive wild flowers abound. 
Distribution. As regards this country, the south-eastern 
counties are the most productive localities for this butterfly, 
especially Kent, where by far the greatest numbers have 
occurred ; no fewer than twenty-five were captured at Dover 
in 1882. It has occurred as far north as Yorkshire and in 
1864 one was captured near Muchross in Killarney, the only 
known Irish record. It is a common continental species, 
occurring throughout Europe, and its distribution extends 
over North Africa, Northern Asia, to Japan. 
Time of Appearance. On the continent, A. lathonia is 
normally double-brooded and frequently three broods occur 
during the year. The first emergence takes place in the 
spring, when emigrants occasionally arrive on our eastern and 
southern coasts ; these are undoubtedly the parents of most 
of the specimens that have been captured in this country 
during the summer and autumn months. There is not the 
slightest doubt that several have been British-born, as ex¬ 
amples have been taken in perfectly fresh condition. On 
September 7th, 1872, near Canterbury was found a specimen 
which had only just emerged, with its wings limp, and not 
fully developed, which soon after matured. In July of the 
same year the Rev. A. H. Snowden found a pair in coition near 
Dover. Another with crippled wings was captured at Dover 
on September 14th, 1882 ; also a pair in coition at rest on a 
Thistle were found in the same locality on September 22nd, 
1883. These six specimens were obviously the progeny of 
spring emigrants. But apparently there is no authentic 
instance of the larva or pupa having been found in England, 
unless we accept the record in The Zoologist for 1862, stating 
that a larva was found suspended for pupation on a Hazel 
branch near Sudbury, Suffolk, and which successfully pupated 
and produced a fine specimen of A. lathonia . On July 26th, 
1872, a dead specimen of this butterfly was found on the shore 
at Felixstowe, which no doubt was an emigrant. This species 
has occurred in England from May to October inclusive, but 
August and September are the chief months for its appearance, 
when nearly all the specimens have been observed, only a few 
having been captured in May, June, July and October. 
