THE GLANVILLE FRITILLARY 125 
gliding just above the surface of the ground from flower to 
flower. 
Time of Appearance, M % cinxia is usually on the wing 
from about the middle of May and throughout the greater 
part of June. In very early seasons it is out at the beginning 
of May, and in such years a partial second brood occurs in 
August, otherwise it is single brooded in this country. 
Hibernation. M. cinxia hibernates in the larval state after 
its fourth moult. 
Egg Laying. When this butterfly intends laying its eggs, 
it resorts to the more sheltered spots on the cliffs, and to 
broken ground in the hollows which abound with the food 
plants of the larvae, viz. the Sea Plantain (Plantago maritima) 
and the Narrow-leaved Plantain ( P . lanceolata ). The female 
then searches out a plant, settles on one of the leaves, curves 
the abdomen under, and starts depositing. This occupies a 
long time while laying a large batch of eggs on the under 
surface, numbering between 200 and 300. The eggs hatch in 
twenty days. 
Egg. The egg is very small, only 0*50 mm. high. It is a 
truncated pyriform in shape, with a flattened base ; about 
twenty longitudinal keels run from the crown to about half¬ 
way down the side and then branch off in different directions. 
When first laid it is a bright primrose-yellow, and remains 
unchanged until a few days before hatching, when it becomes 
paler and finally assumes an ochreous-white or dull pearl 
colour, with a dull leaden crown caused by the dark head of 
the larva showing through the shell. 
Larva. At the end of August, the larvae (which are 
gregarious and live under a web) enter in hibernation. They 
hibernate in a dense web compactly spun amongst the 
base of the leaves or grass stems. At the bottom of the nest 
is a small opening. In the nest are separate compartments, 
all leading to each other, every compartment being full of 
larvae. 
During thq latter part of March, the larvae emerge from 
their sleeping compartments and assemble in a swarm outside 
the nest to take advantage of the sun's rays, and shortly after 
start feeding and become fully grown in May, after having 
moulted six times. 
