136 
NYMPHALIDAE 
butterflies swarmed in extraordinary abundance, fluttering, 
floating and sitting with fully-expanded wings (all with their 
backs to the afternoon sun, adding to the brilliancy of their 
colouring) while feasting on the nectar of the Scabious. The 
number of these butterflies was quite remarkable, being in 
far greater profusion than T had ever found them before or 
since. Within the space of a square yard T counted no fewer 
than ten at rest on the flowers at the same time, and as far 
as the eye could reach they could be seen fluttering over the 
growth in all directions. The majority of them were in 
perfect condition, apparently freshly emerged. To add to 
the beauty of the picture, there were several Peacocks, 
Brimstones and Small Tortoiseshells, but only one Painted 
Lady was seen. 
The Red Admiral is distributed over the whole of the 
British Isles, and like its near ally the Painted Lady, its 
range extends throughout the whole of the north temperate 
regions of both the Old and New Worlds. 
Time of Appearance. The Red Admiral seldom makes its 
appearance in any numbers before the latter part of May, 
and more often during the beginning of June, which is long 
after the hibernated specimens have made their reappearance. 
During 1933, the first hibernated example appeared in January 
at Plymouth ; one was seen in Devon on February 21st ; 
another on March 3rd at Southampton ; one in Co. Cork on 
March 29th ; and another on April 7th at Reading. All 
these were undoubted hibernated specimens. 
As these early butterflies remain on the wing until June, 
they overlap the appearance of the immigrants, and as the 
offspring of the latter begin to emerge in July, and a succession 
of broods are produced, this beautiful butterfly may be met 
with on the wing in every month of the year. In the Scilly 
Islands it remains on the wing throughout November and 
December, where I have seen it on bright, sunny days. 
As frost is practically non-existent in those islands, probably 
V. atalania only , goes through partial hibernation during the 
most stormy weather, as it does in other warm and sheltered 
spots along our southern and south-western coastal districts. 
Hibernation. Although the English climate is unsuited to 
this butterfly, females occasionally survive the winter ; the 
