THE SMALL WHITE 
303 
years vast flights invade our shores from abroad ; at times 
the swarms are so dense as to obscure the sun, and resemble 
snowstorms, also vessels at sea are completely covered by 
them. Upon reaching the coast they spread inland over the 
country. Consequently, owing to such immigrations, it is 
much more abundant in some years than in others. It is to 
be met with everywhere, in fields, gardens, lanes, woods and 
open downs ; it also frequents the largest towns. 
The Small White generally resorts to white flowers and 
white or variegated foliage, for the purpose of resting for 
the night and for alighting during dull weather. On August 
19th of one year, between 10 and n a.m., I found one at 
rest on an unexpanded blossom of a white Everlasting Pea, 
which it very closely resembled both in form and colour ; 
the whole day being dull and sunless, it remained motionless 
until the sun appeared at noon on the following day, when 
it flew off. During the same month, on four consecutive 
evenings, I observed another specimen visit a bed of crimson 
Petunias, with the exception of one plant with white flowers, 
which the butterfly carefully selected each evening to rest 
upon for the night; it chose one of the white unexpanded 
blossoms to settle upon, and as soon as it had alighted with 
closed wings, it became hardly distinguishable. 
Time of Appearance. The Small White is the first butterfly 
to emerge from the chrysalis in early spring. In exceptional 
cases during a continuance of mild weather, it has made its 
appearance on the wing as early as February, occasionally in 
March ; but the normal time for its first occurrence is during 
the first or second week in April, according to the mildness 
of the season. It is fully out in May, when the first eggs are 
laid ; these produce the second brood towards the end of 
June and in July ; in fine warm summers these again in turn 
lay their eggs, which result in a third brood at the end of 
August and in September. The butterflies of this late 
emergence remain on the wing until the middle of October 
and occasionally as late as the end of that month. The 
offspring of the autumn brood pupate and remain in that 
state throughout the winter. During very warm weather the 
stages are rapidly passed through, and three broods are produced 
during the year; but in cold summers only two broods occur. 
