British Butterfiles Part 10

THE MEADOW BROWN b.u.t.tERFLY. (_Hipparchia Janira._)

(Plate VI. fig. 1, Male; 1_a_, Female.)

Perhaps of all our b.u.t.terflies this is the least attractive, being too common to excite interest from its rarity or difficulty of attainment, as other dingy b.u.t.terflies do, and too plain and homely to win regard, in spite of its commonness, as the beautiful "Small Tortoise-sh.e.l.l" and the Common Blues do.

This is the sober brown insect that keeps up a constant fluttering, in suns.h.i.+ne and gloom, over the dry pasture land and barren hill-side; and perhaps it ought to find favour in our eyes, from this very fact of keeping up a cheerful spirit under circ.u.mstances the most unfavourable to b.u.t.terfly enjoyment in general.

The colouring of the _male_, on the upper side, may be described as a _sooty brown_, rather lighter about the eye-spot on the front wing. {102}

The _female_ is a little smarter in her attire, having an orange-tawny patch on the front wing.

Beneath, both s.e.xes are nearly alike; the general colour of the front wing being fulvous, or orange-brown, with a cool-brown margin. The hind wings are marked with tints of a duller brown, varying much in distinctness in different specimens.

The _caterpillar_ is green, with a white stripe on each side. Feeds on gra.s.ses.

The _b.u.t.terfly_ abounds almost everywhere, from June till the end of August.

THE LARGE HEATH b.u.t.tERFLY. (_Hipparchia t.i.thonus._)

(Plate VI. fig. 2, Male.)

Though much less abundant than the last, this is another very common species, and met with throughout England and the _south_ of Scotland.

The ground tint above is a _rich rust-colour_, or _orange-brown, bordered with dark-brown_; the base of the wings also slightly clouded with the same; and on each front wing, near the tip, there is a _black eye-spot_, with _two white_ dots. So far, both s.e.xes are similar; but the _male_ has, in addition, a _bar of dark-brown across the centre of the rust-coloured s.p.a.ce_, on the upper wing. This s.e.x is that figured on the plate. {103}

Underneath, there is a pretty arrangement of subdued colouring; that of the front wings nearly resembling the upper side; the lower wings clouded and spotted with russet-brown on a paler brown ground, the _dark rounded brown spots_ having _white_ centres; but there are _no black_ eye-spots on the hind wings.

The _caterpillar_ is greenish-grey, with reddish head and two pale lines on each side and a dark one down the back.

The _b.u.t.terfly_, a feeble flier and easily captured, appears in July and August; its favourite resorts being heaths, dry fields, and lanes.

It is sometimes called the _Small_ Meadow Brown, and the Gate-keeper.

THE RINGLET b.u.t.tERFLY. (_Hipparchia Hyperanthus._)

(Plate VI. fig. 3, Female.)

This is one of those b.u.t.terflies in which Nature, departing from her accustomed plan, has reserved the chief adornment of the wings for the _under_ surface, leaving the upper comparatively plain and unattractive.

In both s.e.xes the wings, above, are of a deep sepia brown, surrounded by a greyish white fringe, and bearing several black spots in paler rings, which rings are {104} much _less distinct_ in the _male_ than in the female, the s.e.x figured in the plate.

The under surface is of a soft russet ground, adorned with a wreath of the _ringlet_-spots from which the insect takes its common name. These are _black eye-spots_, white-centred and set in a clear ring of pale tawny colour. The most usual form and proportions of these spots are shown in the figure (with closed wings), but there are many varieties met with, the following being the most remarkable that have come under my notice.

One, and not a very uncommon one, has _no light rings_ round the black spots on the under side.

Another has the rings reduced to a range of mere light specks, the _black eye-spots being entirely absent_.

Then again, another has the black _pupils_ exceedingly large and rich, forming a most elegant variety.

The spots on the _upper_ side in the _male_ are sometimes quite imperceptible.

The ground colour of the _upper_ side is occasionally of a pale drab or fawn colour.

The _caterpillar_ of this species is very like that of the last in colouring, and feeds on the same gra.s.ses.

The _b.u.t.terfly_, which is out in June and July, is a common and widely distributed species, frequenting woods, shady corners of hedge-rows, &c.

{105}

THE SCOTCH ARGUS b.u.t.tERFLY. (_Erebia Blandina._)

(Plate VI. fig. 4, Female.)

The genus _Erebia_, to which this species belongs, is composed of a group of mountain b.u.t.terflies, very numerous in the Alpine regions of the Continent, seventeen species being described as inhabiting the Alps; and, though only two have yet been discovered in this country (unless we admit _Ligea_, formerly taken in the Isle of Arran[10]), it is not at all improbable that others may be waiting for us in some of the mountain districts, if we will but look them up. Both tourists and, more especially, residents in those localities should be encouraged by the hope of adding a new species to our list to explore thoroughly the hill-sides and summits at various seasons of the year, as many of the species, besides being extremely local in their range, are only on the wing during a very short period of the year.

The Scotch Argus is a pretty, though not brightly-coloured b.u.t.terfly.

The colour above is a deep rich brown, with a coppery or orange-red band on each wing, and each band has several (three or four usually) black eye-spots thereon.

{106}

On the under side, the front wings are nearly the same as on the upper side, showing the red patch and eyes plainly; but the hind wings are without the red patch, and are divided into broad bands of brownish tints, very variable, having sometimes a tendency to chocolate colour, sometimes to an olive or russet brown: but the stripe which is shown as lightest in the engraving of the under side is almost always greyer than the rest, having occasionally a purplish ash colour. On this band are some minute specks, occupying the places of the upper surface eyes.

The number of eye-spots is very variable on both surfaces.

The female, which is the s.e.x figured, is both larger than the male and has the reddish band of a brighter colour.

The _caterpillar_, whose food plant is unknown, is stated by Duncan to be "light green, with brown and white longitudinal stripes; head reddish."

The _b.u.t.terfly_ appears in August and September. A few years ago it was esteemed a rare insect, but it has since been found in plenty in some of the following localities, the list of which would doubtless be largely added to by further research in the northern hilly districts, its chosen haunts.

Near Edinburgh; near Minto, in Roxburghs.h.i.+re; Isle of Arran; Braemar; near Newcastle; Castle Eden Dene; Durham; Craven; Wharfedale. {107}

At Grange, in North Lancas.h.i.+re, this "rarity" is a common garden b.u.t.terfly, according to Mr. C. S. Gregson.

THE MOUNTAIN RINGLET b.u.t.tERFLY. (_Erebia Ca.s.siope._)

(Plate VI. fig. 5.)

A few years ago this little b.u.t.terfly was esteemed one of the greatest of British rarities. The first well authenticated specimens were discovered and captured in Westmoreland by that distinguished artist, T. Stothard, R.A.; then for several years no more were taken, and the very existence of the b.u.t.terfly in Britain was questioned. Since that time, however, its peculiar haunts among the mountains of c.u.mberland and Westmoreland have been rediscovered, and great numbers have been captured by various collectors. It is only found in very elevated situations, flying about the moist, springy spots that abound on these mountain sides, and in many spots the insect is very plentiful, within a limited range.