Cl. 2. S. b. 1.
The MARMORIS, or MARBLE BUTTERFLY. On the 8th of July, 1748. I took with my Net several Females of this sort of Fly, which is very common amongst the Hay-Grass. I put them in a Box, taking Care to hurt them as little as possible, with full Hopes that some of them would lay their Eggs; and according to my Wishes the next Morning I had 160 Eggs, which, when first laid, were of a fine yellow Colour, but in less than a Minute’s Time they became perfectly white, and are not glutinous like many other Sorts. On the 27th and 28th of the same Month the young Caterpillars appeared, and were put on common Grass to feed: They continued extremely small for some Months, and, notwithstanding great Care was taken of them, only three Flies were produced, the rest all dying in the Caterpillar State.
The different Changes observed in these three were as follows.
| Caterpillars changed their Skins. | Went to Chrysalis. | The Flies were bred. | ||||||
| The | { | 1st April,11 | May 6 | May 26 | June — 14 | July — 11 | } | 1748 |
| { | 2d April, 28 | May 21 | June 6 | June — 30 | July — 23 | } | ||
| { | 3d May, 1 | May 21 | June 9 | July — 4 | July — 27 | } | ||
The Caterpillars that produced these Flies changed to Chrysalis on the Ground, without fastening themselves to any Thing, and were fed all the Time with common Grass, and it is presumed changed their Skins twice before the 11th of April.
L. III. ch. I.
Cl. 2. S. b. 1.
(High Resolution Image)
Figure 1. The Bent Grass. 2. Brown Millet-Grass. 3. Yellow Ladies Bedstraw. 4. The Great Fox-tail Grass.