1. Pine Beauty
2. Old Lady
1. Pink-barred Sallow
2. Angel-shades
3. Silver Y
1. Beautiful Yellow Underwing
2. Orange Underwing
3. Burnished Brass
BUTTERFLIES AND
MOTHS
PART I
BUTTERFLIES
PLATE I
THE SILVER-WASHED FRITILLARY (1)
THE Fritillaries are handsome golden-brown butterflies, with black blotches and streaks on the upper surface of all the wings, and a number of beautiful silvery spots upon the lower surface of the hinder ones. Nine different kinds are found in Great Britain, but one of these—the “Queen of Spain”—is very rare indeed, and several others are very “local”; that is, they are only found in a few places, so that you are not likely ever to see them. But the Silver-washed Fritillary is common in almost every large wood. You may see it flying about on any warm sunny day in July and the early part of August. And it is very fond indeed of resting with outspread wings on bramble blossoms, while it eagerly sucks up their sweet juices.
The caterpillar of this beautiful butterfly feeds upon violet leaves. It is rather a curious-looking creature, for it is covered all over with thorny spikes, two of which, placed just behind the head, are a good deal longer than the others. In colour it is black, with yellow lines along the back and sides. About the end of May it hangs itself up by its tail to the stem of a bramble-bush, or some other low shrub, and turns into a fat, humpy, grey chrysalis, spotted all over with silver and gold.