THE LEPIDOPTERA OF ESSEX.
97
Melanargia galatea, L. Marbled White.
Geographical Distribution—Central and South Europe (except Spain), Armenia.
Very local in England, absent from Scotland and Ireland.
Larva.—Green or buff (variable), darker stripes on back and sides, faint
reddish line along black spiracles ; head pinkish-brown. Food—Various grasses,
especially cocksfoot. Imago—July ; hibernates as larva.
Very local ; it has disappeared from many of its old localities and
is rapidly becoming rare in others ; flight feeble and short. Said to
be extinct in Suffolk and Yorkshire.
" It is most frequent with us round Braintree in Essex ; I first
observed it flying this year [1690] in the month of June, about the
feast of St. John Baptist, particularly in marshy and wet places" (Ray,
H.I. 116). This species is figured twice in Benj. Allen's MS. book.
Felstead (Rep. F.S.N.H.S., ii. 44). Mersey Island, Stour and Hart-
ley Woods (Jermyn ; V.M. 71). In great plenty, Hartley Wood, St.
Osyth ("Mac" ; F. xii 430). Three or four on the railway banks near
Lexden ; it has disappeared from Hartley Wood, St. Osyth, where it
was formerly common (Harwood ; B.B. 79) One, Colchester, 1859
(Harwood ; E.W.I. vii. 28). One, Hazeleigh, some years since
(Raynor ; T.E.F.C. iii. 38). Common along the coast and on the
slopes near Hadleigh Castle (Vaughan ; E.N. iii. 126). I captured
one on Hadleigh Castle slopes at our field meeting, July 13th, 1889
(Fitch ; E.N. iii. 284). I have found it fairly common in Canvey
and at South Benfleet and Thundersley, 1872-4. In profusion
on Laindon Hills (H. Corder ; N.H.J. ii. 132.) Epping (E.
Doubleday ; B.B. 79) Epping, common (S.M. i. 26). High Beach,
nearly disappeared from woods east of Epping, 1835 (E. Doubleday ;
Ent. Mag. iii. 150). Hog Hill, Hainhault Forest, much scarcer now
than formerly, July, 1857 (W. Gates ; E.W.I. ii. 71). Used to
occur, Hainhault Forest (English ; Proc. E.F.C. iv. xxxiii.).
Pararge egeria, L. Speckled Wood.
Geographical Distribution—Central, South and South-west Europe, N. Africa,
Syria. Throughout Britain.
Larva—Dull green with greenish-yellow stripes, head green. Food—Grasses,
especially cocksfoot. Imago—April, July and August, hibernates as larva ? or
pupa ? (see Entom. xii. 3, 57). On April 23rd, 1873, Mr. Buckler received from
Rev. John Hellins three larvae that he had brought through hibernation, having
reared them from the eggs, one pupated on May 2nd and emerged on June 4th
(Larvae, p. 27). Snellen says "Some examples hibernated as pupae, others as
larvae." Rev. J. Greene several times met with the pupa in winter when pupa-
digging.
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