Today I am focusing on some rare
butterflies as recorded in `British Butterflies` by W.S. Coleman ( 1905). The
accompanying image, plate XV in this book, shows, in size order from the largest
to the smallest,
- The Scarce
Swallowtail.(Noon position.)
- Apollo. (Centre
left.)
- Arran Brown (7pm
position)
- Weaver`s Fritillary
( 11 a.m position)
- Purple-Edged Copper
( 3p.m position.)
- Tailed Blue ( 5p.m
position)
- Tailed Blue,
another view. ( 4p.m – ish position)
Coleman has the following to say:
Scarce Swallow-Tail Papilio Podalirius
“There is no reasonable doubt that
several individuals of this elegant butterfly were formerly taken in various
parts of the country, but no captures have occurred for many years past. The
caterpillar,also,was more than once found in the New Forest District,Hampshire.
Generally a common insect on the Continent.”
The Apollo. Parinassius Apollo
“Although many years have gone by
since any capture of this splendid butterfly has been authentically recorded in
this country, we retain a figure of it in this work to remind us of what a
collector of,say, a hundred years ago,might have a reasonable chance of taking –
as there is little doubt it was a regular inhabitant , or visitant, in bygone
years, and this remark would apply equally to the Scarce
Swallowtail”
.
The Arran Brown Erebia
Ligea
“Of this species, greatly resembling
our E.Blandina, several specimens
were formerly taken by some entomologists in the Isle of Arran, where,as also in
other mountain districts, it may probably still exist;but its haunts have to be
re-discovered by some enterprising butterfly-hunter. From Blandina, which it almost exactly
resembles on the upper surface, it may be distinguished by the marking of the
under side of the hind wing, on which is an irregular, broken band of pure white, and between this and the
margin a row of three distinct
black eye-spots.”
The Weaver`s Fritillary Argynnis Dia
“This rare species so closely
resembles Euphrosyne and Selene in its upper surface it might
readily be,and perhaps often is,passed by as one of those common insects.
Underneath it is chiefly recognised by the beautiful blush of silvery purple that suffuses the centre of
the hind wings, and more faintly tinges the tip of the upper wings. There are
some small silver markings on the hind wings and a border of round silver dots,
not lunules. The size of those I have seen is also smaller than the average
specimens of Euphrosyne and
Selene.
The name “Weaver`s” Fritillary, is
due to the fact that its first recorded capture in this country was by Mr
Richard Weaver at Sutton Park, near Tamworth. Since then it has been taken at
Alderley in Cheshire;at Sutton
Coldfield;Manchester;Worcester Park;Surrey;Hastings; but only in single examples. This
insect is plentiful over the Continent, and found in woods and bushy places like
our own common Fritillaries. The larva feeds on plants of the violet genus in
April and May .”
The Purple-Edged Copper Chrysophanus
Chryseis
“As this species has been admitted
by that very careful and accurate entomologist , Mr Stainton, into his “Manual”,
I cannot refuse it a place here,though,from all the information I can gain,its
only claim to the name of “British” rests on a tradition of it having been taken
a long time ago in Ashdown Forest,Sussex;and since then by a dealer,in Epping
Forest. It is a beautiful insect, coppery-red, bordered with changeable purple,
and I should be glad to see it fairly established on our list of “ British
Butterflies.”
Tailed Blue Polyommatus
Boeticus
“This interesting little butterfly
has been long known as a southern insect with a very wide range of distribution,
abounding in the south of Europe,and extending into India,Java etc.
Then in 1859 it was found in Guernsey.and in August of the same year a specimen
was actually captured on the Chalk Downs near Brighton. Since then,from time to time,other specimens
have turned up on,or near,the south coast,and it is likely that many a one has
escaped capture by its great resemblance to a Common Blue when on the wing,both
in its colouring and in its habit of flitting about over open grassy spots. So
that it would be well when collecting about the south coast to net all doubtful
looking Blues,just for inspection…”
What has Corinna's column of Fortean bird news got to do with cryptozoology?
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