The most common and conspicuous of our white butterflies belong to the genus Póntia, with which I shall begin. Mr. Stephens forms two divisions of it; the first having an obtuse angle at the tip of the fore wings, while the hinder wings are uniform in colour or not variegated on their under surface; the second having the tip of the fore wings rounded, and the hinder wings variegated beneath.

I. Fore wings with an obtuse angle at the tip; hinder wings of one colour on the under surface.

the

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a

1. The common large cabbage butterfly (Póntia brassica) (fig. 55.) measures 2 in. across wings, whose upper surface is milk-white; the tips marked with a black band, irregularly jagged on the inner edge (a a), and having a black spot (bb) on the upper edge of the hinder wings. The under surface of the fore

wings is white, with a yellow band at the tips, and two black spots on the disc of each; the upper surface in the male having two corresponding spots which are wanting in the female. The under surface of the hinder wings is yellow, thickly studded with minute black points.

a

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2. The early cabbage butterfly (Póntia Chariclèa Steph.) (fig. 56.) is exceedinglylike the preceding, though there are a few points of distinction. It usually appears much earlier than P. brássicæ, and is considerably less in size; the wings expanding only 24 in., while the black band at the tip of the

wings is paler, and not jagged on the inner margin (a a), and the outer margin is fringed with yellowish white.

In the

female, the inner margin of this band is deeply shaded with black. The inferior size alone appears to be sufficient to distinguish this insect as a peculiar species.

3. The small cabbage butterfly (Póntia ràpa) (fig. 57.) is very similar to the preced ing, but much smaller, the wings only expanding about 2 in. or less; sometimes there is one, sometimes two, black spots on the upper disk of each fore wing; and in some varieties the spot is nearly wanting. There are always,

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however, two black spots on the under surface of each forewing, as in P. brássica and P. Chariclèa.

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4. The spotless small cabbage butterfly (Póntia metra Steph.) (fig. 58.) is very like that variety of the preceding in which the wing spots are nearly wanting. It is of the same size as the preceding, but appears earlier. The tip of the wings is acutely angled, where there is a slightly shaded dusky band. The base of the wings is deep black; and the black spots on the disk, which characterise the three preceding species, are on this very faint, if not altogether wanting 5. The green-veined white butterfly (Póntia nàpi) (fig. 59.) is somewhat less than the two preceding species, but is easily distinguished from them by dilated greenish veins branching over the under disk of the wings; as may be seen in the figure. The upper surface of the tips of the fore wings is shaded with black, and the disk, in the female, marked with two large

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black spots placed transversely. Considerable variety occurs in the markings.

6. The larger green-veined white butterfly (Póntia Napæ æ Esper.) is considerably broader in the expansion of the wings than the preceding. The ground colour is milk-white, with the upper tips of the fore wings black, and also a black spot on their disk, with two or three triangular dashes on their hinder margin; the veins below are dilated and greenish.

according to Mr. Stephens, with P. bryòniæ of Wallner. It is not easy to distinguish it from the preceding.

II. Fore wings with the tip rounded; under wings variegated

white spots and an angular transverse line.

other butterfly; but as the female has no orange mark, it may be necessary to look at the under side of the hinder wings, the fine marbling of which cannot be mistaken.

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10. The wood white butterfly (Leucophàsia sinàpis Steph.) (fig. 63.) measures 1 in. in the expansion of the wings, which are milk-white, with the tip of the fore wings rounded and dusky. In the female the wings are more rounded. It is by no means so common as those which fre

quent the cruciform plants; its caterpillar feeding, not on Sinapis, but on the bird's-foot trefoil (Lòtus corniculatus), and pea everlasting (Láthyrus praténsis).

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11. The blackveined white butterfly (Pièris cratæ gi) (fig. 64.) is a beautiful indigenous insect, which seems to have disappeared from the vicinity of London for several years.

The expanded wings measure 23 in., being consequently about the same size as the P. Chariclèa. The wings are of a uniform white colour, distinctly veined with black. It frequents woods and hedges; the caterpillars, which are black with yellow and white hairs, feeding in society beneath a silken web, on the hawthorn.

12. The brimstone butterfly (Gonépte-< ryx rhámni) (fig.65.) cannot properly be ranked amongst our white butterflies, since the ground colour is bright primrose yellow; but this applies only to the

male: the female is greenish white, with a dusky spot at the base of the wings, and an orange spot in the centre. The angular shape of the wings, however, will at once distinguish it beyond all mistake.

From these brief sketches, aided by the figures, which are given from the accurate pencil of Sowerby, I think it will be in the power of the youngest and least experienced collectors to distinguish and name any of the white butterflies which they may chance to capture.

Lee, Kent, June 25. 1829.

ART. VI. Notice respecting an Oak Tree struck by Lightning. By the Rev. T. W. S.

Sir,

I HAVE sent you a drawing (fig. 66.) of an oak growing in the parish of Weston, in Norfolk, which was struck by light

ning on the 26th of last September. The drawing was taken immediately after, and represents the damage sustained at the