Var. _charlotta_ differs very little from the type on the upper side, but on the under side of the hind wings the basal silvery spots are united, as shown in the upper reverse side figure on the plate. This variety was known to the entomologist of Haworth's time as the "Queen of England Fritillary," and there is a figure of it in Sowerby's "British Miscellany," which was published in 1806. The egg is yellowish when first laid, and a day or two afterwards violet-brown rings appear above the base and the apical half. It is ribbed and finely cross-ribbed, and some of the ribs are continued to the truncate and slightly depressed top. When full grown the caterpillar is shining purplish-grey, thickly mixed with velvety black; the grey is most in evidence between the rings and along the lower part of the sides. There is a yellow stripe along the middle of the back, and this has a central black line of irregular width; along the lower part of the sides there is a row of reddish spots, and these are connected by a fine yellowish line. The black spines are branched, and, except on the first three rings, which have only two rows, arranged in three rows on each side of the yellow stripe. The head is glossy black, and, like the body, hairy. (_Adapted from Buckler._) It feeds in May and June on dog-violet, and has been reared on garden pansy. The chrysalis has the head, thorax, and wing-cases black, very glossy, and marked with pale brownish; the body is pale brownish, and the points black. Suspended in a tent-like arrangement of leaves. Moorlands, downs, sea-cliffs, and flowery slopes are the kind of situations most to the fancy of this agile butterfly. It is on the wing in July and August, and is much more easily seen than caught. However, it is rather fond of perching on the taller kinds of thistles, and is then not difficult to capture, if quietly approached. It is common locally in most of the English and Welsh counties. In Ireland it seems to be chiefly attached to the coast, and is plentiful in some of its localities. In Scotland it occurs in many suitable districts, but Skye is the only one of the isles from which it has been reported. Its distribution extends through Europe and Asia to Amurland, China, and Japan. [Illustration: _Pl._ 54. =High Brown Fritillary.= 1, 4, 5 _male_; 2, 3 _female_.] [Illustration: _Pl._ 55. =Dark Green Fritillary.= _Eggs, natural size and enlarged; caterpillar and chrysalis._] The Queen of Spain Fritillary (_Argynnis lathonia_).