disappearance of Digitalis purpurea, as soon as we entered upon a chalky or lime-stone district; while, at the same time, Pastinaca sativa, which had not before shewn itself, became abundant. Having to remain a few hours at Oxford, I was directed by Mr. Baxter, the indefatigable curator of the Botanic Garden, to a spot about half a mile from the city, where Lythrum Hyssopifolium grows in considerable quantities, and of which I gathered fine specimens. My stay at Southampton was too short to enable me to make any addition to my collection, with the exception of Sinapis tenuifolius, which grows plentifully on walls in the town. In the neighbourhood of Ryde and Cowes, may be found many of the plants that are common to most of the British coasts; such as Eryngium Maritimum, Glaucium luteum, Cakile maritima, Salsola kali, Plantago maritima, Statice limonium, &c. In a wood near Sea-view, about two miles from Ryde, I met, for the first time, with Rubia peregrina, which, from its appearance, might readily be mistaken, by the young botanist, for a Galium. Orchis pyramidalis was, also, growing luxuriantly in the same place. Iris fœtidissima is most abundant in every part of the island; as is, also, Scolopendrium vulgare, which may be seen under almost every hedge. On a bank by the side of the road leading from Cowes to Newport, not a mile from the former place, I gathered Linaria repens, a plant found chiefly in the south of England. Linaria spuria and Linaria Elatine, also, grow in many parts of the island: my specimens were gathered in the garden of the Ventnor Hotel, where they had sprung up as common weeds. The neighbourhood of Ventnor, and indeed the whole line of the Undercliff, is rich in botanical rarities. The Undercliff extends along the coast for about six miles, and, with its towering rocks, its romantic villas, and its glorious sea-views, presents such a combination of beauty and grandeur as is scarcely to be paralleled. I cannot avoid offering a few remarks, en passant, upon this singular tract of country which may be regarded as a kind of terrace, on the south east coast, and varying from a quarter to half a mile in breadth. It is sufficiently elevated above the level of the sea to exempt it, in a great measure, from sea fogs; while, at the same time, it is so effectually protected from winds, by the rocky barrier and lofty downs, by which it is bounded on the north, as to offer, perhaps, a more genial climate than can be found in any other part of this kingdom. In proof of this assertion, it may be stated that many exotic plants which, in other parts of the island, require the protection of the greenhouse, flourish there in the open air, and even survive the winter. Myrtles and geraniums may be mentioned as growing there most luxuriantly; but more particularly Hydrangea Hortensis, which may frequently be seen in cottage gardens, from six to eight feet high, and completely covered with its large heads of blossoms. From these circumstances, as well as from personal observation, I have no hesitation in saying that the Undercliffe offers a more advantageous residence to the consumptive invalid, during the months of winter and early spring, than any other part of the British coast. My opinion on this subject is fully confirmed by Dr. James Clark, in his admirable work On Climate, who thus expresses himself:"Indeed, it is matter of surprise to me, after having fully examined this favoured spot, that the advantages which it possesses in so eminent a degree, in point of shelter and exposition, should have been so long overlooked in a country like this, whose inhabitants, during the last century, have been traversing half the globe in search of climate." I must return, however, from this digression, and proceed to notice the habitats of a few of the plants that are found in this interesting district. Chlora perfoliata, with its elegant panicles of star-like flowers, adorns the road-side between Shanklin and Saint Lawrence; and near the diminutive church of the latter vil lage, may be seen Mentha rotundifolia growing in profusion. Rubia peregrina, Inula Helenium, and Hypericum androsæmum, are seen plentifully between Luccomb and Bonchurch; and under the cliff at Luccomb, Lathyrus sylvestris grows in beautiful luxuriance, and in great profusion, as stated by Dillwyn and Turner, in their Botanist's Guide. It is, indeed, somewhat remarkable that the habitats of plants in the Isle of Wight should, for the most part, be found, even now, so correct in a work which has been published full thirty years. To this imperfect list of plants I will only add one more, which, on account of its singularity, ought not to be omitted; it is a double variety of Potentilla repens, which, with its little rose-like blossoms, is truly beautiful: it grows plentifully and, apparently, wild in a wood not far from Norris Castle. AN OUTLINE OF BRITISH CATERPILLARS. No. I. Genus, VANESSA. IN a former Volume of The Analyst, we gave a slight notice of the new and valuable work of Messrs. Boisduval, Rambur, and Graslin, on the Caterpillars of Europe.* At the close of that Review, a promise was held out to the entomological student, that we would revert to the important subject, and occasionally present a sketch of the various Lepidoptera, in this active and interesting stage of their progress from the ovum to the adult or imago state. Such promise we shall now redeem; taking, as by far the most minute and generally correct which we have yet met with, the descriptions of the different Caterpillars from the zealous and enlightened French entomologists, to whose unrivalled work we have just adverted. In reading these descriptions, some allowance must obviously be made for the diversities of colouring which may result either from the accidental variations, occasionally exhibited by all organized productions, or from differences of food and climate. The beautiful genus, Vanessa, belonging to the Family of the Nymphalidæ of modern Entomologists, is, as regards the British species, divided, by the accurate and scientific Curtis, into three Sections, or Sub-genera; respectively characterized by the figure of the wings of the adult insects composing it, and the habits of their Caterpillars. Preferring the arrangement of Curtis to every other yet published, we shall take the liberty of almost literally transcribing it from his admirable Illustrations of the Genera of British Insects.† See Analyst, vol. ii., p. 53. + British Entomology, vol. ii., pl. 96. All the species of the modern Lepidopterous genus, Vanessa, were comprehended, by Linnæus, in his great genus, Papilio; the principal characteristic distinction of which was the clubbed antenna. Stephens,-Systematic Catalogue of British Insects, Part ii., p. 11, has severed from the genus, as constructed by Curtis, the 7th species; and, placing it in a new genus, under the title of Cynthia Cardui, enumerated the Hampstediensis, (Hampstead-eve, of Albin),-probably a mere variety of V. cardui, as a distinct species. In his projects of entomological innovation, rather than of reform, this distinguished author has, however, been outstripped by Professor Rennie; who, in addition to Cynthia, has formed two new genera, Comma and Ammiralis, respectively including the C. album and Atalanta, of Curtis. See Conspectus of Butterflies, etc., p. 8. The Chrysalis, or Pupa, of all the species of the genus are, it may be observed, of an angular figure; and attached, as will be seen in the accompanying wood-cut, to the various bodies from which they are suspended, by the tail.* These figures of V. antiopa, in its various states, were executed, under our own inspection, by a Birmingham artist, named Royle; and are his first attempt at the representation of entomological subjects on wood. We insert them here, as illustrating the figure of the wings characteristic of Mr. Curtis' second Sub-genus, and the general aspect of the Caterpillar and Chrysalis of the genus. For the future, any iconographical illustrations which we may give on this subject, will be either drawn from nature, or borrowed from the admirable engravings of Messrs. Boisduval, Rambur, and Graslin. Genus, VANESSA. A. Wings irregularly lobed. Caterpillars gregarious, with bituberculated heads. Species 1. Vanessa C. album, The Comma. B. Wings angulated. Caterpillars gregarious. 2. 3. 4. 5. Urtica, The Lesser Tortoise-shell. Polychloros, The Greater Tortoise-shell. c. Inferior wings rounded and indented. Caterpillars solitary. Of the Caterpillars of these seven British species, belonging to the genus Vanessa, our limits will allow us to trace only a description of the following three. In a future number, we shall present figures of the perfect insect; illustrative of the two remaining subgenera of Vanessa, and terminate our list of the caterpillars by a description of the other four. The first two of the following belong to the 2nd -, and the third to the 3rd Sub-genus, as arranged by Mr. Curtis. Vanessa Urtica. Boisduval, Nymphalides, pl. 1. fig. 4, 5, and 6; —Donovan, v. ii., pl. 55. Caterpillar: blackish, minutely sprinkled with yellow. Each ring exhibiting a circular row of seven branched spines; except the 2nd and 3rd, which have but four, and the 1st and last completely destitute of them. Dorsal spines blackish, brighter at their extremity; those of the two lateral rows slightly yellow. The body exhibiting, in addition, some minute, almost imperceptible, greyish, scattered hairs. On the back, a dorsal streak of lemon-yellow, varying in breadth; more or less well defined, and divided longitudinally by a black line. On the sides, another streak, of like colour, frequently double, and enclosing the blackish, minute, and scarcely visible stigmata. Head black, slightly hollowed and rough. Inferior surface of the body yellowish-grey, or livid yellowish-green. Scaly feet black; the others greenishgrey. A ventral streak, of dark-green colour, and broken, ordinarily existing between the membranous feet. In some individuals, the yellow bands are very distinct; and the blackish interval, separating |