FRITILLARY

(Fritillaria), a genus of plants, nat. ord. Liliacex, natives of north temperate regions. I’. Meleagris, or common fritillary, is found in meadows and pastures in the eastern and southern parts of England. Several species, as F'. imperial is or crown-imperial, are cultivated in gardens, chiefly introduced from Persia and the warmer parts of Europe, FRIT’ILLARY, the popular name of butterflies belonging to the largest and most widely distributed family (Nymphal ide), comprising between 4,000 and 5,000 species, and distinguished by the reduced condition of the front pair of legs, which are usele for walking. British species are: Pritillary Argynnis Paphia (Nymphal i dae) silver-washed fritillary (Argynnis paphia), dark-green fritillary (A. oglaia), queen of Spain fritillary (4. lattonia), great tortoiseshell (Vane a polychloros), small tortoiseshell (V. urtice), peacock (V. io), red admiral (V.a talant a), painted lady (V.cardui), purple emperor (Apatura iris). Some of the most gorgeous tropical butterflies, such as species of Morpho, belong to the same family.