抄録
The author attempts to identify the white butterflies as appearing in old Japanese drawings and literary works, with emphasis on Pieris rapae crucivora BOISDUVAL. 1) The word 'So-cho' found in a poetical work entitled 'Kaifuso' published between 701 and 705 A.D. is the earliest reference to white butterflies so far known. There is no telling, however, whether the word meant Pieris rapae or P. melete. 2) What is believed to be one of the earliest illustrations of P. rapae is a sketch by OKYO MARUYAMA, done in 1776. 3) The life of larva, which was depicted by RANZAN ONO (ca. 1803), probably concerned P. rapae. We may trace this line back to 'Jokyo-reki' (1684). The late Dr, NOBUMASA YAGI, as well as Mr. TARO IWASE, president of L. S. J., maintained that P. rapae had fortuitously been introduced into Japan. The author subscribes to this opinion. The supposed time of arrival of this species to Japan is, in his opinion, during the Kofun (ancient tomb) Age (ca. 300-600 A.D.). The cultivated rapa plant is believed to have been brought into this country by the immigrants, from the Chinese Mainland by way of the Korean Peninsula, and the whites must have accompanied the plant in some form or another, at the younger stages.
