We close our week with almost certainly the most beautiful species of Garden Wildlife, the butterfly.
This brimstone may not be as colourful as some, but it is one of the larger species, with a wingspan of up to seven centimetres, and those wings are quite distinctive. It is also one of the most fascinating of all butterflies, as it has a wide distribution, across three continents (Asia, Europe, and Africa), and yet it is the only species of its genus. In this country it is usually found wherever there are buckthorns, which are found in wet woodlands, and on chalk and limestone. And they seem particularly fond of East Anglia.
Lastly, but definitely most important, it is believed that the yellow colour of its wings is the reason why we call these wonderful creatures "butter"flies...
In our original World Tobacco Issues Index, the anonymous version is revealed to have been an overseas issue through British American Tobacco. It does not mention the countries of issue. The description reads :
BRITISH BUTTERFLIES. Sm. Nd. (50) See W/156.B ... ZB6-11
This is identical in the updated World Tobacco Issues Index, save the code, which is now ZB07-130
The "W" code tells us that this set was also issued by W.D. and H.O. Wills, so we are able to add a bit more flesh to the bones above. Their version was issued in June 1927, but the anonymous version does not appear in the dates of issue list. Both of these first appear in our reference book RB,17, which is titled "W.D. & H.O. Wills Parts I, II, and III (revised) and Part IV (1950)" as :
156, 50 BRITISH BUTTERFLIES. Fronts printed by letterpress in colour. Backs in grey, with descriptive text. Issued 1927. A number of cases of broken type at No.28 occur, these often appearing to be No.23.
A. Home issue - Wills` name and I.T.C. Clause at base of back
B. General Overseas issue - anonymous backs.
Slight colour variations are known for some numbers
This has added another complication, for there seems to be two anonymous issues, one issued by British American Tobacco and one by Wills. However there is no anonymous version listed in the World Tobacco Issues Index as an export issue under the Wills name.