Chopping’s love of nature was evident in Butterflies in Britain (1943) and his Butterflies book was a best seller, in print for many years. Best known for his jackets for Ian Fleming’s James Bond books he also illustrated a number of children’s books for Noel Carrington.
Typically concise was his description of the Painted Lady, which:
“chooses a small patch of ground by the roadside which it patrols regularly like a soldier on guard, returning fearlessly when disturbed… both male and female have on their wings an orange patch like a rough map of the British Isles.”
The book is still available for next to nothing in both paper and board covers, on ebay and in the more eclectic second-hand book shops around the country.
Artistic Licence Renewed 