CLASS V. IN5ECTA. 239 



Genus 318. APATUllA. Fabr., Ix'ach. Nvmpiialis. Lafr. Pa- 

 Pii.io. Linn., Jiarcorth. 

 Antenna with an clongalc-obconic tliickcncd club : jmlpi with the se- 

 cond joint not much compressed, the anterior margin broad : ante- 

 7uor pair of fed very short in both sexes. 



Sp. 1. Apa. Iris Tpurple em]ieror). Wings indented, brownish, shining, 

 with blue or purple; on both surfaces a whitish interrupted fascia 

 and a single ocellus on the under wing. 



The following account of this interesting and elegant insect is 

 given by Mr. Ilaworth. 



" In the month of July he makes his appearance in the winged 

 state, and invariably fixes his throne upon the summit of a lofty oak, 

 from the utmost sprigs of which, on sunny days, he performs his 

 aerial excursions; and in these ascends to a much greater elevation 



. than any other insect 1 have ever seen, sometimes mounting iiigher 

 than the eye can folhnv, esjiccially if he happens to (juarrel with 

 another emperor, the monarch of some neighbouring oak: they 

 never meet without a battle, Hying upwards all the while and com- 

 bating with each other as much as ])osbible, aft(;r which they will 

 frequently return again to the identical sprigs from whence they 

 ascended. The wings of this line species arc of a stronger texture 

 than those of any other in Britain, and more calculated for that gay 

 and powerful flight which is so much admired by entomologists. The 

 Purple Emperor commences bis aerial movements from ten to twelve 

 o'clock in the morning, but does not perform his loftiest flights till 

 noon, decreasing them after this hour until he quite ceases to fly 

 about four in the afternoon; thus emulating the motions of that 

 source of all his strength, the sun. The females, like those of many 

 other species, are very rarely seen on the wing ; the reason of wliich 

 is both interesting and but little known. It is their being destitute 

 of a certain spiral socket which the males possess, near the base of 

 the main tendon of their upper wings ; which socket receives and 

 works a strong elastic spring arising from the base of the under 

 wings, thereby enabling them to perform a stronger, longer, and 



more easy flight than it is possible for the females to do." 



" The males usually fly very high, and are only to be taken by a 

 bag-net fixed to the end of a rod twenty or thirty feet long. There 

 have been instances, though very rare, of their settling on the ground 

 near puddles of water, and being taken there. When the Purple 

 Emperor is within reach, no fly is more easily taken than he; for he 

 is so very bold and fearless that he will not move from his settUng 

 place until you quite push him off": you may even tip the ends of 

 his wings, and be suiilered to strike aaain." 



