94 THK LEl'IDOPTRRA OF ESSEX. 



soon as favourable conditions again obtain, but when there is no 

 neighbouring wood, the balance may never be restored. In very 

 hot seasons local butterflies become to some extent migratory ; such 

 was the case with L. sihylla last July, and I should not be surprised 

 if, this year, specimens are met with in woods where none have been 

 previously seen. Mr. Laver saw a specimen in the town here [Col- 

 chester] last year [1881] two miles from any known locality " {Har- 

 wood ; Proc. E.F.C. iii. xxvii). 



Captured by Mr. Morton, in Essex, not far from the town of 

 Tollesbury, and brought to me on July nth, 1695 {Ray ; H.I. 127). 

 Hartley Wood [St. Osyth] {/er/iiyn ; V.Af. 69). Woods between 

 Walton-on-Naze and Brightlingsea, " but seems to be gradually dis- 

 a[)pearing " {A. Lambert and J. W. Douglas ; Ent. i. 384). St. 

 Osyth, July, \2,^c^ [Douglas ; Z. iii. 1089). St. O^yih {Hanvood : 

 B.B. 70). Common, woods bordering road from Colchester to 

 Ipswich, July, 1836 (A E. Doubleday ; Ent. Mag. iv. 231). Not 

 rare, Colchester, 1867 {ffarwood ; E.M.Af. iv. 162). Colchester 

 [S.M. i. 34). History of hil)ernation discovered by Dr. Maclean of 

 Co\c\\esiex {Netv man ; Z. xix. 7565). Great Bromley (^. A/sion ; 

 E. JJ'.I. ii. 143). One, near Park Hall, Epping, 1836 (A E. Double- 

 day : Ent. Mag. iv. 231). Epping {S.M.'i. 34). Saffron Walden 

 {Jeffrey ; B.B. 70). One, Debden How Wood {Joseph Clarke). 

 The dark variety figured in Newman's B.B. 67 has occurred in 

 Essex {S. Stevetts ; Proc. E.S.L. Sept. c^th, 1853, 127) at Colchester 

 {IV. T. Bree ; M.N.H. v. 667). Mr. Ingall also possesses a similar 

 specimen from the ^^i\^VL&w(::A^Jy^^o\\x\\ooA{Westwood and Humphreys ; 

 B.B. 61.) 



Apatura iris, L. Purple Emperor. 



Geographical Distribution — Central and South-west Europe, rare in .-Xsia Minor, 

 China (doubtful), England, south of Humber. 



Larva — Green with yellowish spots, yellow or pinkish stripes at sides in front 

 and oblique yellow stripes in middle ; horns bluish-green in front with brownish- 

 red lips. Food — Sallow, aspen, poplar. //y/r/po — June and July ; hibernates as 

 larva. 



Rare and local ; restricted to oak woods ; of lofty and noble flight. 

 More often seen than caught. Like V. Atalanta this fine butterfly 

 has been taken both at light and sugar. 



The larva appears to have been first discovered in Essex (and in 

 England) by Mr. Drury. Moses Harris, in his " Aurelian : or Natural 

 History of English Insects, namely, Moths and Butterflies" (1766), 

 gives in plate iii. two figures of the caterpillar, and remarks upon 



