200 



Marvels of Insect Life, 



specimens of the male are more than seven inches across the wings, which are velvety 

 black and fiery orange, the latter colour replacing the green of the allied species. 

 The beauty and brilliancy of this Insect are indescribable, and none but a naturalist 

 can understand the intense excitement I experienced when I at length captured it. 

 On taking it out of my net and opening the glorious wings, my heart began to beat 

 violently, the blood rushed to my head, and I felt much more like fainting than 

 1 have done when in apprehension of immediate death. I had a headache the rest 



of the day, so great was the excitement 

 produced by what will appear to most 

 people a very inadequate cause." 



A superb species ^ comes from 

 Queensland, Amboina, etc., and measures 

 from seven to ten inches across the fore- 

 wings of the female. In the male these 

 are black, but a little removed from the 

 front margin there is a feather-like streak 

 of vivid green stretching nearly from the 

 base to the tip, and along the hinder 

 margin there is a narrower wavy streak 

 of the same brilliant colour. On the hind- 

 wings this green colour predominates, 

 the black being restricted to a narrow 

 border, the nervures are traced out in 

 black scales across the green, and 

 between the nervures are five large, 

 black spots. Five other spots (two of 

 them minute) on the fore-border are of 

 bright ochre. A fringe of long, brown 

 hairs fills up the space between the inner 

 margin of the hind-w'ings and the body. 

 The head and fore-body are black, wdth 

 a sprinkling of green down the centre of 

 the latter. The hind-body is ochre 

 coloured. The richness presented by 

 this contrast of colour is very fine. No 

 one would imagine from an insjMHtion 

 of cabinet specimens that the maK' 

 and female could belong to the same 

 species, for the female is not only a much larger Insect, but the colours and 

 markings are utterly unlike those of the male. The style of ornamentation 

 can be obtained from the photograph much better than from a detailed 

 description. The prevailing tint is a smoky brown, and the light patches on the 

 fore-wings are white, whilst those on the hind-wings are a dirty grey. A crimson 

 collar separates the head and trunk, whilst the liiiul-bo(l\- is whitisli with a 

 tinge of yellow on the sides. 



'' Oi"nithoj)tcni prianms. 



Pholo by] [Harold Ba<itiii. 



Chrys.^lis of Pegasus Bird-wing. 



The clirysalids of the bird-vviiig butterflies are the largest of butterfly 

 pup«. Most butterfly clirysahds hang h<'ad downwards, but those 

 of the bird-wuigs, like those of the coinnion garden white butter- 

 flies, are fixed by the tail with the head u]nvards. This pliotograj)!! 

 is twice the natural size. 



