276 Lloyd's natural history. 



This Jjuttcrfly measures from 2 3^ to 33^ inches across the 

 wings. It is yellowish-white, with seven black streaks running 

 from the costa of the fore-wings, the first basal divided by a 

 pale line, the third and fifth short, the rest crossing the wing, 

 or nearly so, the two last being close together, and the last 

 marginal. The hind-wings are dentated and tailed, the inner- 

 margin is dusky, and there is a black streak from the costa to 

 the eye-spot, which is situated on the inner-margin towards the 

 anal angle, and is black, with a large blue pupil, and is sur- 

 mounted by an orange stripe, bordered above with yellow. 

 There is a festooned black marginal line, enclosing blue lanules, 

 and the space between this and the eye-spot is also blackish, 

 except a patch of yellow below the eye ; the incisions, and 

 tip of the slender tail, are also yellow. On the under side, the 

 hind-wings are lighter, and the principal black streak is double, 

 and intersected by a yellowish line. 



The larva is thickest just before the middle, tapering most 

 behind. It is smooth and green, dotted with red, with yel- 

 lowish-white lines and intermediate oblique streaks. It feeds 

 on almond, sloe, plum, apple, pear, and oak in June and Sep- 

 tember, but seems to prefer the sloe. The pupa is pale yellow. 



The Butterfly is double-brooded, being found from May to 

 August. It is far less widely distributed than AcJiivus viachaon^ 

 inhabiting Central and Southern Europe, North Africa, and 

 Western Asia as far as Persia and the Altai. Spanish speci- 

 mens are whiter, with broader dark markings, and are called /. 

 feistJiainelii. In France it is known as "Le Flambe," from the 

 flame-like shape of its markings, and in Germany as the " Segel- 

 falter" or Sail-Butterfly, either from its sail-like wings, or from 

 its sailing flight. In Holland, North-Western Germany, and 

 on the north coast of Germany it is either absent or extremely 

 rare ; and although it is traditionally a British insect, it seems 

 to have disappeared about the time that entomology began to 



