12 EuKOPEAM Butterflies axd Moths. 



* 2. V. Antiopa (Linn.), {Canihcrivel I Beauty). — Chocolate-brown, with a broad white or yellow 

 border, and two spots of the same colour on the costa of the fore-wings. Within the border is 

 a row of blue spots. Under side black, with white borders. Expands from 2\ to 3! inches. 

 Common during most of the year in the greater part of Europe, North Africa, Northern and 

 Western Asia, and North America ; the last-named specimens are larger and darker than 

 European. It is absent from the steppes of South Russia, and is very scarce and uncertain in 

 appearance in Britain, and in some of the adjacent parts of Europe. The yellow variety prevails 

 on the Continent, but is scarcely ever found in Britain. The larva is black, with black spines 

 and large rust-coloured spots on the back. The legs are of the same colour. It lives gregariously 

 on birch and willow from June to August. Figured in all stages, PI. 6, Fig. 2, a — c. 



*3. V. /c> (Linn.), {Peacock Butterfly). — Dark red, with brown borders. Fore- wings with two 

 black blotches on the costa, separated by a small yellow spot. Outside these markings and the 

 border the wing is varied with yellow, black, blue, red and white ; below these markings are two 

 white spots. Hind-wings with a very large black spot in a buff ring at the front angle, marked 

 with several blue spots. A large black crescent-shaped spot on the front edge of the wing, 

 just within the buff ring. Common throughout the year in Central and Southern Europe, and 

 Western and Northern Asia as far as Japan. In Northern Europe (including Scotland) it is rare; 

 and it is said to be absent from Andalusia and Sicily. Expands from 2 to 3 inches. The larva 

 is black, dotted with white, and lives gregariously on nettle from June to August. The insect 

 is represented in all stages on PI. 6, Fig. 3, a — c. 



* 4. V. UrticcB (Linn.), {Small Tortoises/tell). — Reddish-orange, hind margin black, spotted 

 with blue on all the wings. Three large black spots divided by yellow ones, and with a smaller 

 white spot beyond the outermost, on the costa of the fore-wings. Another large black spot near 

 their inner margin, and two smaller ones near the middle of the wing. Hind-wings broadly 

 black at the base. Expands from li to 2\ inches. {V. Ichnusa, Bon., from Corsica and 

 Sardinia, wants the small 'black spots on the fore-wings. V. Casclunirensis, Koll., from North 

 India, is larger and darker.) V. UrticcB is common everywhere throughout Europe and Western 

 Asia in gardens and weedy places. The larva, which lives gregariously on nettles in June and 

 July, is striped with blackish and dull brownish-yellow. The butterfly is figured at PI. 6, Fig. 4. 



5. V. Xanthomelas (Esp.). — Very like V. Polychloros, but redder, the wings shorter and 

 more dentated ; the first black spot on the costa is divided into two round spots, and there 

 is a whiter spot outside the last ; the legs, too, are pale yellow, whereas they are brownish in 

 Polychloros. Expands from 2 to 2\ inches. A local insect in Eastern Europe, generally found 

 near rivers, as the larva, which is bluish-black, dotted with white, with whitish stripes on the 

 back and sides, and black spines, lives gregariously from May to July on smooth-leaved 

 willows. The butterfly may be found from July to September, and is figured at PI. 7, Fig. i. 



*6. V. Polychloros (Linn.), {Large Tortoiseshell). — Deep fulvous, the hind margins rather 

 broadly black, spotted with blue on the hind-wings only. Fore-wings with three black blotches 

 on the costa, separated by pale yellow spots ; three black spots in the centre of each wing, 

 and a fourth near the hinder angle. Hind-wings with a large black blotch in the centre of the 

 costa, bounded exteriorly by a pale yellow blotch. Expands from \\ to 2 J inches. Common 

 during most of the year in Southern and Central Europe, including the south of England, and 

 in Northern and Western Asia. The larva is greyish-brown, with dull, rusty-yellow stripes on 

 the back and sides, and rusty-yellow spines. It feeds gregariously on elms and cherry-tre^s 

 from May to August, and is sometimes sufficiently abundant to be considered an injurious 

 insect on the Continent. The butterfly is represented at PI. 6, Fig. 5. 



