Char AXES. 25 



whitish; it has a yellow lateral stripe in front, and yellow oblique stripes in the middle; the 

 horns arc bluish in front. It lives on poplar, aspen, and sallow, in May and June ; and, contrary 

 to the habits of the perfect insect, it prefers low stunted bushes, where it may be found resting 

 on the upper side of the leaves. The transformations are figured at PI. 11, Fig. 2, a — c. 



2. A. Ilia (W. v.). — Closely resembles A. Iris, but the black eye-spot near the hinder angle 

 of the fore-wings is always placed in an orange-tawny ring on the upper side, and the white 

 band on the hind-wings is considerably excavated on the inner side, and wants the projecting 

 tooth on the outside. It is a variable insect, and the white markings are replaced by ochre- 

 yellow in the variety C/ytie (W. V.). The under side is brownish-grey, and the pale band on 

 the hind-wings beneath is not nearly so conspicuous as in A. Iris. Expands from if to 2J inches. 

 It is much more widely distributed than A. Iris, being found over the greater part of Europe, 

 from Finland to Italy, and throughout Western and Northern Asia to Japan. It appears, 

 however, to be absent from Spain, Scandinavia, and the greater part of North- Western Europe. 

 Larva very like that of ^. Iris, but the horns are bordered with blackish in front, and the yellow 

 streaks are bordered with reddish. It lives on aspen and other species of poplar and sallow in 

 May and June. The variety Clytie is figured at PI. 1 1, Fig. 3. 



GENUS VII.— CHARAXES (OCHS.). 



Large and robust butterflies, with the border of the fore-wings deeply excavated, and the 

 hind-wings dentated, with two rather long tails. Larva with a forked tail, and with four horns 

 on the head. This fine genus is found in Africa and India, but the single European species 

 belongs to one of the African groups. It is common round the Mediterranean, including South 

 France, wherever the strawberry-tree {Arbutus unedo) grows wild. The larva feeds on this tree, 

 and as the Arbutus is common in the south of Ireland, and the butterfly is one of those southern 

 forms which occur much further north in France than in the other parts of Europe, where the 

 mountain ranges form an insurmountable barrier to their northward extension, some have 

 suggested the possibility of its being found in Ireland. Although it is not unlikely that the 

 insect might thrive if once introduced, I cannot conceive it possible that so large and conspicuous 

 a butterfly could have escaped the notice of the many botanists and entomologists who have 

 visited the districts where it ought to be found, if it were really an inhabitant of that country. 



I. C. Jasius (Linn.). — Dark brown, bordered with deep orange, shading off into straw-colour 

 at the anal angle of the hind-wings. A second row of orange spots on the fore-wings, and four 

 small bluish-spots just within the border on the hinder half of the hind-wings. Under side rod, 

 with a broad white stripe across both wings, within which are a number of irregular black spots 

 bordered with buff, most of which are oval. Outside the white band, on the fore-wings, are two 

 orange bands, divided into spots by the nervufes. Between these is a row of black spots on a 

 buff ground. On the hind-wings the white band is bordered outside by a row of large red spots, 

 outside which is a row of small bluish spots on a buff ground, and edged outside with black. 

 The marginal orange band as on the fore-wings, but paler. The fringes and the tails are edged, 

 with black on the hind-wings both above and below ; on the fore-wings the black edging is 

 scarcely visible. Expands from 2\ to over 3 inches. It is common where it occurs, at the end of 

 May, and again in August and September, the first brood being the most numerous. It has a 

 sailing flight, and is fond of settling on rotten fruit. Mr. W. F. De V. Kane has kindly supplied 

 the following notes on its habits at Hyeres, from information furnished by a local collector : — It 

 appears in that neighbourhood about the end of June, and continues on the wing till about the 

 7 



