CATCHING THE PURPLE EMPEROR. 405 



When I first began to collect the British Butterflies, tlie 

 Purple Emperor was considered one of the great prizes of 

 entomologists — hardly inferior, in fact, to the Great Copper, 

 which seems to have totally disappeared from the country. In 

 those days the Emperor was supposed to restrict himself to the 

 topmost branches of the oak-trees, and entomologists were 

 accustomed to supply themselves with nets furnished with long- 

 handles made on the principle of the fishing-rod, the handle of 

 the net being at least thirty feet in length. It so happened 

 that I was engaged in getting together an illustrative series of 

 insects for the Anatomical Museum at Oxford, and happening 

 to possess a specimen of the Purple Emperor, I merged my 

 personal feelings in the public welfare, and presented to the 

 Museum my valued specimen. 



There is a well-known saying to the effect that ' Virtue is 

 rewarded,' and so it turned out on this occasion. A very short 

 time after the personal sacrifice above-mentioned, a frioDd sent 

 me a couple of Purple Emperors, male and female, which he 

 had captured in Bagiey Wood, while they were drinking in a 

 puddle. Since that time the habits of the insect have been 

 carefully studied, and the result has been that the Purple 

 Emperor has been rendered comparatively familiar. Beautiful 

 as it is, it has a strange liking for the most repulsive viands. 

 There is nothing it likes better than the juices of putrid 

 animal substances, and a dead dog or cat, which would drive 

 away any human being who possessed nostrils and was not an 

 entomologist, would attract the Purple Emperor to a rich 

 banquet. 



Now-a-days entomologists who wish to catch the Purple 

 Emperor do not trouble themselves to procure nets with pre- 

 posterous handles — weapons with which I scarcely believe that 

 a successful stroke can be made. They now look out for a 

 secluded open space or glade in the wood, situated, if possible, 

 on wet soil, lay on the ground a piece of bullock's liver, a dead 

 rat or rabbit, or, in fact, any kind of animal substance, and go 

 away again. The best plan is to make a circle of half a mile 

 or so in diameter, and lay down the bait's at distances of a few 

 hundred yards. 



In two or three days, according to the weather, they come 

 back again, and steal quietly to the spot. Should the district 



