NYMPHALIS BOLINA. 



Plate XIV. fig. 1. -2. 



Order: Lepidoptera. Section: Diurna. Family: Nymphalids. 

 Genus. Nymphalis. Latr. God. Papilio (Nymphal. Phal.), Linn. Drury. 



Nymphalis Bolina. Alis dentatis, supra nigris, anticis maculis duabus, posticis solitaria magna, coeruleo-albis, 

 subtus corticinis fascia alba. (Expans. Alar. 3 unc. 6 lin.) 



Syn. Papilio (Nymph. Ph.) Bolina, Linn. Syst. Nat.i. jj.l^]. No. i?,%. Cramer, pi. 65. fg. E. F. Herbst. 



Pap. tab. 2U.Jig. 3. 4. Fabr. Ent. Syst. 111. 1. p. 126. No. 384. Latr. et God. {Bnc. Meth.) ix. 396. 



No. 157. (Nymphalis Bol.) 

 Habitat ; Bombay, Surinam, all the West Indian Islands, New York, Carolina, Brazil, Cape of Good Hope, 



Malabar, Coromandel, China, Ceylon {Drury). " In Indite orientalis Portulaca" {Fabr.). Cayenne 



{Enc. MHh.). 



Upper Side. Three white spots, one before, and two behind, on the head, which, with the thorax 

 and abdomen, is of a blackish browni. Wings dentated, and of a dark chocolate colour, almost black ; 

 but when held against the light, in a certain direction, display a blueish purple. Anterior wings, in 

 the middle, having a large oval, and another smaller oblong white spot at the tips. Posterior wings 

 with a large white spot, larger than that in the superior ones. On the edges of all these spots, the 

 purple colour before-mentioned, is very conspicuous. 



Under Side. Palpi white. The sides of the thorax spotted with white. Anterior wings, next the 

 body, of a reddish chocolate ; but near the tips, of a dirty olive. The large and small white spots 

 appear here as on the upper side ; with three small angular white spots, close to the anterior margin, 

 near the middle. Along the external edge, is a row of white crescents on a black border ; over which 

 are six small, round, faint, white spots. Posterior wings, next the body, of a dirty olive ; but 

 toward their external edges, more of a chocolate, with a broad central white bar running entirely across 

 the wmg, with a small angular black mark, near the anterior margin. Along the external edges, is a 

 row of white crescents; above which is a row of small white triangular spots, placed two and two, between 

 the crescents. Above this, six small round white spots are placed in a row. 



The flight of this species is said by Drury to be exceedingly quick and rapid, so that 

 it is very difiicult to catch them, and hence they are seldom obtained in fine condition, 

 being generally secured in a faded state when they are taken with more ease. 

 The purple tint upon the upper side of the wings is most intense, and when the insect flies 

 in the sun, glancing before the eye of the observer at a little distance (for it is by no means 

 . a timid creature), the vivid purple, observes Drury, is not much less than the electrical 

 spark, and its changes depending on the degree of obliquity which it presents to the sun, 

 are scarcely less rapid. 



