PLATE X. 
No. 1.—The Purple Emperor Butterfly (Apatura Nos. 4 & 5.—Caterpillars of the Purple Emperor 
Tris), the Male, Butterfly. 
No. 2.—The Female of the Purple Emperor Butterfly. No. 6.—The Chrysalis of the Purple Emperor 
No. 3.—The Under side of the Purple Emperor Butterfly. 
Butterfly. 
THE genus Apatura is distinguished by the thickness of the antenne, or by their gradual 
thickening towards the club or knob at the tip, and by their being nearly straight, instead of 
slightly curved as in all the allied genera. The wings and body are robust. The hind-wings 
being slightly scalloped, elongated rather than rounded at the angle next the body, and having 
at the posterior angle an ocellated spot. It is, however, more distinct from neighbouring genera 
in the preparatory stages than in the perfect state. The Caterpillar is very peculiar, having 
somewhat the form of a slug, the likeness to which is much heightened by the two erect spines 
at the head, which resemble the retractile ‘horns’ of the snail family. The Chrysalis is sus- 
pended by the tail, and is much like the Caterpillar in general form, but is, of course, much 
shorter and thicker ; and it is forked at the head like some of the pup in the genus Hipparchia. 
There is but one British species, the beautiful Purple Emperor. 
Apatura Iris (the Purple Emperor, No. 1) is perhaps, on the whole, the most splendid of 
our native Butterflies. The beautiful purple gloss exhibited by the male insect, in certain lights, 
especially when flying downwards, being almost equal in brilliancy to that of some of the 
magnificent Butterflies of South America. When not seen in the proper light, this fine purple 
flush disappears, and the dark portion of the wings assumes a rich brown, like that of the 
female (No. 2), which is entirely devoid of the iridescent lustre which distinguishes the male. 
On the under side of the wings both sexes are nearly alike, and fully as attractive, though after 
a very distinct fashion, as on the upper surface. In the beautiful shades of white, gray, brown 
and orange, the under-side of Apatura Iris resembles that of Limenitis Sibilla, from which it is, 
however, distinguished by the purple-centered circlet at the posterior angle of the hind-wings, 
and more especially by the large purple and orange ocellus in the fore-wings, the outline of 
which is distinguishable on the upper side. 
The Caterpillar (Nos. 4 and 5) is of a soft apple-green, delicately varied with diagonal 
streaks of yellow, the head being tinted with pale lilac. It is to be sought in the month of 
May, when, in favourable situations, the fortunate Collector may find it feeding on the broad- 
leaved sallow. This Caterpillar was first discovered by Mr. Drury, the well known English 
Naturalist, in the following manner, as described by his brother naturalist, Moses Harris. 
“That ingenious Aurelian,” as Mr. Drury is termed by his friend, while searching for Cater- 
pillars, near Brentwood, in Essex, on the 26th of May, 1758, beat from off the Sallow some 
larvee, which were entirely new to him, and which he presented to Mr. Moses Harris, as the 
person most likely to rear them successfully. In his curious book, Harris describes very minutely 
all their stages of development under his care, concluding by informing us, that on the 22nd 
of June, 1758, to his unspeakable pleasure, one of his Chrysalides produced the Purple Emperor ; 
