PLATE XV. 
No. 1.—The Silver- washed Fritillary (drgynnis No. 4,.—The Caterpillar of the Silver-washed Fritil- 
paphia), lary. 
No. 2.—The Female of the Silver-washed Fritillary. No. 5.—The Chrysalis of the Silver-washed Fritil- 
No. 3.—The Under side of the Silver-washed Fritil- lary. 
lary. 
THE fourth sub-family of the Papilionide is that of the Argynnidi, containing two genera, 
Argynnis and Militea. 
The genus Argynnis. The insects assigned to this genus are distinguished by the short, 
compact, and rather spoon-like form of the club of the antenns. The wings are ample, of arich 
tawny colour, and marked with dark lines and spots, the lines upon the veins or nervures being 
often considerably thickened in the males. The fore wings have the margin either rounded or 
slightly concave ; and the hind wings on the under side are marked with metallic patches or 
streaks, having the appearance of silver. The front pair of legs are rudimental, and are very 
hairy, and without joint, in the males ; while they are jointed, but nearly free from hairs, in the 
females. The eyes are large and naked, instead of being clothed with hairs, as in some of the 
Vanessidi. The Caterpillars are spiny ; and nearly all the species feed on different kinds of the 
Violet, in woods. The Chrysalis is suspended by the tail, like those of the Vunessidi. 
Argynnis paphia (the Silver-washed Fritillary, No. 1). This fine and very remarkable in- 
sect, which is the largest of British Fritillaries, is by no means generally common; but in 
favourable localities, it often appears in some abundance. During a walking tour in Cornwall 
in the year 1857, I was delighted with a sight of it in some plenty in several localities, 
The male insect (No. 1) is of a much brighter colour than the female ; and the four principal 
nervures nearest to the posterior edge of the fore wings are raised and thickened in a singular 
manner, as expressed in the representation. 
The female (No. 2) is, as above stated, of a much less brilliant colour; and there is no 
thickening of the nervures of the anterior wings: the dark spots are, however, larger and 
more regularly formed, and the clubs at the extremities of the antenn are often larger than in 
the male. 
The under side (No. 3) exhibits the beautiful streakings of silvery lines across the hind 
wings, by which this species is distinguished. 
The Caterpillar (No. 4) is very richly marked with yellow and brown stripes; and the 
spines nearest the head often project forward like horns, as shown in the representation. It 
feeds in preference on the common scentless Violet, Viola cunina ; and the perfect insect appears 
in July. 
The Chrysalis (No. 5) is of a light grayish brown, sometimes with indistinct yellow spots 
along the back ; and the tubercles exhibit the metallic effect of gold described in the Vanessidi. 
Hermaphrodite specimens of this insect occur, in which the individuals have the wings of 
the male on one side and those of the female on the other. There are also some curious 
