PEACOCK. 



PLATE XXVIIT. 



Vanessa To, Fabricius. Ochsexheimer. 



" " Stephens. Duncan. Westwood. 



Pajnlio lo, LiNNiEUS. Haworth. Lewin. 



" " Donovan. Albin. Wilkes. Harris. 



Inach'is lo, HuBNER. 



As the student In Entomology, or iudcc^d in any branch of 

 Natural History, meets for the first time with one new species 

 after another whose distinctive appearance it had never even come 

 into his mind before to conceive, he repeatedly exclaims, not 

 indeed perhaps in the words, but in the admiration of his 

 miud, "Wonders never cease:" well do I remember the intense 

 pleasure which, when a bo}-, the first sight of the Peacock, 

 the Red Admiral, and the Brimstone afforded me. I wish 

 others to experience the same gratification, and shall be truly 

 glad if my "History of British Butterflies" furthers the cause 

 of the gladsome science which it is intended to illustrate. 



This truly splendid species is common throughout the greater 

 part of the country, though less so as you advance farther 

 north. In the south of Scotland it is but sparingly met with. 



The perfect insect appears in the middle of July, and by no 

 means unfrequently survives until the following spring, hyber- 

 natlng during the winter in sheltered "nooks and corners." 



The caterpillar Is found in the beginning of July. 



It feeds on the common nettle. 



In this grand fly the Avings expand to the width of 

 from two and a half to three inches; the fore wings are of 

 a rich dark brownish red; on their front margin there are two 

 black neaily triangular-shaped marks, the inner one smaller than 



