61 



PEACOCK. 



PLATE XXVUl. 



Vanessa lo. 

 It it 



Papilio lo, 

 (t (( 



Inachis lo, 



Fabricius. Ochsenheimer. 

 Stephens. Duncan. Westwood. 

 LiNNvEus. Haworth. Lewin. 

 Donovan. Alkin. Wilkes. Harris. 



HUBNER. 



As the student in entomology, or indeed 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 words, 

 but in the admiration of his mind, "Wonders never cease:" well do 

 I remember the intense pleasure which, when a boy, the first sight of 

 the Peacock, the Red Admiral, and the Brimstone aftbrded me. I wish 

 others to experience the same gratification, and shall be truly happy 

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

 some science which it is intended to illustrate. 



This splendid species is common throughout the greater part of the 

 country, though less so as you advance farther north — from Brighton 

 to Broomsgrove, in AVorcestershire, and Anstey, in Warwickshire. 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, hybernating 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 wings 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 nearly triangular-shaped 

 marks, the inner one smaller than the other, which latter forms the 

 inside of a large patch, angular on its inner side, and rounded on its 



