81 



PURPLE HAIRSTUEAK. 



PLATE XXXVII. 



Theda quercus, LeACH. STEPHENS. CuKTIS. 



" " BoisDUVAL. Duncan. Westwood. 



Papilio quercus, LlNN^US. Lewin. 



" " Donovan. Wilkes. Harris. 



Bithys quercus, HuBNER. 



Lyccena quercus, Ochsenheimer. 



This is a sort of miniature of the Purple Empeior, though not a 

 "flattering likeness," the wings reflecting something of the same 

 iridescent purple colour, but inferior both in extent and intensity; it 

 is, however, a very pretty insect. 



It is common throughout England in most parts of the country. I 

 have met with it at Nutiburiiholme ia the Brant Wood, and at 

 Buttercrambe Moor, and it also occurs at Sutton-on-Derwent Wood, 

 and Raincliff' Wood near Scarborough, Sandal Beat near Doncaster, 

 Yorkshire, and in the vicinity of Charmouth, Dorsetshire; also in 

 Sywell Wood, near Northampton, and Lyndhurst, Bisterne, and Shanklin 

 in the Isle of Wight, in Hampshire; in Sussex, near Brighton. Barren 

 Wood near Carlisle, in Cumberland; at Barnwell and Ashton Wold, 

 and in the neighbourhood of Polebrook, Northamptonshire. Near 

 Great Bedwyn and Sarum, Wiltshire, it likewise occurs, but not 

 commonly there. In Scotland it is rare. In Ireland, A. G. More, 

 Esq., of Trinity College, Cambridge, has met with it in plenty at 

 Ardrahan, in the county of Galway. In Wales, near Gloddaeth. 



The middle of July is the time for the appearance of the Purple 

 Hairstreak, but it is sometimes still out until the latter end of 

 September. 



It is to be seen flying over the tops of oak trees in and near woods. 



The caterpillar is found in the beginning of June and in July. 



It feeds on the oak. 



This fly varies in the expanse of its wings from about an inch and 



M 



