182 WHITE ADMIRAL. 



colour is dull black above, variegated with obscure 

 dark spots. Both wings are traversed by a broad 

 oblique white band, which is very irregular on the up- 

 per pair, being widely interrupted in the middle, and 

 divided by the nervures into separate spots, the ante- 

 rior portion directed inwards ; where the band is in- 

 terrupted, there is a minute white spot, and a larger 

 one on a line with it externally ; two others are 

 placed near the tip, and a fourth midway between the 

 white band and the base of the wing. On the hinder 

 wings the band is attenuated towards the anal angle ; 

 on the latter is a patch of rust-red surrounding two 

 black spots, and two rows of obscure dark spots oc- 

 cupy the space between the band and the hinder ex- 

 tremity. The prevailing colour on the under side 

 is brownish-yellow ; all the white spots of the upper 

 side are visible, with the addition of a few others, 

 and most of them have a faint pearly lustre. The 

 base of the hinder wings, and under side of the body, 

 are pale blue, and the yellowish-brown portions are 

 streaked and spotted with black. The fringe is 

 white, spotted with black ; the antennae rust-brown 

 on the tip and under side. 



The caterpillar, which does not appear to have 

 been observed in England, is described by the con- 

 tinental naturalists as green, with the head, dorsal 

 appendages, and sides of the belly reddish. The 

 honeysuckle is its favourite food. 



Like the preceding species, this insect must be 

 placed among our rarer British Butterflies. Some 



