APATURA IRIS. 129 



The costal margin of the fore-wings of the imago 

 (Fig. 133) is convex, and the hind-margin concave and 

 scalloped ; the hind-wings are scalloped. The ground- 

 colour is smoky-brown above, and the fringe white. 

 There is a somewhat interrupted white band extending 

 from the centre of the fore-wings to near the inner 

 margin of the hind-wings, as well as about nine white 

 spots near the tip of the fore-wings. There is a light 

 line near the outer margin of all the wings, and in this 

 region the ground-colour is darker. A reddish mark 

 will be seen near the tip of the hind-wings, and others 

 at the anal angle, near which is a black spot circled 

 with red and having a few blue scales in the centre. 

 The under-surface (Fig. 132) is much more beautiful than 

 the upper. The ground-colour is very much lighter. 

 The white markings resemble those on the upper sur- 

 face; but there is a band of rich dark brown on each 

 side of the white stripe on the hind-wings, and three patches 

 of the same colour are to be seen on the costal margin 

 of the fore-wings. The hind-margin of the hind-wings 

 is pinkish-white, while the eye-spot of the upper surface 

 is repeated, but smaller, and with a brighter blue centre. 

 There is besides a much larger eye-spot on the under- 

 surface of the fore-wings black surrounded with orange, 

 the centre being blue as before. The body, legs, and 

 palpi are nearly white ; the tongue is pale green. The 

 male, in certain lights, has its wings suffused with a rich, 

 deep purple hence the common name. In the female, 

 the purple glow, as stated above, is absent, but she is 

 often larger than her mate. 



A. iris varies somewhat in the development of the 

 white markings, and specimens now and again occur in 

 which they are nearly or quite absent. 



