VANESSA. 99 



Vanessa, Ochsenheimer. 



The British Vanessas form a well-defined group of 

 butterflies, possessing, amongst other marked similarities, 

 a great brilliancy and richness of colouring, such as we 

 usually associate with the denizens of countries much 

 more favoured with sunny weather than our own. They 

 are seven in number, and are known as the Comma, 

 V. C-album ; Large Tortoiseshell, V. polychloros ; Small 

 Tortoiseshell, V. iirticce. ; Peacock, V. to; Camberwell 

 Beauty, Vanessa antiopa ; Red Admiral, V. atalanta ; 

 Painted Lady, V. cardui. 



For richness, yet simplicity, of colouring the palm must 

 no doubt be given to the Camberwell Beauty, with its 

 wings of deep chocolate edged with cream ; the striking 

 contrast of the black, scarlet, and white of the Red 

 Admiral giving that insect a good second place ; though 

 perhaps many may prefer to both the more gorgeous 

 Peacock, well-named after the bird whose eye-spots it 

 has so closely simulated. The other four, though coming 

 some distance behind, are nevertheless sufficiently bril- 

 liant with their rich, russet ground-colour relieved by 

 markings of black, white, and blue. The outlines of all, 

 except the Painted Lady and the Red Admiral, are in- 

 dented, and this indentation is carried to the extreme in 

 the case of the Comma, as a reference to Fig. 99 will 

 shew. There is very little difference between the male 

 and female in any of the species of this genus. 



The Camberwell Beauty is unfortunately scarce, though 

 it is found occasionally but, as a rule, singly throughout 

 England. The Comma and the Large Tortoiseshell are 

 none too often found. The Red Admiral, Peacock, and 

 Small Tortoiseshell, are common enough everywhere, and 

 the other the Painted Lady is fairly so. All are strong 



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