THE GLORY OF THE BUTTERFLY. 387 



(Papilio Priamus) ; the contrast of the rich green 

 and black of the velvet of its wings with each 

 other, and with the black of its abdomen, is, 

 beyond expression, regal and magnificent." What 

 adds to the beauty of the wings of this tribe 

 of insects is the appearance of the beautiful spots 

 like eyes, which are so familiar to us, and which 

 are almost without a parallel, except in the animal 

 world. This ornament gives to the wings of a 

 butterfly an indescribable life and beauty, and 

 constrains us as we contemplate it to acknowledge 

 that f Solomon, in all his glory, was not arrayed 

 like one of these.' The astonishing variety of 

 combination in the colours communicates an inex- 

 pressible charm to these insect glories : here is a 

 lustrous blue, a glowing orange, a delicate lemon, 

 an exquisite pink, a fiery copper, or a spotless 

 white. None but a Divine hand could have pro- 

 duced such effects as are exhibited in these most 

 gorgeously painted organs. No work of man will 

 endure comparison with them. The most elabo- 

 rately finished miniature upon which the artist 

 may, in the features and dress of the person, have 

 expended all the resources of his art in the pro- 

 duction of harmonious and pleasing tones of colour, 



