DESCRIPTIVE NOTICES OF CONSPICUOUS SPECIES 101 



Lyndhurst, and Winchester in Hampshire, the Isle of 

 Wight, and the neighbourhood of Worcester. 



The expansion of the wings is from 2 to nearly 2| 

 inches. The fore-wings are blackish-brown, with a 

 central white band interrupted in the middle, beyond 

 this are two small white spots near the tip, and one near 

 the middle of the hind margin, and a less conspicuous 

 whitish spot lies between the central band and the base 

 of the wing. The hind-wings are blackish-brown with a 

 central whitish band, forming a continuation of that on 

 the fore-wings. The underside of the hind-wings is of 

 a delicate silvery-blue at the base and inner margin. 



The spiny larva is pale green, with a lateral white 

 stripe on the seven last segments ; on the second, third, 

 fifth, eleventh, and twelfth segments are long, ferru- 

 ginous, branched spines, and there are shorter spines on 

 the sixth to tenth segments ; on each side are two rows 

 of short spines, beneath it is green ; it feeds on honey- 

 suckle in April and May. 



The perfect insect appears at the end of June and in 

 July, frequenting woods. Its flight is considered to be 

 the most graceful of that of any of our native butter- 

 flies. 



FAMILY II. NYMPH ALID^E. Subfamily Nymphalidi. 



APATUEA IBIS. THE PUEPLE EMPEEOE 

 BUTTEEFLY. 



This magnificent insect is confined to woods in the 

 south of England, but is widely distributed in Kent, 

 Sussex, Essex, Suffolk, Huntingdonshire, etc. I believe 

 it has not been noticed north of Lincolnshire. 



