412 



THE SCARLET ADMIRAL. 



a good idea of its real beauty may be formed by imagining the ground color of the upper 

 wings to be pale chestnut, that of the under wings wood-brown, and all the spots to be com- 

 posed of highly-burnished silver leaf. 



mDO.-CethbsiadMo. 



THETIS. - Marietta t/ittit. 

 Agravlis monita. 



To this family belongs the brightly-colored genus Vanessa, of which the common PEACOCK 

 BUTTERFLY is a familiar British example. This insect, which is one of the finest butterflies, 



may be seen very plentifully in fields, roads, or woods, 

 when the beauty of its coloring never fails to attract 

 admiration. 



One of the most notable peculiarities in this but- 

 terfly is the uniform dark hues of the under side, which 

 present a great contrast to the varied shades of blue and 

 red which decorate the upper side. The object of this 

 arrangement seems to be that the insect may be able to 

 conceal itself from its foe at will, a purpose which is 

 readily attained by a very simple manoeuvre. When the 

 Peacock Butterfly thinks itself in danger, it flies straight- 

 way to some shaded spot, such as a tree- trunk or old pal- 

 ings, closes its wings over its back, and remains motion- 

 less. The effect of this proceeding is, that the wide expanse 

 of bright colors is suddenly replaced by a flat, dark, leaf- 

 like object, which looks more like a piece of bark torn 

 from the tree than an insect. The apparent vanishing 

 of the butterfly has always a rather startling effect, even 

 to those who are accustomed to it, the large, brilliant 

 rreature disappearing as mysteriously as if annihilated, or covered with the cap of darkness. 

 The beautiful SCARLET ADMIRAL, so well known by the broad, scarlet stripes that are 

 drawn over the wings ; the LARGE and SMALL TORTOISE-SHELL BUTTERFLIES ; the COMMA 



PEACOCK BUTTERFLY. Vanetsa lo. 



